Can someone give me an honest review of this book?

[kuljamu]

Has anyone read this? Thank you

[educatedindian]

I read it 10-12 years ago. Basso's a white anthropologist writing about western Apache use of language. It's mostly him asking people on White River and San Carlos why they give names to places, and the teaching stories they tell of what happened there.

[kuljamu]

thank you
Is it worth a read to hear how the indigenous people responded or has he inserted himself and his western views and explanations too much into the material?
thank you again!

[educatedindian]

From memory, when he tried to explain Apache views he often compared them to other traditions worldwide. When he gave the accounts, he did his best to leave himself out.

Anthropology as a field has spent a lot of the last 40 years self critiquing. So they generally do their best to quit bringing or imposing a western worldview on what they study.

[Laurel]

I haven't read Wisdom Sits In Places, but I did like Basso's Portraits of 'the Whiteman' very much. The subject matter relates to this board, and some of the illustrations are hilarious.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E3UR1M8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1