Recovering the sacred : the power of naming and claiming

by Winona LaDuke

Paper Book, 2016

Status

Available

Genres

Religion & Spirituality

All Topics

Nonfiction

History

Publication

Chicago, IL. : Haymarket Books, 2016.

Description

"An overview of efforts by Native Americans to regain cultural and genetic patrimony and the conditions needed for traditional spiritual practices, including tribal histories, analysis of changes to nutrition, economy, and physical environment, and actions taken toward pollution abatement, dam removal, land and cultural reclamation, and alternative energy production"--Provided by publisher.

User reviews

LibraryThing member juniperSun

One of the hardest books I have ever read. LaDuke does not hesitate to rub our noses in the abuses perpetrated by European invaders over the last several centuries. I had hoped for more positive reports on what native communities are accomplishing, but there were only a few paragraphs on that for

most chapters. The one thing I'll likely remember is a quote from Debra Harry "every day [millions of dollars of ]grants are being made ...on our behalf, for research that looks at ...the genetic basis for conditions that we suffer from, and it's completely a misappropriation of funding because if you consider our health conditions today, we live in contaminated environments, we are eating unhealthy food, we don't have access to the natural lifestyles and the foods that we've always eaten, that have sustained our lives, and so we have horrible health conditions. ...So what I'm saying is, our health conditions are a result of the environment and the economic, political, legal situations that we're in. They're not caused by our genetic, biological makeup. ...There is a reductionist view of the world through scientific eyes. You would see far more benefit in cleaning up the water, in cleaning up contaminated environments, and making sure people have access to just standard health care, ...organic gardening, all of those things that sustain healthy lives. That's where we're going to see benefits."

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