How it is: The Native American Philosophy of V.F. Cordova

Viola Faye Cordova

University of Arizona Press, 2007 - Social Science - 245 pages

Viola Cordova was the first Native American woman to receive a PhD in philosophy. Even as she became an expert on canonical works of traditional Western philosophy, she devoted herself to defining a Native American philosophy. Although she passed away before she could complete her lifeÕs work, some of her colleagues have organized her pioneering contributions into this provocative book.

In three parts, Cordova sets out a complete Native American philosophy. First she explains her own understanding of the nature of reality itselfÑthe origins of the world, the relation of matter and spirit, the nature of time, and the roles of culture and language in understanding all of these. She then turns to our role as residents of the Earth, arguing that we become human as we deepen our relation to our people and to our places, and as we understand the responsibilities that grow from those relationships. In the final section, she calls for a new reverence in a world where there is no distinction between the sacred and the mundane.

Cordova clearly contrasts Native American beliefs with the traditions of the Enlightenment and Christianized Europeans (what she calls ÒEuromanÓ philosophy). By doing so, she leads her readers into a deeper understanding of both traditions and encourages us to question any view that claims a singular truth. From these essaysÑwhich are lucid, insightful, frequently funny, and occasionally angryÑwe receive a powerful new vision of how we can live with respect, reciprocity, and joy.

Contents

• Why Native American Philosophy?: 1
• The Bridge over Romero Creek: 11
• Taos Bridge: 19
• The Bridge to America: 30
• America: 40
• WINDOWS: 47
• Windows on Native American Philosophy: 54
• A Context for Thought: 61
• A Search for Fundamental Concepts: 67
• Language as Window: 76
• WHAT IS THE WORLD?: 83
• What Is the World?: 100
• The Unidentifiable Is: 107
• Mother Earth: 113
• Time and the Universe: 117
• A Poem: 127
• An Exploration of Identity: 133
• What Is It to Be Human in a Native American Worldview?: 145
• This I Believe: 151
• Becoming Human: 166
• A Story: 177
• What Is the Role of a Human Being?: 183
• The Human Factor: 201
• A New Reverence: 208
• Preparing for the Seventh Generation: 215
• Native Americans in the New Millennium: 221
• The Dream: 228
• Works Cited: 241

About the author

Kurt Peters is Director of the Native American Collaborative Institute and Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies at Oregon State University. Ted Jojola is Regents Professor at the University of New Mexico in the Community and Regional Planning Amber Lacy is a graduate student at Oregon State University.

Bibliographic information

• Title: How it is: The Native American Philosophy of V.F. Cordova
• Author: Viola Faye Cordova
• Editor: Kathleen Dean Moore
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press, 2007
• ISBN: 0816526494, 9780816526499
• Length: 245 pages
• Subjects: Philosophy / General; Philosophy / History & Surveys / Modern; Social Science / Ethnic Studies / Native American Studies