American Indian writer discusses heritage and storytelling at Cornell

MOUNT VERNON — A writer who was born and raised on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota will read from his works at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at Cornell College.

Joseph Marshall III will present “Heritage and Storytelling” in Hedges Conference Room of The Commons. Admission is free. A book signing follows the program; books will be available for purchase.

Because he was raised in a traditional native household by his maternal grandparents, Marshall’s first language is Lakota. In that environment he also learned the ancient tradition of oral storytelling. His book “The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History” is a biography from the Lakota viewpoint of the greatest Lakota warrior, based primarily on oral accounts.

His other books include “The Lakota Way: Stories and Lessons for Living”; “How Not to Catch Fish: And Other Adventures of Iktomi,” a children’s book; “Walking with Grandfather: The Wisdom of Lakota Elders”; “Keep Going: The Art of Perseverance”; and “The Day the World Ended at Little Big Horn,” scheduled for release in May.

Marshall has been a high school and university instructor, authored screenplays, appeared in television documentaries and served as technical advisor in movies. He was a technical advisor, narrator and onscreen storyteller Loved by the Buffalo for the 2005 miniseries “Into the West” on TNT. Marshall is a charter board member of Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.