Book Description
A personal adventure, a fascinating study of anthropology and ethnopharmacology, and, most important, a revolutionary look at how intelligence and consciousness come into being.
This adventure in science and imagination, which the Medical Tribune said might herald "a Copernican revolution for the life sciences," leads the reader through unexplored jungles and uncharted aspects of mind to the heart of knowledge.
In a first-person narrative of scientific discovery that opens new perspectives on biology, anthropology, and the limits of rationalism, The Cosmic Serpent reveals how startlingly different the world around us appears when we open our minds to it.
"The Cosmic Serpent is a spellbinding, scholarly tour de force that may presage a major paradigm shift in the Western view of reality." --Michael Harner, Ph.D., president, Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and author of The Way of the Shaman
Customer Reviews:
A big piece of the big puzzle........2007-06-09
This book is one of those books that change the way you look at life and the world.
There is so much knowledge about the orgin of life that's disregarded by western science just because they don't understand it. Knowledge that comes from worlds that western science just doesn't grab.
This book is an excellent read for open minded people. Well and conservative narrow minded scientists too. But they will probably disregard it :)
A little short for the reach of its goal.......2007-05-17
The book is extremely interesting, no doubt about it, but if the reader is seeking information about ayahusca trips, there are no significant anecdotes. The author only provides a few details about its first experience.
As an anthropologist, he is bewildered by the large amount of wisdom and information displayed by shamans he met, about the environment and the uses of plants. Many of the medicines they posses, are extracted from different specimens by elaborated processing methods. However they lack any technological means to gather data about their biochemical properties. So, the obtainment of the final result only by chance is almost impossible. When he inquired how the information is obtained, the response is usually the same - The plants "told" it to the shamans - while drinking ayahuasca.
So the author decides to find out how is it possible that while having hallucinations a person can reach veritable data with wonderful practical uses, and his conclusion is fascinating. In a nutshell, when drinking ayahuasca a shaman - or any person with an open mind - can communicate in a defocalized consciousness with the global network of DNA- based life.
He is humble enough to recognize that his methods and mental associations of mythological images, biochemistry, history, DNA, are for the moment nothing more that a plausible proposition. Nevertheless most of those who have drink this not so tasty beverage, can attest that their experience would challenged their preconceptions about themselves and the world they live in.
Definitely on to something.......2007-03-20
An excellent book. Essentially the author is saying that basically all the world's ancient cultures worshipped a giant serpent of some description. Yet they had no contact with each other as far as we know - and some, such as the Siberians - had no contact with snakes. The author suggests that the shamans took similar trance inducing herbal compounds which enabled them to see visions etc. Inevitably they saw giant snakes. The author tries this with some Amazonian shamans and he also has experiences with these giant snakes - like anacondas or boa constrictors. Sounds cuckoo..but the truth is most of us at some time have a dream with large snakes in it. I know I did. Anyway, he connects it to the molecular level, which is to say that he thinks the shamans got down to the DNA level which is represented by the double helix, intertwined snakes. Interesting, but needs more work.
Extremely Thought Provoking!.......2007-02-17
In "The Cosmic Serpent", Jeremy Narby shares both his mental & physical journey concerning shamanism & the biochemical, neurological, and pharmacological information understood by the shamans of various "indigenous" peoples of the Amazon. This is truly an amazing journey!
Through his travels & research, Narby realizes that the Amazon forest can be likened to a huge pharmacy - and that the "natives" would have to have some form of biochemical/neurological/pharmacological knowledge & insight in order to combine & create their various "medicines". But how could they obtain such knowledge without all of the "fancy" scientific tools we have here in "civilization"?
Narby finds his answer after spending time with a well-respected shaman in the Amazon - the knowledge is imparted to them while in a hallucinogenic trance brought on by a brew called ayahuasca, which Narby decides to try for himself, resulting in some really intense insights into mind, body, and soul.
It's the author's hypothesis that shamans, with the aid of ayahuasca, are able to take their consciousness down to the molecular level, which allows them access to biomolecular information. But, because of the scientific tendancy toward rationalism, no research is considered to understand this further.
One of the most interesting parts of this book for me was the discussion concerning DNA & its' possible link to the double serpents/double helix revered in many indigenous societies - are they already aware of what we know about DNA? Could they know even more?
I recently saw a documentary re: an anthropological find where several statues were found that showed 2 serpents. From these statues, the scientists determined that this ancient civilization worshipped a snake or serpent God. After reading this book, I had to wonder if maybe they're wrong...
Overall, I found this to be an interesting, thought provoking, page-turning read. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in spirituality, shamanism, anthropology, & the biological sciences - it has a lot to offer!
The Cosmic Serpent.......2007-01-10
The first couple of chapters were very interesting, more like a novel. As I got into the middle of the book it was like reading a science textbook. There is obviously a lot of discussion of DNA and how the author tries to relate it to the Amazon medicine men.
