"The Middle Five: Indian Boys at School"
by
Francis La Flesche
is a seminal work published in 1900, which offers a unique and insightful perspective on Native American life and culture. The book is a memoir that chronicles the experiences of five Native American boys from the Omaha tribe who are sent to a boarding school in the late 19th century to receive a formal education.
Francis La Flesche, an Omaha ethnologist and one of the first Native Americans to receive a degree in anthropology, wrote
"The Middle Five"
as an autobiographical account of his own experiences at a government-run boarding school, as well as the broader struggles faced by Native American children during the era of forced assimilation. The book highlights the cultural clashes that occurred between Native American traditions and Western education, revealing the emotional and social struggles these boys faced as they were caught between two worlds.
The story emphasizes the importance of Native American culture and identity, while also acknowledging the hardships and challenges these boys had to endure. The title, "The Middle Five," refers to the group of boys who find themselves in the difficult position of being educated in Western ways but still tied to their native culture.