Sing Down the Rain
Book Review:
Like many Native American cultures, the Tohono O'odham of the Southwest
have a strong belief system and many traditions. This book deals with
one such tradition, the Saguaro Wine Ceremony. Sing Down the Rain
goes into great detail about all the key factors involved in the ceremony.
Everything from the animals to the desert plants plays a key role in
the life of the O'odham, or Desert People. This ceremony is essential
for it helps bring the rain to water their crops.
This book does an excellent job of bringing alive desert life, the
process of the ceremony, and the Tohono O'odham people. The author does
an excellent job describing the area of the Southwest in which these
people live. She also ties in all the elements of nature that play a
key role in this ceremony and the lives of these Desert People. The
most engaging part is that it is a poem about the ceremony and can be
read by an individual or performed by a classroom of students to a tune
that children can grasp and will help them better enjoy the already
wonderfully written book.
For more information about the Tohono O'odham, the book, and teaching
tips: you can visit the author Judi
Moreillon's Web site
.