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Native American Wisdom
Native American Wisdom
Native American Wisdom
Ebook93 pages1 hour

Native American Wisdom

By New World Library

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About this ebook

Joseph, Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, Black Elk, Ohiyesa, and many others share their insights on Native American ways of living, learning, and dying.

There is something archetypal about the philosophy of the original Americans, especially to the sensibilities of modern European Americans. We recognize it as coming from the earth we walk on, from those who preceded us. As we read the wisdom of these peoples, it is possible to feel a reconnection with our land and ourselves.

Taken from orations, recorded observations of life and social affairs, and other first-person testimonies, this book selects the best of Native American wisdom and distills it to its essence in short, digestible quotes that are meaningful and timeless — perhaps even more timely now than when they were written.
LanguageEnglish
PublisherNew World Library
Release dateMar 10, 2011
ISBN9781577312543
Native American Wisdom
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  • 3/5
    It would unconventional to find a truly balanced perspective on the Indians. This collection of quotes shows one very positive side and there is some wisdom to be gleaned. Chief Seattle of the Suqwamish and Duamish: "The red man has ever fled the approach of the white man, as the morning mist flees before the morning sun.... It matters little where we pass the remnants of our days. They will not be many. But why should I mourn the untimely fate of my people? Your time of decay may be distant, but it will surely come, for even the white man, whose God walked and talked with him as a friend with friend, cannot be exempt from the common destiny. We may be brothers, after all. We will see." Chief Joseph (Nez Perce): "It does not require many words to speak the truth." Charles Alexander Eastman "Ohiyesa" (Santee Sioux): "It was our belief that the love of possessions is a weakness to be overcome. Its appeal is the the material part, and it allowed its way, it will in time disturb one's spiritual balance." Four Guns (Oglala Sioux): "Many of the white man's ways are past our understanding.... They put a great store upon writing; there is always paper. The white people must think paper has some mysterious power to help them in the world. The Indian needs no writings; words that are true sink deep into his heart, where they remain. He never forgets them. On the other hand, if the white man loses his papers, he is helpless."
  • 5/5
    Amazing book!!!! It surprises me and let me hungry for more. The philosophy behind every quote has the power to enriching the reader’s mind.

Book preview

Native American Wisdom - New World Library

EDITORS

Publisher’s Preface

Life is an endless cycle of change. We and our world will never remain the same.

Every generation has difficulty relating to the previous generation; even the language changes. The child speaks a different language than the parent does.

It seems almost miraculous, then, that certain voices, certain books, are able to speak not only to one, but to many generations beyond them. The plays and poems of William Shakespeare are still relevant today—still capable of giving us goose bumps, still entertaining, disturbing, and profound. Shakespeare is the writer who, in the English language, defines the word classic.

There are many other writers and thinkers who, for a great many reasons, can be considered classic, for they withstand the test of time. We want to present the best of them to you in the New World Library Classic Wisdom Collection. Even though these writers and thinkers lived many years ago, they are still relevant and important in today’s world for the enduring words of wisdom they created, words that should forever be kept in print.

Native American Wisdom is a very special book in this collection. It is profound, enlightened, touching, poetic, and inspired. Every citizen of the planet Earth can gain value from the words and insights of the native Americans.

We pray that their traditions will be remembered, and will grow and prosper; we hope that this book will, in its own way, contribute to increased awareness of and respect for the wisdom of the native American people.

A significant percentage of the profits of this book will be contributed to worthwhile organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life of native Americans and preserving their traditions and wisdom.

Shakti Gawain

Marc Allen

New World Library

Introduction

In 1492 Columbus and his crew, lost, battered, and stricken with dysentery, were helped ashore by a people he described as neither black nor white . . . fairly tall, good looking and well proportioned. Believing he had landed in the East Indies, he called these people Indians. In fact, they were part of a great population that had made its home on this continent for centuries.

The inhabitants of this land were not one people. Their customs differed. Their languages differed. Some tilled the earth; others hunted and picked the abundance of the land around them. They lived in different kinds of housing and governed themselves according to differing rules.

But they shared in common a belief that the earth is a spiritual presence that must be honored, not mastered. Unfortunately, western Europeans who came to these shores had a contrary belief. To them, the entire American continent was a beautiful but savage land that it was not only their right, but their duty, to tame and use as they saw fit.

As the twentieth century draws to a close, Western civilization is confronting the inevitable results of this European-American philosophy of dominance. We have gotten out of balance with our earth, and the very future of our planet depends on our capacity to restore that balance.

We are crying out for help, for a grounding in the truth of nature, for words of wisdom. That wisdom is here, contained in the words of the native peoples of the Americas. But these people speak quietly. Their words are simple and their voices soft. We have not heard them because we have not taken the time to listen. Perhaps now the time is right for us to open our ears and hearts to the words they have to say.

Unlike many traditions, the spiritual wisdom of the native American is not found in a set of scriptural materials. It is, and always has been, a part of the fabric of daily life and experience. One of the most poignant reflections of this spiritual message is found in their tradition of oratory.

Traditionally, Indians did not carry on dialogues when discussing important matters. Rather, each person listened attentively until his or her turn came to speak, and then he or she rose and spoke without interruption about the heart of the matter under consideration. This tradition produced a measured eloquence of speech and thought that is almost unmatched for its clarity and simplicity.

Indian reasoning about governmental and social affairs was also carried on with the same uncompromising purity of insight and expression.

It is from these orations, recorded observations of life and social affairs, and other first-person testimonies that the materials for this book have been drawn. This wisdom has been available in written form for some time, but much of it has been recorded only in imposing governmental documents and arcane academic treatises.

We hope this volume breathes life back into these timeless words. As meditations, they have much to teach, not only about our personal lives and relationships, but about affairs of state and international relations as well. The time has come to listen to these echoes from our land—the wisdom and teaching of the native American people.

Kent Nerburn

Louise Mengelkoch

Native American Wisdom

1

The Ways of the Land

All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth.

Chief

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