Hits With His Fist Gives a Helping Hand: Mimbres Children Learn About Caring

By Carilyn Alarid and Marilyn Markel

This touching story describes the use of the Native American “talking stick” to facilitate communication through the unique black and white painted pottery images created by the Mimbres Indians of southwest New Mexico. Centered on the theme of caring, it is the third in a series to help children learn how to develop good character traits. In this story the Mimbres children discover the enduring power of caring for each other and the members of their pueblo. Innovative ideas along with daring and compassionate actions help them earn the respect of their elders. The children’s continuing adventures are brought to life through the illustrated scenes of every day activity as depicted on the pottery bowls by Mimbres artists of a thousand years ago. Teachers, librarians, parents and children of all ages will enjoy this pictorial narrative.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sunstone Press
• Release date: Aug 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781611396065

Carilyn Alarid

Twin sisters, Carilyn Alarid and Marilyn Markel are dedicated to helping children learn to have respect for the individual and cultural differences of all people. Carilyn is a docent at Coronado Historic Site in Bernalillo, New Mexico. Marilyn is the education coordinator for the Mimbres Culture Heritage Site in Mimbres, New Mexico, where she gives tours to school children and adults, focusing on the increasing need to preserve and protect southwest New Mexico’s cultural heritage. Born and raised in New Mexico, these sisters have the utmost respect for native cultures both past and present. Their previous books in the “Mimbres Children” series, Old Grandfather Teaches a Lesson, Talks All Day Has the Courage to Speak, Hits With His Fist Gives a Helping Hand, and Runs Like The Wind Stops in Her Tracks were also published by Sunstone Press.

Book preview

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HITS WITH HIS FIST

GIVES A HELPING HAND

Mimbres Children Learn About Caring

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Carilyn Alarid and Marilyn Markel

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Illustrations by the Authors

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Bert, Harold and the family for all their love and support. A special thanks to Carolyn O’Bagy Davis and Burt Cosgrove Jr. for allowing us to use some of the Mimbres pottery drawings of Harriet Hattie Cosgrove.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the Mimbres People who lived in the American Southwest long ago, to the Native Americans who have the wisdom to use the talking stick and to those who teach children the power of working together.

Preface

This is the third in a series of books written to help children learn the importance of developing good character traits. The characters in this story demonstrate the significance of caring for others in their community.

The authors hope to share a means of teaching ethical behavior with the school and family community that will impact children of all ages through the enjoyable, pictorial narrative in the Mimbres Children series. Other books introduce themes of respect, citizenship, fairness, trustworthiness, and responsibility.

—Carilyn Alarid and Marilyn Markel

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About the Illustrations

The illustrations in this book were based on images found on Mimbres pottery in museum collections and drawings by Harriet Cosgrove, who excavated in the Mimbres area in the 1920s. The pictures painted on Mimbres pottery are viewed as unique and very descriptive. There are no known historical people who are direct descendants of the Mimbres. There is, however, a significant amount of archaeological data and ethno-historical information that suggests behavior and meanings associated with the pictures on the pottery. The uniqueness of the Mimbres culture comes from the pictures painted by the Mimbres artists; the plants, animals, natural phenomena, and the people themselves, which are all depicted on pots. The characters in this story are illustrated in the Mimbres pottery tradition and are representative of the universal human being.

Introduction

The purpose of this book is twofold. The intention of the authors is to demonstrate the use of a talking stick from Native American tradition to children as a means to facilitate communication through literature. It becomes a hands-on activity when the use of a talking stick is practiced following the reading of the story. Children often learn best by doing. Through making and using a talking stick, the lesson presented in the story is reinforced by the activity. Using authentic illustrations found on prehistoric pottery, this book is also meant to expose children to the wonderful artwork and culture of the Native American Mimbres People.

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About the Talking Stick

The talking stick has been used in many Native American cultures as a tool to facilitate communication. It allows the members of a council to honor the opinions of everyone participating, through active listening procedures. The talking stick is passed from speaker to speaker as they voice their opinions. Only the person who is holding the stick has permission to talk. Everyone is obligated to listen until that person passes the stick to someone else. Through this