Book Description
"A dear stream of practical knowledge with the mind change we need to save the life of our Mother Earth––and ourselves . . . This is a book for every person who loves this planet. Eagle Man shows us the joyful path home to our universal Mother."
埃ynthia Bend, Water Spirit Woman, co–author of Birth of a Modem Shaman
"A rich panorama of our native heritage which allows the seeker access to the heart of the Path of Beauty. Ed McGaa has walked this path so that all people may live in harmony."
埊amie Sams, Hancoka Olowanpi, author of Midnight Song: Quest for the Vanished Ones
"Ed McGaa is one of the first persons who can write about 0glala religion in the first person because he has lived it. For years anthropologists have hoped a Native American would portray that society from the inside out. Ed McGaa has. It's about time."
埗illiam K. Powers, author of 0glala Religion
"Fascinating as well as inspiring reading. Ed McGaa makes an excellent spiritual guide and intellectual teacher . . . The information stimulates the mind, the drawings delight the eye, and the ideas soothe the spirit."
埊ack Weatherford, author of Indian Givers
"Profound and insightful . . . Mother Earth Spirituality will be of great importance to those of us, both 'rainbow' and non–Indian people, who walk over land in search of a deeper spiritual life . . . For us, this book is an invaluable guide showing us how to do it."
埆red Alm Wolf, Ph.D., author of Taking the Quantum Leap
Customer Reviews:
The old Knowledge.......2007-05-15
If the human race could knoww the ancient knowledge it will be easy to live in peace, as a family between us as a real family and with respect to the Mother Nature, learning from Her EVERYTHING, specially, humility.
Native American Paths to Healing.......2006-07-08
Eagle Man (Ed McGaa) shares his knowledge of Lakota Sioux spiritual practices as a way to include everyone who wants to heal our world. He calls those who revere Mother Earth and want to ensure her continuation, Rainbow People. He writes in an intimate way, as if talking with friends. He describes the meaning of the various rituals and myths and shares helpful information about how non-Native people may or may not participate. In addition to his personal journey and the sacred practices, he details techniques for building a sweat lodge, making a peace pipe and more. A fascinating book which has earned a place in my personal library.
Mother Earth Spirituality : Native American Paths to Healing Ourselves and Our World (Religion and Spirituality).......2006-06-30
Easy to read and understand. Very "down to earth". A guide book to preparing the necessary items and tools of the Native culture. Very well written.
Interested in Native American Spirituality.......2006-06-27
If you're interested in Native American Spirituality then I would read most all of Eagle Man's books. He provides great insight into the Native American beliefs and customs.Personally I believe his books should be used in high school and colleges to allow others the opportunity to understand our Native American Indian brothers and sisters.
A true classic.......2005-11-17
I read this book while spending the summer backpacking around the Rocky Mountains. Anything that you carry around in a backpack for that long has to be worth the weight and this one definitely was.
Thanks Eagle Man! :)
Book Description
The Yanomami Indians, living in the depths of the Venezuelan forest, are one of the most interesting of the world’s tribal peoples. Jacques Lizot lived among them for over fifteen years and has written an account which allows them to speak for themselves, in stories told by Yanomami individuals. The tales are revealing in the insights they provide into the Indians’ daily experience; their shamanism, magic and sorcery; and conflict and alliance with other villages. The result is a richly evocative and intimate account - illustrated with revealing photographs of the Yanomami’s own perceptions of their world - recreating in detail the atmosphere, speech, noises, smells and images of life in the Amazon forest.
Customer Reviews:
No opinion, zero interest..........2007-08-09
I've read quite afew books on the Yanomami, but this was by far the most boring one I ever read...
Lizot writes as more of an observer than an opinionated human being. The result? One of the most scientific, and yet boring publications on the Yanomami to date...
One of the greatest things about the other books on the Yanomami is that they're written more like a novel or a diary than a scientific geneology/anthropology text book, but this one isn't the same... Lizot writes nothing of his personal experiences, thoughts, observations, or personal feelings about the Yanomami. Very nice, very scientific, but VERY boring... I only managed to read about half way through this book before stopping altogether...
If you're taking an anthropology class, or just interested in the subject like myself, then I recommend buying "Into the Heart" by Kenneth Good or one of Chagnon's many works. They're still written from a scentific stand point, but they're easier to read because the Authors write about their own personal experiences, which makes it alot more interesting and hard to put down like a good novel.
Besides, I feel that reading many books about the Yanomami, written by different authors from different perspectives makes for a greater learning experience.
Lizot's book, while highly scientific, lacks the drama, feeling, intricate perspective, suspense, and heart that other books based on the Author's field work had...
