BOOK REVIEWNative American Wisdom

Native American Wisdom/A Book Review

The title of the book is Native American Wisdom. It is composed of writings by some of the most influential Native Americans to ever live. The editors of the book are Kent Nerburn and Louise Mengelkoch. The essence of the book is one of enlightenment. That enlightenment is towards the relationship between the Indian and the White man. These two groups whether they realize it or not were deeply embedded in history.

The way that the editors dealt with this relationship was to organize the book into sections that demonstrated to differences. The presentations consisted of the use of land, the use of language, the need for and type of education, the ways of understanding and believing, and others. Probably the most significant factor in the relationship is the way the two parties dealt with each other. I would like to discuss that factor.

The significance of the actions taken by each side defines their understanding of the Creator and the world in which they live. You see for the Indian, the Creator was ever present. The Creator could be seen in the natural surroundings. That is in the trees the birds of the air and four legged creatures of the land. It is through this understanding that the Indian felt connected. Chief Seattle, of the Suqwamish and Duwamish, once said, All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth. (p.1) I feel that this exemplifies the understanding of the Native American and their relationship to the Creator and the Creation.

The White man has a very different view of the Creator and their relationship to a Creator. For the most part the white man believes that the land is here for them. And that the animals and the trees and the water and the rest of the resources are here for them to exploit. The white man doesn’t understand that what happens to the land happens to them. There is no connectedness. The book reflects on the notion that the Indian already understood the Creator. While the white man felt that they had to take God to the Indian.

The conflicts that arose were simple. The Indian had one Creator, while the white man seemed to have several. The Indian was able to worship in the natural setting. The white man had to have a dwelling in order to worship. The Indian saw the division of the people in their churches. Chief Joseph, a Nez Perce, spoke these words, we do not want churches because theywill teach us to quarrel about God, as theCatholics and the Protestants do. We donot want to learn that. We may quarrel with men sometimes about things on this earth. But we never quarrel about God. We do not want to learn that. (P.42)

What a vivid image of the church the white man has brought to this country. I must say that there have been some that have tried to rebuild a relationship on the grounds of unity. However, those efforts have fallen short, mostly due to the establishment. This book is not a book about bashing the white man. Although the greatest trouble has come from the white man. The biggest trouble lies in the attempts to convert the Indian to white.

The book shares some of the in-depth nature of the Native American. By reading this book one can picture the settings of the Native American. You can visualize the surroundings and the life style that they must have lived. You can gather a sense of the joy and freedom that they held so dearly. But there is also the sense of sorrow, which is brought on by the passing of the old ways. Truly this book is a guide through the past and is capable of leading the reader on a journey of remarkable understanding.