If the typical premise of American Indian history is actually the history of Indian-white relations, then the "other" side of the coin must be turned over for understanding an Indian point of view and what is called "writing from home." Conceptually, "writing from home" is the challenge of historians who are American Indian and who write history based on their cultural perceptions and home place as Native people who have been trained in the mainstream academy. Indian history is perceived differently by Indians close to their traditions as opposed to academic historians. While this essay focuses on the latter and writing from home, Indian history of the former is conveyed in the oral tradition via stories where "experiences" are more important than "events." Furthermore, Indian history in the form of "experiences" is actually moments of time where time is perceived differently from the American mainstream. The difference in perception underscores the point that Indians who write history "see" the world differently than non-Indian historians who write Indian history. This particular difference has not been so evident, since there are only about a dozen American Indian historians who actively write from a Native perspective. This ability is what the author calls "real" Indian history and writing from "home." How they do this is the main argument of this essay. (Contains 7 notes.)