For an exciting and riveting account of one man's personal experiences, field work, heart ache, and adventure, read Kenneth Good's "Into the Heart: One Man's pursuit of Love and Knowledge Amoung the Yanomami Indians"
For a much better book written using a similar narrative complete with several professionally taken photographs, buy Valdir Cruz's "Faces of the Rainforest: the Yanomami"
Overall Rating: 2.3 stars
Absolute rubbish.......2006-01-14
I've given a rating of 1 star for this book only because negative numbers are not an option. If you think this book is entertaining, you should read "Darkness in the Heart of El Dorado" by Patrick Teirney and find out the real story behind Lizot. This man should be in jail!
The Yanomami are FUNNY AS ALL HELL!!!!.......2005-08-06
This book is an anthropological case study of a group of south american indians. Not only is it interesting from a scientific standpoint, it is also hilarious. The Yanomami are highly sexual. I had no idea there were so many creative activities a person could engage in with the penis (masterbation in the mouth of a river fish was a new one on me). They are also a fascinatingly brutal culture. For instance, its perfectly ok in the Yanomami culture to bonk someone over the head with a heavy club in an argument. Overall, a very entertaining read about a culture as foreign as one could imagine.
Average customer rating:
- Ghost Dancing Sacred Medicine and the Art of JD Challenger
- Art for the Soul
- Beautiful Visual Experience
- Excellent reproduction of JD's paintings.
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Ghost Dancing: JD Challenger
E. Daniels
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Customer Reviews:
Ghost Dancing Sacred Medicine and the Art of JD Challenger.......2001-04-27
Descriptive words of Ghost Dancing, joined with the timeless wisdom contained in the words of Native America. Couple this with the paintings of JD Challenger and you have an opportunity to not read about but really feel. This is not a book just narrating the past but speaks volumes to the future. This book called to me from the library shelf and I have ordered to place in a prominent place on my shelf. This is a book to share with others and come back to often.
Art for the Soul.......1999-10-07
JD challengers work was the first original art that I have purchased. When I saw his work in a gallery in Santa Fe, I was mesmorized by the character of his subjects. Ghost Dancing provides a good overview of many of his prints that are available.
Beautiful Visual Experience.......1999-02-28
The text of this book is extremely informative on the Ghost Dance Religion of Native Americans. It covers the origins of the religion, its climax and the results thereof. Adding to this educational context is the Beautifully compelling work of artist JD Challenger. His riviting paintings jump from the pages virtually reaching out from the book and pulling you in. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Native Americans and most assuredly to anyone who loves art that emits emtional impact. I constantly go back to this book as a source of inspiration and to gain understanding of Native American's plight.
Excellent reproduction of JD's paintings........1998-07-10
The book is of the finest quality in printing and binding. The content is very educational and the reproductrion of JD's paintings is superb.
Book Description
Joyce Sequichie Hifler offers this beloved collection of daily meditation books drawn from her own rich Cherokee heritage and that of other tribes. She presents readings for each day of the year and provides insights in both English and Cherokee, and gems of wisdom recorded in the words of native speakers. This little treasure is for readers of all faiths, and for those seeking faith.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Daily Beginning.......2001-11-06
A friend gave me this book as a gift in 1993. I have read a meditation almost every day since. I find it to be uplifting and thought provoking and at the same time centering on things that really matter. The meditations remind me that family and earth matter so much more than materialistics. My daughter also reads daily and has been searching for one as a gift.
Feed your soul!.......2000-06-23
Certainly one of the most elegant daily devotional books available today. Hifler is both poet and spiritual guide. This book is a real treat!
Reaches deep into the soul........1999-05-26
I have had this book and gave it to a friend and now I have to replace it. I depended on the daily mediations to give me a positive or clear thought to start my day. It parallels the daily mediations of christianity so closely it makes you realize there truely is only one "Great Spirit". This book has enhanced my life. Until I found this book I only had my christian beliefs of mediations. Now I have something that I can relate to through heritage. I have shared the passages in this book with many friends and it has touched their hearts as deeply as mine. Thank you Joyce Sequichie Hifler.
PREPARE TO BE FOREVER UPLIFTED!.......1998-12-02
Inspirational books always failed to inspire me until "A Cherokee Feast of Days." Joyce Sequitchie Hifler delves into my soul and finds the very best, strongest parts of ME. By including the wisdom of native elders, she gives us a perspective of "time," of each day, as a healer and as an opportunity to, simply put, "do good." Hifler is like the sunflower: her roots run deep in the red clay earth and her face smiles up to God reflecting the blessings which he has bestowed upon her and upon all of us. I have given this book to many of my friends. Prepare to have your outlook on life uplifted forever! Hifler makes me even more proud to be blessed with my grandmother's Tsalagi blood.
