‘Wynema’ (1891) is a novel by Native American writer Sophia Alice Callahan. Occupying the position as the first-ever novel written by a Native American woman, it is an important and gripping account of the hardships suffered by Native Americans, and further covers the infamous ‘Massacre at Wounded Knee’.

When a married couple hears of the horrors at the battle of Wounded Knee, they decide to adopt a Native American orphan girl. But raising a Lakota girl in a white town influenced by Western values and Christianity inevitably leads to a clash of cultures.

´Wynema´ is perfect for those interested in Native American history, as well as those familiar with Zitkala-Ša's ´American Indian Stories´.




Sophia Alice Callahan (1868 –1894) was a Native American novelist and teacher, best known for her novel, ‘Wynema’ (1891), which is the first novel written by a Native American woman.

The book details the horrors of the battle at Wounded Knee and the treatment of Native Americans in 1890’s United States society. It has been declared a work of great historical importance and has been studied by scholars.