Wisdomkeepers: Meetings with Native American Spiritual Elders [Paperback]

Steve Wall (Author), Harvey Arden (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 21, 2006

Wisdomkeepers takes an extraordinary spirit-journey into the lives, minds, and natural-world philosophy of Native American spiritual Elders. With magnificent photographs and powerful words, the Wisdomkeepers share their innermost thoughts and feelings, their dreams and visions, their jokes and laughter, their healing remedies and apocalyptic prophecies and -- above all -- their humanity, which shines through every page of Wisdomkeepers. This is their book. They are the Elders, the Old Ones, the fragile repositories of sacred ways and natural wisdom going back millennia -- yet never more relevant than today.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

National Geographic photographer Wall and senior writer Arden journeyed to 20 Native American nations over the course of ten years in order to interview tribal elders. "They revealed their innermost thoughts and feelings, their dreams and visions, their healing remedies and apocalyptic prophecies, and, above all, their humanity." These tapes lack the visual appeal of the photographs and lose the breaks between subjects set off by subheads in the print version (Beyond Words, 1990). Moreover, the program lacks liner notes indicating who is being interviewed. Yet atmosphere is gained through sound effects and music interspersed with the narration of Michael Toms. The interview responses are read by Tammy Rahr of the Cayuga Nation and Ray and Fred Gonyea, members of the Beaver Clan of the Onondaga Nation. Recommended for libraries with Native American collections and those without the book.
- Susan Hamburger, Univ. of Virginia Lib., Charlottesville
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description

Wisdomkeepers takes you on an extraordinary spiritual journey into the lives, minds, and natural-world philosophy of Native American spiritual elders. The elders tell who they are, how they live, and what they believe. Magnificent portraits complement the soaring text. Among those profiled are Buffalo Jim, a Seminole who describes the Seminole story of creation as if the Everglades were Eden, talks of his people's individual passage into the after life, and reveals that every field of wild plants is, to him, a medicine garden. You'll also meet "Uncle" Frank Davis (Fancy Warrior), a Pawnee Elder who describes the "path to understanding" as a trial filled with scraps of paper, each one a piece of a puzzle. Also profiled is Mathew King, a Lakota who warns of punishments or those who would destroy the Earth Mother. Readers share the innennost thoughts and feelings, dreams and visions, laughter, healing remedies, and prophecies of the Wisdomkeepers, whose humanity shines through every page. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books/Beyond Words (November 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158270158X
• ISBN-13: 978-1582701585
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 7.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #609,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be required reading December 7, 1999

By Camilla L Riley

Format:Hardcover

This is a book of incredible beauty - linguistically, visually, and spiritually. In an era which seems to skew more and more to the material and superficial, the Wisdomkeepers who are interviewed bring life and its challenges to the level of essence. Although I have walked in the daily company of Native Americans for more than fifty years, my understanding of the nobility of heritage and centered life grew immeasurably with the reading of every page. Anyone who passes this one up will be the lesser for doing so.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars it's an experience,a journey,words cannot describe this book March 23, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I have recommended this book to anyone I know that is on a path of awakening and can hear the words with their heart.I have given this book as gifts numerous times, but I cannot find it anymore which greatly saddens me. I would love to turn the world on to this book as it so beautifully depicts our Native Americans - OUR indigenous people. This book does justice to out Native Americans which they so very much deserve. I do not know how to thank Steve Wall and Harvey Arden - they have touched my life with this richly textured, genuine and moving piece. No words can express the power behind the span of the eagle's wings, the moving wisdom of a redwood forest or the joy inside to which this book has brought me.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wisdom May 21, 2007

By Mr. Randy I. Tyler

Format:Paperback

She:Kon (Sago)(Hello) To all who read this and hope you are all well. I personally know some of the Wisdom Keepers, Elders whose words are in this book and know them to be of good mind and person. I am Mohawk and Odawa and I come from upstate New York near some of the Reservations and I fully recommend this book for any person who needs to come back to the reality of the living world around them and bring them back to the basic relation between humankind and all the life that is on this earth and surrounds us in the cosmos.