Book Description
Popol Vuh, the Quiché Mayan book of creation, is not only the most important text in the native languages of the Americas, it is also an extraordinary document of the human imagination. It begins with the deeds of Mayan gods in the darkness of a primeval sea and ends with the radiant splendor of the Mayan lords who founded the Quiché kingdom in the Guatemalan highlands. Originally written in Mayan hieroglyphs, it was transcribed into the Roman alphabet in the sixteenth century.
This new edition of Dennis Tedlock's unabridged, widely praised translation includes new notes and commentary, newly translated passages, newly deciphered hieroglyphs, and over forty new illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Popol Vuh.......2007-09-30
Great Book, using it for class right now, and the teacher loves the book too...
Popul Vuh Creation Story.......2007-06-27
The Popul Vuh is the story of the creation of the world according to the Maya of mesoamerica. Tedlock's new edition has a large appendix that expands on the text of the document with insights into background issues. Good book.
carlos
Popol Vuh - Myth or Truth ?.......2007-03-09
First time i read this book, it was for me like reading the book dedicated to children. I can't understand meaning and story line. So i put it away for a while. I focused on 2012 books mainly afterwhile, it shocks me, how i could been so blind !
Why ? You ask ?
Because as far as i understand well, this english translation of spanish translation of original book describes several "EVENTS". I mean the major ones. It tells us about the "sky events" "god events" (sometimes god means star/sun/planet) and fighting between gods represent tha actual stars/planet/sun position. Describes the daily/weekly/monthly cycles. Tries to explain what is the "Great cycle"
So i took this book again and read it for second time (with all my knowleadge about the ancients) and it is pretty fascinating afterward.
I suggest to read it first time like i did, like normal story, than start to investigate and you will be suprised "What is deep in it".
-keep it readin'-
Great edition of an essential world text - lots of helps.......2005-04-22
The Maya did not divide their everyday lives and religion. In fact, they didn't have a religion in our sense at all. Their everyday lives were bound up in visions, stories of the heavens, earth, past, and future that were not separate from the reality of their everyday experience. This book, the "Popol Vuh" means Council Book. That is, it is a book for the Lords to consult. One of its other titles is "The Light That Came From Beside the Sea". It is a document of the Quiche Maya who lived (and still live) in a portion of what is present day Guatemala.
The "Popol Vuh" tells the essential myth of the ball game and the hero twins. Its story is far too involved and strange to try and explain it in this review. The story explains things about the Sun, Moon, and Venus in their play across the heavens. It prepares the living for what awaits them in Xibalba (the awful place below the earth). And there is constant gratitude for the knowledge of the creation of men from maize and the light of understanding this book brings them. The various sacred places of mountains, caves, and of ritual sacrifice are all here and powerfully expressed.
Dennis Tedlock translated the text into clear and very readable English. However, that is not sufficient for the uninitiated to understand. So, Tedlock provides us with an introductory essay to help us understand the context of these stories. At the back he also provides notes on the text arranged by page number, a glossary of terms (which we desperately need to read the book), a wonderful bibliography for further reading, and an index.
Now, a couple of things to keep in mind when you read this book (and you should). This text has one written source, and it is written in the Mayan language with a Western alphabet. Also, this copy is post Conquest so there is no real way to know how the story was changed or influenced by the Christian stories that were also (forcibly) taught to the Maya, if at all. If you end up believing that this story is an intact retelling of the true Myth without Christian influences, there are some pretty strange and wonderful parallels. If you are uncomfortable with some of the parallels, then you will want to explain them away by claiming corruption by the Christian conquerors. Take your pick. No one really knows.
Terrific edition of an important text that you can really enjoy reading and adding to your understanding of the world and the total range of the human experience.
The Greatest Work of the Americas' Greatest Civilization!.......2005-04-16
I cannot heap enough praises on this book. Bravo!
This book is an English edition of a transliteration into latin letters of the Popul Vuh: the sacred religious and wisdom text of the Maya. It was studied by Mayan leaders, and recited aloud to the people. Everyone knew the stories. In the original books, there were many glosses, anecdotes and images elaborating upon the text; and in this English edition, the author has provided us with just these same sorts of things, including beautiful mysterious Mayan art on nearly every page. I absolutely love Mayan civilization's artwork, architecture, script and it's greatest story; they appeal to me profoundly on a deep aesthetic level. Mayan civilization seemingly had so much mystery and excitement. They even had stadiums where thay watched sporting contests! This book opens up this whole civilization to us and allows us to get intimate with it. And, for those of us living in the Americas, this is the greatest work of literature of our greatest ancient civilization!!! It's human value is inestimable; and it still contains lots of wisdom for us, if we are willing to learn from it. It was the book of kings, and now it is ours!
