Customer Reviews

Dreamkeepers: A Spirit-Journey into Aboriginal Australia

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Dealing with the mysteries of communities other than our own is a delicate matter. Beyond the more obvious impediments to clear understanding such as language, there lies a world of hidden signs and meanings that only reveal themselves slowly, and only then to the sure-footed. Castaneda has written about such experiences, and others have tried with varying degrees of success. Harvey Arden has, all in all, written a remarkable book about the Australian aborigine and his attempt to find a means of expression after the drab interlude of cultural effacement that followed colonisation.

Are we really surprised that these folk have voices of their own? Some of the more remarkable native or aboriginal people of the late twentieth century, are former alcoholics and derelicts. Seen in another life, just a few years ago, most of Western humanity would have found it degrading to even go near them. And yet these were just superficial aspects of the person, which can be seen past if the intention to look is there. Mr. Arden is such a seeker, obviously. I remember thinking at the time I read "The Dreamkeepers," what an amazing thing it was for this to have been written by an American visitor to Australia. The author seemed to have such a grasp of the people and their environment that I felt, surely it must have taken a local writer to develop this degree of understanding. But no, relative stranger to Australia that he was, Mr. Arden had the human touch required and succeeded where, in my opinion, few others would have. This is a fine book and yet another that does not deserve, at all, to be out of print.

Dreamkeepers is subtitled, "A Spirit-Journey into Aboriginal Australia." That's important to emphasize because the spirit-journey is the author's, more so than the Aboriginals.

Harvey Arden is a former editor-writer for National Geographic and co-author of Wisdomkeepers, a book on Native Americans in the United States. In the prologue, he writes,

"I had hoped to garner a few stories from the Dreamtime on this `spirit-journey' of mine into Aboriginal Australia.'" (2)

With that quest clearly stated, he and his guide travel across The Kimberley to seek out and interview a dozen or so Aboriginals to glean from them an understanding of Aboriginal faith and practice, as well as current issues affecting the plight of Aboriginals in Australia today.

Arden is a seasoned journalist and, to his credit, he gives voice to individuals who would not otherwise be heard. This is the strength of the book: The people he interviews are real people with real thoughts and feelings and stories to tell. They deserve to be heard in their own words, and Arden is there to provide the opportunity.

The reader is apt to enjoy Arden's adventures in the bush; his impromptu conversations with Mike, his guide; and, throughout, his humility. He writes,

"I was no anthropologist or scholar or historian ... I wanted to relate to them as human being to human being, ... but no less." (3)

Having said this, the book lacks breadth and depth: The Kimberley is one of many vast areas of Australia, and the spokespersons singled out are but a dozen of hundreds Arden could have just as easily chosen to interview. What's more, the anecdotal nature of the book leaves one hanging. Where is the historical perspective and theological reflection?

The book is what it is - one man's spirit-journey into Aboriginal Australia. If you're willing to accept that, you'll find it worthwhile; if you're expecting more, you might be disappointed.

One of the best i've read recently, so much so I was almost sorry to reach the end. Arden spins the non-fiction tale of his journey through the Australian outback to hear Aborigines' tales of mystery, in the stories of their ancestore; and tragedy, in the segregation and near-annihilation suffered by them, although the tale also had laughs. A trip!

This is a very helpful and earnest book if you want to know about aboriginal life and thought in Australia now. By talking with several men and women in many different places the author gives us simple and sensitive reports accompanied by photographies. This means he tells us what he was told and how and when, as well as about his feelings and doubts, the relationships he did or didn't establish with the people, what he learned and what he couldn't learn but tried to.

There is so much mystery surrounding the Australian Aborigines and white Australians seem to want to keep it that way, to sweep these people under the rug. This book doesn't reveal all but provides a window into the rich and ancient Aborigine culture. Best of all, the window is opened by the people themselves. They are not beautiful by western standards, but they radiate goodness and truth and it makes them beautiful. I offer much gratitude to Arden for searching them out and respectfully writing down their stories and showing their pictures. This book is side-by-side on my shelf with "Wisdomkeepers," Arden's beautiful book about our own North American Aborigines. The theme is the same: To honor and respect these ancient people.

If you're expecting "a spirit journey into Aboriginal Australia" - as the book's subtitle implies - then you'll be disappointed by "Dreamkeepers".

The book begins with the quote: "You'll never discover the blackfella's secret", and we never do, because almost all of the interviewees steadfastly refuse to discuss the mysterious "dreamtime". Arden himself must have been disappointed because the more I read the more I felt he had simply given up on his objective and was merely going through the motions of documenting his travels and putting random "blackfellas'" words on paper. The suggestion on page 171 to an elder that maybe he could "just daub some paint on" - for no particular reason - gives one an idea of how demoralized he must have been by his inability (through no fault of his own) to do what he set out to do.

"Dreamkeepers" is certainly no spirit-journey, unless it's Arden's, it merely confirms that there is one and leaves us wanting to know more. It does, however, do exactly what the review by the Library Jornal (in miniscule letters at the top of the front cover) says: it allows the Aboriginal people to speak for themselves, sharing concerns, thoughts and ideas, giving a sensitive account of their struggle for identity and dignity - namely their struggles for land rights and against marginalization and alcoholism. To his credit, Arden does explain the reasons for his failure, but instead of not writing the book (or changing its title) he wrote this one. Even after reading it I'm not exactly sure what "dreamtime" is, except that, as the last interviewee puts it: "It's beyond understanding".

Summing up, "Dreamkeepers" is both an agreable read, full of pleasant anecdotes, stories and characters, and an excellent marketing platform for his previous book, Wisdomkeepers, from which he extracts numerous quotations, including them as and when mentioned by his Aboriginal intervewees.

Dreamkeepers: A Spirit-Journey into Aboriginal Australia

This author says at the beginning that he has been accused of trying to steal Dreamtime stories, and warned to get his own Dreamtime, a concept he has no understanding of, not a clue. Most of the book is about him trying to find the Dreamtime and sad stories of the Aborigine problems. Even the title of the book is pathetically self-promoting and presumes or insinuates that he has some of significance to say about the Dreamtime. Don't be fooled by his blathering and dishonest marketing.

The obligatory one star is way too much for this book: I am going to throw the book out in order to assure other people wont read my copy.

Like any indigenous people who have encountered European cultures, profound disorientation has taken place amoung the Australian Aborigals. This book demonstrates the subtle continuance of their personal connection to something far greater than anyone can conceive. A centeredness, a natural power wiser than the intellect persists, is healing, gaining ground.