If This Is Your Land, Where Are Your Stories?: Finding Common Ground“We need to understand our stories because our lives depend upon it.” —Ted Chamberlin The stories we tell each other reflect and shape our deepest feelings. Stories help us live our lives—and are at the heart of our current conflicts. We love and hate because of them; we make homes for ourselves and drive others out on the basis of ancient tales. As Ted Chamberlin vividly reveals, we are both connected by them and separated by their different truths. Whether Jew or Arab, black or white, Muslim or Christian, Catholic or Protestant, man or woman, our stories hold us in thrall and hold others at bay. Like the work of Joseph Campbell and Bruce Chatwin, this vital, engrossing book offers a new way to understand the hold that stories and songs have on us, and a new sense of the urgency of doing so. Drawing on his own experience in many fields—as scholar and storyteller, witness among native peoples and across cultures—Ted Chamberlin takes us on a journey through the tales of different peoples, from North America to Africa and Jamaica. Beautifully written, with insight and deep understanding, If This Is Your Land, Where Are Your Stories? examines why it is now more important than ever to attend to what others are saying in their stories and myths—and what we are saying about ourselves. Only then will we understand why they have such power over us. |
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Page 14
... dreaming , " and together they represent all that is most significant about the relationship between aboriginal people and the land , between their past and the present , and between one and another . They are the beginning of an answer ...
... dreaming , " and together they represent all that is most significant about the relationship between aboriginal people and the land , between their past and the present , and between one and another . They are the beginning of an answer ...
Page 25
... dream . It was a dream of a common culture , celebrating common meanings and values , with ceremonies that confirm a common purpose . It is the dream of many communities who want to affirm their collective identity along lines of region ...
... dream . It was a dream of a common culture , celebrating common meanings and values , with ceremonies that confirm a common purpose . It is the dream of many communities who want to affirm their collective identity along lines of region ...
Page 28
... dream , uselessly . We are constantly distinguishing between them , even though we know that they are two sides of the same coin . Hunters dance the hunt and dream it and draw it on the rock ... and then they head out to the hills ...
... dream , uselessly . We are constantly distinguishing between them , even though we know that they are two sides of the same coin . Hunters dance the hunt and dream it and draw it on the rock ... and then they head out to the hills ...
Page 29
... dream about , one that he had lost in childhood . A life of perpetual doodling . Good doodling , mind you . Spiritual doodling . Doodling in the outback , where everything is true and beautiful and good . But doodling nonetheless ...
... dream about , one that he had lost in childhood . A life of perpetual doodling . Good doodling , mind you . Spiritual doodling . Doodling in the outback , where everything is true and beautiful and good . But doodling nonetheless ...
Page 30
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Contents
1 | |
8 | |
LOSING | 74 |
REALITY AND THE IMAGINATION | 94 |
To Be or Not to Be | 118 |
RIDDLES AND CHARMS | 160 |
CEREMONIES OF BELIEF | 192 |
Beyond Conflict | 198 |
Notes | 241 |
Permissions | 253 |
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Common terms and phrases
aboriginal Americas asked Australia become beginning believe bring called century ceremony choice civilized comes contradiction course cowboys cultures death described dream English especially fact faith father feel Gitksan give happen heart hold horses human hundred idea imagination important Indian John kind knew land language later listen live look meaning metaphor mind mountains move native natural Navajo never North once poem poet question reality recognize remark represented rhymes river sacred seemed sense settlers side sing society sometimes sounds speak spirits stories and songs storytellers strange talking tell things thought told traditions translated true truth turned understand United West wonder writing written