Book Description
Black Elk Speaks is the story of the Lakota visionary and healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863–1950) and his people during the momentous twilight years of the nineteenth century. Black Elk met the distinguished poet, writer, and critic John G. Neihardt (1881–1973) in 1930 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and chose Neihardt to tell his story. Neihardt understood and conveyed Black Elk’s experiences in this powerful and inspirational message for all humankind.
When Black Elk received his great vision, white settlers were invading the Lakotas’ homeland, decimating buffalo herds, and threatening to extinguish the Lakotas’ way of life. The Lakotas fought fiercely to retain their freedom and way of life, a dogged resistance that resulted in a remarkable victory at the Little Bighorn and an unspeakable tragedy at Wounded Knee. Black Elk Speaks offers much more than a precious glimpse of a vanished time, however. As related by Neihardt, Black Elk’s searing visions of the unity of humanity and the earth have made this book a venerated spiritual classic. Whether appreciated as the poignant tale of a Lakota life, a history of a Native nation, or an enduring spiritual testament, Black Elk Speaks is unforgettable.
This new edition features two additional essays by John G. Neihardt that further illuminate his experience with Black Elk; an essay by Alexis Petri, great-granddaughter of John G. Neihardt, that celebrates Neihardt’s remarkable accomplishments; and a look at the legacy of the special relationship between Neihardt and Black Elk, written by Lori Utecht, editor of Knowledge and Opinion: Essays and Literary Criticism of John G. Neihardt.
For more information on John G. Neihardt, visit www.neihardt.com
Customer Reviews:
Timeless Classic.......2007-10-06
Black Elk Speaks is a 1932 autobiography of an Oglala Sioux medicine man as told to John Neihardt.
In the summer of 1930, as part of his research into the Native American perspective on the Ghost Dance movement, Neihardt contacted an Oglala holy man named Black Elk, who had been present as a young man at the 1876 Battle of the Little Big Horn and the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre. As Neihardt tells the story, Black Elk gave him the gift of his life's narrative, including the visions he had had and some of the Oglala rituals he had performed. The two men developed a close friendship. The book Black Elk Speaks, grew from their conversations continuing in the spring of 1931, and is now Neihardt's most familiar work.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Elk_Speaks
Ghostly Reminders.......2007-09-17
As I recall, it was one of those hot, smoggy summer days in LA. We were sitting on a park bench in the shade. The park was one of those anonymous lttle collections of half-watered, half-dead grassy spots that dot the LA sprawl. Present were Manuel, his wife Vera chief of what was left of the Huhumonga tribe (Gabrielino, in Spanish), and several of us white activists. We were all working to preserve the remaining sage scrub beds (a sacred plant to Western tribes) from San Bernardino area developers. Now, Manuel, as long as I had known him, was a mild-mannered man, content to let Vera make decisions for those Gabrielinos still active in tribal affairs. Maybe, it was the summer heat or the unruly kids playing nearby, I don't know. But suddenly Manuel jumped from the bench, strode over to the several families with the kids, and in a stern and steady voice proceeded to remind them that all the land upon which they now walked and drove had once belonged to his people who had peaceably roamed the land. A moment later, he returned, and we resumed without comment. But I've never forgotten that moment, not because it was embarrassing for Manuel or for the bewildered families who had no idea who he was, but for what it demonstrated to me. That even in the middle of one of America's great cities, having long ago replaced the vast beds of coastal sage and peaceable people, there remain ghostly encounters with a very real pre-European past.
And that's the sort of glimpse Black Elk Speaks provides in wonderful detail. The past comes alive through the proverbial eyes of a revered man whose people have been overly villified or overly romanticized, but rarely portrayed in all their human complexity. Black Elk, I think, manages the complexity as he recounts experiences from boyhood through young adulthood. From the poetically practical names of people and months, eg. Moon of the Grass Appearing (April), to the migrations across traditional lands, to the historic battles with the Wasichus (white men), to the Ogalalas' end at Wounded Knee, the reader is immersed in a strange and vanished culture. It's said in the notes that the Indian Black Elk and the white man John Neihardt possessed something of a common spirit that communicated across racial and linguistic barriers. As it reads, the seamlessly flowing narrative demonstrates something of a communal overlap, a kind of deeper commonality. The book's centerpiece revolves around the nine year-old Black Elk's Great Vision, recounted here in all its colorful and lyrical detail. Whatever the prophetic value, the strength of Black Elk's Vision clearly guided and infused him for the remainder of his life, and provides a powerful potrait of another people's wishes and dreams.
Frankly, I've never put much stock in the metaphysics of visions, whether of the white man's Biblical variety or the Native American's pantheistc kind. But I have to confess that when I compare America's great national vision of Manifest Destiny with Black Elk's, I much prefer the latter. It's certainly more poetic and a lot less threatening to the planet. Something like that, I believe, is where the real value of looking at the world through the eyes of others lies. Perhaps it's the best way for a skeptic like me to expand his own consciousness, and share a vanished time and place as I did for a brief moment on that long ago park bench.
