Books by Les W. Field

Drawing on the works and words of artisans and artisanas, Indians, and mestizos, the author critiques the national ideology of ethnic homogeneity. He shows how Gueguence tells a story about the passing of time, the absurdity of authority, and the contradictions of coping with inheritances of the past.

For Native peoples of California, the abalone found along the state's coast has significance as food, spirit, narrative symbol, tradable commodity, and material with which to make adornment and sacred regalia. This book presents perspectives on the multifaceted material.