Going Native

Rating:
Summary: an honest and straightforward story
Review: If you are looking for Native American hype this book is not for you. It is an honest portrayal of one person's experience in honoring and learning about spirit. The passages in the book that discuss hunting are more easily understood if viewed in that context.

I felt the author was generous in his willingness to share the knowledge he developed during his time with the Salish people. I felt that the descriptions of his experiences were given in a way that allow the reader to understand the pacing and etherial qualities of connecting with nature spirit.

While the author does contrast the "white" way of living with the "indian" way of living, I felt this was not white bashing but a view of the conflict between a spiritual or capitalist way of life. I believe he makes this distinction in his writing.

I felt that this book was full of insights. It deepened my understanding of the natural world. I recommend it without reservation.

Rating:
Summary: a book about hunting
Review: This book is a loner 'white' character who searches outside his culture for answers that he can't seem to find and appears missing in his own past. As a fugitive and hunter, he stumbles into native traditions that send him directly to nature. Sweat lodges, a lack of sleep, food, and water provide the grounds for a vision quest. The intentional deprivation is to seek a purified state so that nature will come in and grant something. It alters his perceptions (deprivation can put the body into drug like states) but we don't seem to get much information of how native traditions would interpret these visions.

I was disappointed with long descriptions of experiences with almost no conclusions or insights. While I can appreciate the journey as reward and not everything needs explanation I felt this story floundered and that I didn't feel the author revealed his conclusions in regard to his situation. Though I never felt sure what the vision quest was for, I frequently felt the author held back in stating what his real issues were and how they were changed. That could have helped me connect more with the story. An example is the mentioning of the Vietnam war through out the book. I felt like I never found out what was his real issue with the war?

The book spends time relating the 'good' aspects of native culture with 'bad' aspects of white culture. Though I don't believe this story is intended to be disrespectful, the hostile view of whites left me feeling more disconnected. While I don't believe that 'whites' have always done the best I wouldn't dismiss them as all disconnected from nature. The same way I wouldn't dismiss the native culture for just wanting gambling casinos.

The author could have explored John Muir, Druid, Celtic, Kabbalah, or Basque culture and found similar answers. Even Machaelle Small Wright (a white girl) writes in her book, "Behaving as if the God in All Life Mattered" about the power and sacredness of nature. Reading Joseph Campbell reveals that all cultures have struggled in their relationship to nature. Including 'white.'

This book does NOT seem similar to the Carlos Castaneda books. Tom is not a student set to inherit and receive shamanic knowledge that can deliver him the power to cheat death, create a dreaming double, or jump to alternate realities by shifting the assemblage point. Castaneda spends little, if no time in being involved in the natural world around him. Carlos heads straight for alternate realities and a description of how the universe is constructed that is beyond common perception.

Though there doesn't seem to be a formal apprenticeship with native culture, some knowledge is delivered. Most of the Native American spirituality is thinly sprinkled through out the book and not much beyond what is covered better in other sources. I often feel the Indians (his term used in the book) are taking pity rather then imparting their views to the author. The author excuses himself frequently that native culture doesn't talk about the mystery. If these things aren't spoken, why write about it? I'd at least like to hear the author's view on what impact it had to him.

I think the main character does a good job of describing intense hunting and vision quest experiences in detail but not sure there is much revelation beyond the experience. If one already sees nature as a living force and the mystery as boundless exploration then this book may not hold your attention. For those of you into the hearing a detailed description of someone's personal story into nature then this may be the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: Going Native
Review: Tom Harmer catches the 'Spirit' of writing as well as that of a White "Going Native". This book inspired me on a very deep level, I came out of dreaming and into a whole new world. He writes with a clear and concise voice with descriptions of the wilderness of the Okanogan people and the familiarity of 'the wild man of timber'. The sweatlodge experiences and conversations with the elder, Tommy Clayton, are deep philosophical explorations that lead us back to ourselves and we say, "Aaaa". I was listening Tom Harmer and I have heard what you said. This book sets well among those of Carlos Casteneda and describes the Indian Way magnificently. One of my favorite books! Read it.

Rating:
Summary: an honest and straightforward story
Review: Tom Harmer catches the 'Spirit' of writing as well as that of a White "Going Native". This book inspired me on a very deep level, I came out of dreaming and into a whole new world. He writes with a clear and concise voice with descriptions of the wilderness of the Okanogan people and the familiarity of 'the wild man of timber'. The sweatlodge experiences and conversations with the elder, Tommy Clayton, are deep philosophical explorations that lead us back to ourselves and we say, "Aaaa". I was listening Tom Harmer and I have heard what you said. This book sets well among those of Carlos Casteneda and describes the Indian Way magnificently. One of my favorite books! Read it.