Refreshing challenge to mainstream ways of knowing.......2007-08-22
This book is quite difficult to read on many levels - but the challenge it presents to mainstream, American readers is worth stretching one's mind to encompass.
As with any written account of an oral presentation, it often seems as if it lacks polish. But its directness is part of its art. It is not a story told to entertain. It is a recounting of an important story and a vision unfulfilled, a factor that puzzles the sympathetic reader as much as it seemed to grieve Black Elk himself.
The value to many readers lies in hearing a different point of view no only on history but also on valid ways of knowing and thinking. As a counterpoint to European epistemology, this book is worth the effort to see the world through another set of eyes.
horrid.......2007-05-06
I had to read this once for an anthropology class.
For years it remained the worst book I had ever read. (It was later supplanted by John Fowles's "Daniel Martin.")
Anyhow. Such was my loathing for it that, after I had finished the exam on it, I did something I thought I would never see myself do to a book: I literally hurled it into my fire, having stoked the flames for the purpose. I really did.
(For the record, this is the only time I have ever destroyed a book.)
One of my greatest memories. Sigh.
Translation: Dees book sucks, mon.
Black Elk Speaks.......2006-12-05
This was a very interesting first hand accounting of the history leading up
to Little Big Horn. You get a peak into the mystical basis for decision
making and of how the Oglala and several other tribes' living styles were
drastically changed over a brief period of time.
The beginning chapter is the recounting of a dream, which may be hard
to follow, but it is important and lays the groundwork for what happens
later in the book.
Book Description
The co-author of the bestselling Wisdomkeepers interviews women elders of several Native American nations to reveal the fascinating knowledge, philosophies, and traditions of their ancestry.
Customer Reviews:
Authentic conversations and native womens' philososphy.......2007-06-18
Wisdom's Daughters: A Philosophy of Women Elders
Steve Wall has a thirty year career of photography and writing. Wall has worked for National Geographic. He has authored many books, among them, Wisdomkeepers: Meetings with Native American Spiritual Elders; To Become a Human Being: The Message of Tadodaho Chief Leon Shenandoah: Travels in a Stone Canoe: the Return to the Wisdomkeepers; and Shadowcatchers: A Journey in Search of the Teachings of Native American Healers. While it has been difficult to find record of awards and honors in the establishment press, Terri Windling, (1997) founder of the Endicott Studio, in "Turtle Island: the Mythology of North America" cited Wall's Wisdom's Daughters as "a terrific book." Wisdom's Daughters, written and photographed by Steve Wall, records conversations and philosophies of thirteen women elders from ten Indian nations. They are Tewa Tesuque Peublo, Chumash, North Cheyenne, Seminole, Ojibway, Oneida, Seneca, Hoh, Cowichan and Mohawk. I have chosen two chapters to discuss: Tewa Tesuque Puebelo with Vickie Downey and Ojibway with Betty Laverdure.
TEWA TESUQUE PUEBLO with Vickie Downey
Downey begins by explaining the "Instructions." They are somewhat like a combination of the Golden rule and the ten Commandments. "We were told if the Instructions were lost, then harm would come to the people." (Wall, 1993, p.3). Downey believed that live is the answer to everything and that all people are related. "When we stop loving others, problems begin, she said. "We can fight prejudice, injustice, and hat with live and respect. These are our weapons." Downey stated that it is the time of the women. Indian women identify more with Mother Earth than non-natives and neither are content about life. "It's the time of the feminine. With a
woman it's what we feel. When I look around at different women, I see sadness and a heaviness in themselves. What they"re experiencing is what the earth is experiencing--her sadness and heaviness because of the way her children are living today" (Wall, 1993, p. 12). Downey is referring to the environmental damage that has been done to the earth that must be repaired and also that a return to the "Instructions" is needed. Downey was optimistic that women Elders could help non-whites remember that the spiritual is a very important part of our lives. We need to love and become aware of our surroundings and our relationships with everyone. I think this chapter was a very positive one to begin Wisdom's Daughters since it was hopeful that the damage to earth and relationships between cultures could be healed.
