<<The>> falling sky words of a Yanomami shaman

"Anthropologist Bruce Albert captures the poetic voice of Davi Kopenawa, shaman and spokesman for the Yanomami of the Brazilian Amazon, in this unique reading experience-a coming-of-age story, historical account, and shamanic philosophy, but most of all an impassioned plea to respect native rights and preserve the Amazon rainforest"-- Provided by publisher The Shaman And Spokesman For The Yanomami Tribe Of The Brazilian Amazon Describes The Culture Conflicts His People Have Faced In Western Industrial Society And Global Politics, Issuing A Plea For The Native Peoples Of The Amazon. The Falling Sky Is A Remarkable First-person Account Of The Life Story And Cosmo-ecological Thought Of Davi Kopenawa, Shaman And Spokesman For The Yanomami Of The Brazilian Amazon. Representing A People Whose Very Existence Is In Jeopardy, Davi Kopenawa Paints An Unforgettable Picture Of Yanomami Culture, Past And Present, In The Heart Of The Rainforest--a World Where Ancient Indigenous Knowledge And Shamanic Traditions Cope With The Global Geopolitics Of An Insatiable Natural Resources Extraction Industry. In Richly Evocative Language, Kopenawa Recounts His Initiation And Experience As A Shaman, As Well As His First Encounters With Outsiders: Government Officials, Missionaries, Road Workers, Cattle Ranchers, And Gold Prospectors. He Vividly Describes The Ensuing Cultural Repression, Environmental Devastation, And Deaths Resulting From Epidemics And Violence. To Counter These Threats, Davi Kopenawa Became A Global Ambassador For His Endangered People. The Falling Sky Follows Him From His Native Village In The Northern Amazon To Brazilian Cities And Finally On Transatlantic Flights Bound For European And American Capitals. These Travels Constitute A Shamanic Critique Of Western Industrial Society, Whose Endless Material Greed, Mass Violence, And Ecological Blindness Contrast Sharply With Yanomami Cultural Values. -- Publisher's Description. Machine Generated Contents Note: I.becoming Other -- 1.drawn Words -- 2.the First Shaman -- 3.the Xapiri's Gaze -- 4.the Animal Ancestors -- 5.the Initiation -- 6.spirits' Houses -- 7.image And Skin -- 8.the Sky And The Forest -- Ii.metal Smoke -- 9.outsider Images -- 10.first Contacts -- 11.the Mission -- 12.becoming A White Man? -- 13.the Road -- 14.dreaming The Forest -- 15.earth Eaters -- 16.cannibal Gold -- Iii.the Falling Sky -- 17.talking To White People -- 18.stone Houses -- 19.merchandise Love -- 20.in The City -- 21.from One War To Another -- 22.the Flowers Of Dream -- 23.the Spirit Of The Forest -- 24.the Shamans' Death -- Words Of Omama -- How This Book Was Written. Davi Kopenawa, Bruce Albert ; Translated By Nicholas Elliott And Alison Dundy. Translation Of: La Chute Du Ciel : Paroles D'un Chaman Yanomami. ©2010. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 595-607) And Index. The Falling Sky is a remarkable first-person account of the life story and cosmo-ecological thought of Davi Kopenawa, shaman and spokesman for the Yanomami of the Brazilian Amazon. Representing a people whose very existence is in jeopardy, Davi Kopenawa paints an unforgettable picture of Yanomami culture, past and present, in the heart of the rainforest--a world where ancient indigenous knowledge and shamanic traditions cope with the global geopolitics of an insatiable natural resources extraction industry.In richly evocative language, Kopenawa recounts his initiation and experience as a shaman, as well as his first encounters with outsiders: government officials, missionaries, road workers, cattle ranchers, and gold prospectors. He vividly describes the ensuing cultural repression, environmental devastation, and deaths resulting from epidemics and violence. To counter these threats, Davi Kopenawa became a global ambassador for his endangered people. The Falling Sky follows him from his native village in the Northern Amazon to Brazilian cities and finally on transatlantic flights bound for European and American capitals. These travels constitute a shamanic critique of Western industrial society, whose endless material greed, mass violence, and ecological blindness contrast sharply with Yanomami cultural values.Bruce Albert, a close friend since the 1970s, superbly captures Kopenawa's intense, poetic voice. This collaborative work provides a unique reading experience that is at the same time a coming-of-age story, a historical