Keith H. Basso
Author of Wisdom Sits in Places: Landscape and Language Among the Western Apache
About the Author
Image credit: FAMOUS ARCHAEOLOGISTS WORLDWIDE
Works by Keith H. Basso
Portraits of 'the Whiteman': Linguistic Play and Cultural Symbols among the Western Apache (1979) 184 copies
The Love Toy 1 copy
Confidentially Yours, Joanne 1 copy
Touch of Venus 1 copy
Associated Works
Antaeus No. 61, Autumn 1988 - Journals, Notebooks & Diaries (1988) — Contributor — 35 copies, 2 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1940
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- Professor of Anthropology, University of New Mexico
Members
Reviews
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 15
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 796
- Popularity
- #32,019
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 5
- ISBNs
- 27
- Languages
- 1
Basso has worked with this community for decades, and has won their trust in preserving a portion of their culture in writing. The elders with whom he speaks may be uneducated but they have given a lot of thought about how their culture works, the role of traditional teachings, and seeking inner wisdom.
This book is an excellent combination of dense academic/theoretical introductions (which could be glided over for those non-academics), verbatim interactions between some Western Apache elders, followed by their explanations which bring meaning to what was intended. We get a sense of the distinction between places that might be individually important to a person, such as our own selves, versus the places that have a meaning in a social context, recognized by all in one's culture as having specific meanings and as being currently active in showing us how to act. It has caused me to ponder on places that white Americans have placed meaning to at different points in our history but which have faded in potency over time as we see history as a linear progression: e.g. Plymouth Rock, Alamo, Iwo Jima, and even the Twin Towers is losing its powerful imagery to the younger generations.
In the 1st chapter, Charles takes him by horseback around 20 miles of their community, gives names for dozens of specific locations, and tells the story behind the names. Basso produces a map for the community but does not publish sensitive material.
In the 2nd chapter, a relevant conversation illustrates how place names are used as pointed lessons for community members.
In the 3rd chapter, Basso witnesses a conversation between Apaches which seems to consist solely of naming places between pauses yet they appear to have shared something substantive. He is later able to speak with each of those persons to understand what was going thru their minds when they said what they did. He elicits some Apache values: the basic courtesy of "refraining from 'speaking too much'...[taking] steps to 'open up thinking,' thereby encouraging his or her listeners to 'travel in their minds.'" (p.85) Using "delicacy and tact" in speaking about another's actions, in a manner which allows "ancestral knowledge" to show the way, and which encourages the person "to take remedial action on behalf of themselves." (p.91).
In the 4th chapter, Basso asks Dudley Patterson to explain what he understands of the oft-repeated phrase "wisdom sits in places." First Dudley has to explain how he defines wisdom, and we see an almost zen-like attitude of mind: "You must make your mind smooth. You must make your mind steady. You must make your mind resilient" (p.126) and then he goes on to portray exactly what is mean by these qualities, how they help in life, and how they support each other. Wisdom is the development of "prescient thinking" which is key to survival(p.130-1) and is based on knowledge which can be swiftly recalled--which is why stories based on real places are so effective: they can be immediately pictured (p.124).… (more)