OJIBWAY with Betty Laverdure
Wall, the author, began the chapter with a visit to LacCourt Oreilles Reservation in Wisconsin before he visited Betty Laverdure. Wall was invited to the Midewiwin lodge for a Ghost Feast. This is a four day feast to honor the dead. First the longhouse is built. Birch and canvas are used to make a half-moon shape fifty feet long with a fire pit in the middle and doors on the East and West. East equals birth and West equals death. A prayer is said and tobacco is burnt. Crying is not permitted. "Don't shake hands with the spirit world by crying." This would make the deceased cry , too, and "attach to the mourner." People would stand and call out names of those who had walked on. Then the feast began. (Wall, 1993, p. 96). On the fourth day, the people had a healing rite. An eagle whistle was blown and a bald eagle who represented the Creator was brought in. Later in the chapter, Betty Laverdure was introduced. She is a judge from the Bear Clan and Ojibway member. Her society is matriarchal. The ceremonies of her tribe were outlawed and the religion of Europeans was imposed on them. The Ojibway culture was never studied by the Europeans in a manner that it could be accepted as it was. Instead, the Europeans viewed the tribes ceremonies as pagan and dangerous. Laverdure made the point that with Catholics, people go to the priest, receive absolution and go out and do the same sinful act again. Indians go to the person they have wronged first, then to the Creator and don't repeat the sin.
In Ojibway culture the sexes are equal. This is an example of natives being ahead of the times.
I liked this collection of conversations with Elders. They are extremely honest. Some share outlines of ceremonies. While others state that non-tribal people who are curious should not be allowed to attend ceremonies. Laverdure described many ceremonies. One that particularly touched me was called Keeping the Soul. "For a year you keep the person's things that he liked, like rings, things he wore all the time. At the end of the year, you give these things to people in remembrance. That's at the giveaways. You give one the watch, one the jacket, one the shoes. You think of that person, pray for them while you're wearing or using these things. Giveaway. Everything someone gets; everything in the house is given away." (Wall, 1993, p. 127).
I would recommend this book because it is authentic conversations with elders and gives a bird's eye view into their culture. I appreciated the innate spirituality witnessed to in the book. Wall's book would be a good text for a person interested in native culture, spirituality and women's roles and contributions. One flaw I find with the book is that although it is presented as conversations with elders, we are not provided with his impressions Wall's editing and selection of conversations provides a writer's view which is not defined for the reader.
References
Wall, S.(1993) Wisdom's Daughters, New York: Harper Collins
Windling, T. (1997) Turtle Island: the Mythology of North America, in Realms of Fantasy,
www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/rrMyth_Folklore index html - 10k
Wisdom's Daughters : Conversations With Women Elders of Nati.......2000-03-17
This is a very well written book, one that you will not want to put down. It tells honestly real stories of what it is truly like to be an native american woman. It is hard to comprehend the discrimination for the people that were first in the United States. One writer makes a reference that the ballots are written in vietnamese, spanish, and many other languages but not in the language of the people that were first to settle in the United States
Average customer rating:
- You just have to go there.
- You can't judge a book by it's cover.
- I thought it kept you interested throughout the whole book.
- A fine book about a beautifual people and place.
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A Face in the Rock: The Tale Of A Grand Island Chippewa
Loren R. Graham
Manufacturer: Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1559633662 |
Book Description
The Harvard historian of science Loren R. Graham has written a richly entertaining story of the Grand Island Chippewa Indians, one combining extensive oral histories, original documents and his own well-informed musings to fill in the gaps.... Mr. Graham has a firm grasp of narrative storytelling and a deep understanding of the customs and mythology of this tribe." -The New York Times Book Revie.
"Loren Graham's steady vision and painstaking research result in a fascinating and poignant story. A Face in the Rock is very true, very touching." -Louise Erdrich, author of The Blue Jay's Dance and The Bingo Palace
Customer Reviews:
You just have to go there. .......2007-06-29
This was an interesting historical account of the original Indian inhabitants of Grand Island in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. A Face in the Rock is more meaningful for those who have made the trip to this beautiful island. The water is crystal clear and the lack of tourists are surprising. Kyle and I actually took a kayaking trip to near by Pictured Rocks which provides breath-taking sites all along the coast of Lake Superior. If you are interested in the outdoors or just love to go to the beach this is a wonderful location for you.
You can't judge a book by it's cover........2001-09-11
I came across A Face in the Rock in a bargain bin and picked it up because 1. it was so [inexpensive] and 2. it was local history. In truth, I didn't expect much from it---the edition that I bought had a badly designed cover---and it ended up sinking down my pile of "to read" books. I finally got around to it months later on a rainy, dreary, ... autumn day and, lo and behold, got totally sucked into it. A Face in the Rock as a book does everything a history should do: it captures the inherent drama, maintains an intimate, personal approach, sets the story against the framework of forces at work on the larger stage. It's also fairly short and to the point---the author keeps things moving nicely. It's nearly perfect, and a remarkable and poignant tale. Recently it has been reissued in a snappier edition (with praise from the NY Times and Louise Erdrich, among others) and, hopefully, this will help it find a wider audience. If you're at all interested in the history and development of the Great Lakes region, in native American history, or in sweeping dramas, get this book.
