Children’s book by local author tells Sacajawea’s story from new perspective
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Editor’s note: Portions of this story are taken from an EastIdahoNews.com article published on Aug. 31, 2023. We are reposting an updated version following a recent presentation by the author.
FORT HALL – A new book by a local author tells the story of Sacajawea in a way it’s never been told before.
Randy’L Teton, former spokeswoman for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Fort Hall who’s now a tribal affairs specialist for the U.S. Forest Service, recently published a children’s book. It’s called “It’s Her Story: Sacajawea”
The book was released in September and in a recent interview with KPVI, Teton expressed gratitude for the community’s response.
The way it’s written is what makes it particularly unique.
Unlike many accounts of Sacajawea’s life, which focus on her time as a guide for Lewis and Clark and rely heavily on their journals, this book tells her story from the perspective of two women who are members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.
It contains stories shared orally by family members and tribal elders, passed down through generations.
“It takes the traditional oral story-telling and (puts) it in a book. You don’t see that very often and we need to change that. I’m happy and very humbled to be part of that process and change,” Teton adds.
The book also includes a glossary of Shoshone words and phrases and their definitions, starting with the tribe’s accepted spelling of the name Sacajawea — with a “J” and a hard “E.”
In September, Teton told us the different spellings and pronunciations of her name are proof that Sacajawea’s story has been blurred in the 211 years since her death.
The book is just one in a 10-book series examining the life of different women who have had a lasting impact on history.
The book is widely available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other booksellers, but those who purchase it from Teton’s website will get an autographed copy.