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Light on the Indian World: The Essential Writings of Charles Eastman (Library of Perennial Philosophy)

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I have read quite a few books on traditional native practices from all over the world (not all of those which claim to teach or describe such practices are accurate, quite a few are misguided or outright frauds). I had come across the name Charles Eastman in bibliographies and indices of those works that featured Native North American practices, and thought he was an anthropologist (white) who had done some of the earlier studies, given that many of the works had a publication date in the early 1900s. "Light on the Indian World" corrected that misperception. Charles Eastman was a member of the Santee Sioux, born and raised to the age of 15 in the traditional tribal manner, in a tribe that had not yet been forced onto a reservation.

At the request of his father, he joined his father on a reservation, attended school and learned English, then was able to attend college and university, eventually becoming a medical doctor, probably the first Native American to become one. He then returned to his people and worked as a reservation physician, and later lobbyist for native issues in Congress.

What a wonderful gift he has given us! A double digit number of books by his own hand, plus others such as "Light on the Indian World" which are excellent compilations or commentaries of his works. He allows us to see inside the world of the pre-reservation Native Americans, and truly appreciate their world view, such as their relationship with what we might call `the unseen world'. A heart-felt appreciation of the Earth and Nature is exactly what contemporary industrialized nations need, to slow-down the rampant abuse of the Earth's natural resources, which are currently being used up at a rate far exceeding the capacity of the Earth to replace them. Such abuse can only lead to the destruction of those societies founded on the consumption of such resources, and requiring their continued consumption in order to survive. All of the works of Charles Eastman help us see the world around us in a new light, and hopefully change our actions enough to prevent the coming environmental devastation.

Light On The Indian World: The Essential Writings Of Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa) is a collection of the writings of Charles Eastman, who was born in 1858 and raised in the traditional nomadic life of the Sioux Native Americans prior to the era of reservations. Critical selections from "The Soul of the Indian," "The Indian Today," "Indian Boyhood," and "From the Deep Woods to Civilization" bring out key insights in Charles Eastman's work that transcend time and generations. Light On The Indian World is a fascinating, engaging, informative and memorable addition to personal, academic, and community library Native American Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.