I thought it kept you interested throughout the whole book........1999-10-27
I thought this book was very good.I read it as a class project, and I thought it would be very very boring at first.Like oh yeah A Face In The Rock sounded really interesting to me!I think Powers of the Air was a very brave Grand Islander.He stood up for what he believed in.I thought Loren Graham wrote this book very well.I also thought it was interesting how he got his resources.Overall i think the book was very good.I will probably read it again.I would reccomend it to everyone because it is a good book for children because they can learn about the Grand Islanders and some of their legends.Thank You!
A fine book about a beautifual people and place........1999-04-20
I found this book very enjoyable reading. Being of Northern Michigan Anishnabe descent, it was a pleasure to read about the area where I grew up. This book is a genuine read about the Grand Island experience of the past. Munising, AuTrain and Grand Island are beautiful places to be and this is a must read about the history of the area, about a single life more or less, about an original people that the tourists in the area really don't get enough info about.
Amazon.com
Roberts describes the culture of the Anasazi--the name means "enemy ancestors" in Navajo--who once inhabited the Colorado Plateau and whose modern descendants are the Hopi Indians of Arizona. Archaeologists, Roberts writes, have been puzzling over the Anasazi for more than a century, trying to determine the environmental and cultural stresses that caused their society to collapse 700 years ago. He guides us through controversies in the historical record, among them the haunting question of whether the Anasazi committed acts of cannibalism. Roberts's book is full of up-to-date thinking on the culture of the ancient people who lived in the harsh desert country of the Southwest.
Customer Reviews:
Much to ponder while standing in the dusty gloom inside Perfect Kiva..........2007-09-22
David Roberts is my favorite outdoor adventure writer and this, in my opinion, is one of his best works.
Mystery will always surround the Anasazi. The land on which the remnants of their habitations remain is hauntingly beautiful and desolate. For me this book brought back many memories of trips I've made to these areas since childhood and also rekindled the desire to return for more. Natural Bridges, Grand Gulch, Mesa Verde have always been special places for me.
David does an excellent job providing a broad spectrum of thought and research into how the Anasazi lived and why they seemingly disappeared. He also provides a fascinating look at his own travel adventures in southern Utah and the other four-corner states.
I highly recommend this book to all David Roberts fans, southwest canyoneers, Anasazi enthusiasts, or armchair adventurers!
Come Along And See With Your Mind's Eyes.......2007-07-13
For anyone with a passing interest in the Anasazi and the southwest, this is a great read. It's not a scientific archeology book but instead an easy to read guide to some of the Anasazi ruins of the southwest and the description of the author's hikes and explorations. He touches upon various theories of the fate of the Anasazi and current issues relating to the remaining ruins and National Parks. It has a few B&W photos (could definitely had more). It is a very easy read and to be honest I'm writing this review after having read it for the 3rd time. I have visited many of the sites that he writes about and for anyone who has been to any of the Anasazi sites and National Parks you will truly enjoy this book and have a better understanding of the history and of the ruins of this vanished (or moved) people.
For those who love the Southwest...........2006-01-07
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to explore the far reaches of Anasazi territory, this book takes you there! If you enjoy armchair travel there isn't a book that puts you there better than this one. David Roberts describes in detail his adventures through many Anasazi sites in the Southwest. Even those ruins that many people will never see because of their remote location.
Excellent adventure without leaving your couch.......2005-06-27
Not being from the Southwest this book acted like a walking guide to the mysterious disappearance and the researched history of the ancient civilization inhabiting the canyons. It was a good, easy read, with lots of references for more research. I would read more of his work without hesitation. I just wish he'd put in some maps to give an overview of the canyons he was hiking.
Vicarious vacations.......2005-04-20
This book reads like a lengthy article in a men's outdoorsy magazine. The author goes on an endless series of camping trips(often with companions who range from greenhorns to backwoods experts) to find Anasazi ruins in the southwest that most of us will never see, nor according to the author should we ever see them, because too many people would destroy them, but this author gets his thrills going to see them anyway. Along the way he discusses this and other controversies surrounding the famed old ones of the Four Corners region, stories of other explorers who came before, and the occasional eerie thrill of discovery. A helpful appendix explains the different periods archaeologists use to discuss Anasazi history ("Basketmaker I", "Pueblo II," etc.) but there is precious little Anasazi history or achaeology per se in this book, which is a more personal take on the region. We are left with the same appreciation and fascination for the Anasazi which led us to pick up the book in the first place, and some understanding of the problems of this field of inquiry, but not much more understanding of the Anasazi themselves; who they were, where they came from, how they lived, what they believed, etc. Admittedly much of this information is murky and unknown, but, well, it still is after reading this.
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- The Door of No Return: The History of Cape Coast Castle and the Atlantic Slave Trade
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- The Last Tycoons: The Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co.
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