In the Land of the Grasshopper Song: Two Women in the Klamath River Indian Country in 1908-09

Mary Ellicott Arnold and Mabel ReedMary Ellicott Arnold wrote that she and companion Mabel Reed were eager not to be "ladies—the kind who have Sunday schools, and never say a bad word, and rustle around in a lot of silk petticoats." They seem to have succeeded, travelling to the Klamath River Valley to live amongst the Karok Indians, a bold move for women of the time. As part of their jobs with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, these women were expected to exert a "civilizing influence" upon the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation. And yet, as they found themselves encapsulated in an entirely foreign culture, these two social activists dedicated themselves to forging relationships with the Indians and opened their eyes to a culture that was struggling to survive.

Arnold and Reeds memoir, In the Land of the Grasshopper Song takes its readers back in time, traveling to a remote Indian tribal community in the Klamath and Salmon River country in northern California in 1908. In an area that had, nearly sixty years before, once attracted hundreds of gold seekers, these two women found themselves immersed in an entirely different culture. Their poignant memoir relays the day-to-day challenges, truths, and experiences that these women faced during their time in Klamath Country. As Arnold and Reed relay their tale, they remind readers of the complexity of California's history and the diversity of cultures. As they learn the language and customs of the Karok people, the myths and stereotypes of the Native Indians steadily dissipate and they find themselves entirely entranced by the ways of this culture. Just as the two women are able to discover beauty and enchantment in their tribal surroundings, so too will the reader in this timeless work.

In the recent Bison Classic Edition, André Cramblit, a member of the Karuk tribe, writes a new foreword and attests to the accuracy of the book, writing that "the pages of the this book allow the outside universe to peer into the center of the Karuk people." Susan Bernardin contributes a fresh introduction that draws on the Mary Ellicott Arnold Papers held at Harvard to provide context for the memoir and details of its reception. An afterword by Terry Supahan completes the new edition. Together, the new foreword, introduction and afterword are a testament to the lasting impact that this book has had. As Cramblitt says, "This is about reality—the reality of two worlds coming together at a time and place where each would have to learn to live with the other." A truly one of a kind memoir, In the Land of the Grasshopper Song will enchant readers with its rich tales of heritage, survival, culture, and the history that our state is built upon.

—Pooja Thapar
California Legacy Project Intern

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