Land and Spirit in Native America

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ABC-CLIO, 2012 - History - 203 pages
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This book accurately depicts Native American approaches to land and spirituality through an interdisciplinary examination of Indian philosophy, history, and literature.


Indian approaches to land and spirituality are neither simple nor monolithic, making them hard to grasp for outsiders. A fuller, more accurate understanding of these concepts enables comprehension of the unique ways land and spirit have interlinked Native American communities across centuries of civilization, and reveals insights about our current pressing environmental concerns and American history.

In Land and Spirit in Native America, author Joy Porter argues that American colonization has been a determining factor in how we perceive Indian spirituality and Indian relationships to nature. Having an appreciation for these traditional values regarding ritual, memory, time, kinship, and the essential reciprocity between all things allows us to rethink aspects of history and culture. This understanding also makes Indian film, philosophy, literature, and art accessible.


  • Includes illustrations by the Iroquois artist John Fadden that complement the text

 

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Contents

1 Approaches to Spirituality Tradition Land Wilderness Nature Landscape and Place
1
2 On Middle Way Thinking Gardening Parks and Aspects of Indian Thinking about Land
21
3 Spiritual Approaches to Life in America
39
4 Literature Land and Spirit
55
5 Art Land and Spirit
69
6 Environmental Justice Place and Indian Sacrifice
91
7 Vanishing Reappearing and Disappearing Indians on American Soil
117
8 Future Directions Into and Out of the Wild
131
Notes
147
Bibliography
175
Index
191
About the Author
205
Copyright

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Land and Spirit in Native America
Joy Porter
Limited preview - 2012

Common terms and phrases

aesthetic Alaska Amchitka American Art American Indian animals Anthropology argue authentic blood quantum Cambridge cannibalism century chapter Chris McCandless Christian Christopher Columbus colonial Columbus contemporary context Cronon cultural desert earth ecological environment environmental justice Euro-American European example explained fact federal film fundamental garden global Goshute human hunting idea Indian art Indian artists Indian communities Indian land indigenous Inuit James Koyukon Krakhauer land and spirit landscape language Leslie Marmon Silko linked live London Makah man’s means million modern Muir myth National Park Native American Native American Indian nature non-Indian nuclear waste number of Indian Pajarito Plateau percent perhaps Pinker’s political population quoted recent relationship religion reservation sacred sacrifice scholars Sean Penn sense settler society specific spiritual story suggest things thinking thought tion toxic traditions tribal tribes understanding United Western White Wild wilderness writing wrote York Yosemite Yucca Mountain

About the author (2012)

Joy Porter is senior lecturer & associate dean of the Faculty of Arts & Humanities at The University of Swansea, Wales, UK.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Land and Spirit in Native America
TitleLand and Spirit in Native America
Native America, ISSN 1552-8022
Native America: Yesterday and Today Series
AuthorJoy Porter
Editionillustrated
PublisherABC-CLIO, 2012
ISBN0313356068, 9780313356063
Length203 pages
Subjects ›  ›  › 

History / Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
Social Science / Ethnic Studies / American / Native American Studies
  
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