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. |
From inside the book
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... human cultures about our pressing need to acknowledge the paradoxes and contradictory truths that are apparent everywhere just under the surface of events . His book is a gift that reads like the distillation of a lifetime of thinking ...
... human cultures about our pressing need to acknowledge the paradoxes and contradictory truths that are apparent everywhere just under the surface of events . His book is a gift that reads like the distillation of a lifetime of thinking ...
Page 2
... But it also produces some of our most durable myths , whose contradictory character seems to be part of being human and is certainly part of all cultures . The contradiction is inseparable from the nature of belief and the 2 INTRODUCTION.
... But it also produces some of our most durable myths , whose contradictory character seems to be part of being human and is certainly part of all cultures . The contradiction is inseparable from the nature of belief and the 2 INTRODUCTION.
Page 11
... human at all , and they certainly didn't think the Bushmen could be hurt . Indeed , many settlers in the various ... human , than they first appeared . In the early 1500s a celebrated disagreement broke out , involving the fundamental ...
... human at all , and they certainly didn't think the Bushmen could be hurt . Indeed , many settlers in the various ... human , than they first appeared . In the early 1500s a celebrated disagreement broke out , involving the fundamental ...
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... human and rational , and that their societies were highly developed , internally coherent , and continuously ... human and the non - human . We might think that these categories would have faded away , 12 THEM AND US.
... human and rational , and that their societies were highly developed , internally coherent , and continuously ... human and the non - human . We might think that these categories would have faded away , 12 THEM AND US.
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... humanity of the other . Let's go back and see if we can understand why . Human beings are often defined as animals who have language ; so it is not surprising that the categories of the barbaric and the civilized first take shape along ...
... humanity of the other . Let's go back and see if we can understand why . Human beings are often defined as animals who have language ; so it is not surprising that the categories of the barbaric and the civilized first take shape along ...
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