account, and a shamanic philosophy, but most of all an impassioned plea to respect native rights and preserve the Amazon rainforest. The Falling Sky is a remarkable first-person account of the life story and cosmo-ecological thought of Davi Kopenawa, shaman and spokesman for the Yanomami of the Brazilian Amazon. Representing a people whose very existence is in jeopardy, Davi Kopenawa paints an unforgettable picture of Yanomami culture, past and present, in the heart of the rainforest--a world where ancient indigenous knowledge and shamanic traditions cope with the global geopolitics of an insatiable natural resources extraction industry. In richly evocative language, Kopenawa recounts his initiation and experience as a shaman, as well as his first encounters with government officials, missionaries, road workers, cattle ranchers, and gold prospectors. He vividly describes the ensuing cultural repression, environmental devastation, and deaths resulting from epidemics and violence. To counter these threats, Davi Kopenawa became a global ambassador for his endangered people. The Falling Sky follows him from his native village in the Northern Amazon to Brazilian cities and finally on transatlantic flights bound for European and American capitals. These travels constitute a shamanic critique of Western industrial society, whose endless material greed, mass violence, and ecological blindness contrast sharply with Yanomami cultural values. Bruce Albert, a close friend since the 1970s, superbly captures Kopenawa's intense, poetic voice. This collaborative work provides a unique reading experience that is at the same time a coming-of-age story, a historical account, and a shamanic philosophy, but most of all an impassioned plea to respect native rights and preserve the Amazon rainforest. The 10th anniversary editionA Guardian Best Book about DeforestationA New Scientist Best Book of the YearA Taipei Times Best Book of the Year"A perfectly grounded account of what it is like to live an indigenous life in communion with one's personal spirits. We are losing worlds upon worlds."-Louise Erdrich, New York Times Book Review"The Yanomami of the Amazon, like all the indigenous peoples of the Americas and Australia, have experienced the end of what was once their world. Yet they have survived and somehow succeeded in making sense of a wounded existence. They have a lot to teach us."-Amitav Ghosh, The Guardian"A literary treasure...a must for anyone who wants to understand more of the diverse beauty and wonder of existence."-New ScientistA now classic account of the life and thought of Davi Kopenawa, shaman and spokesman for the Yanomami, The Falling Sky paints an unforgettable picture of an indigenous culture living in harmony with the Amazon forest and its creatures, and its devastating encounter with the global mining industry. In richly evocative language, Kopenawa recounts his initiation as a shaman and first experience of outsiders: missionaries, cattle ranchers, government officials, and gold prospectors seeking to extract the riches of the Amazon.A coming-of-age story entwined with a rare first-person articulation of shamanic philosophy, this impassioned plea to respect indigenous peoples' rights is a powerful rebuke to the accelerating depredation of the Amazon and other natural treasures threatened by climate change and development "The Falling Sky is a remarkable first-person account of the life story and cosmoecological thought of Davi Kopenawa, shaman and spokesman for the Yanomami of the Brazilian Amazon. Representing a people whose very existence is in jeopardy, Davi Kopenawa paints an unforgettable picture of Yanomami culture, past and present, in the heart of the rain forest--a world where ancient indigenous knowledge and shamanic traditions cope with the global geopolitics of an insatiable natural resources extraction industry. In richly evocative language, Kopenawa recounts his initiation and experience as a shaman, as well as his first encounters with outsiders: government officials, missionaries, road workers, cattle ranchers, and gold prospectors. He vividly describes the ensuing cultural repression, environmental devastation, and deaths resulting from epidemics and violence. To counter these threats, Davi Kopenawa became a global ambassador for his endangered people. The Falling Sky follows him from his native village in the Northern Amazon to Brazilian cities and finally on transatlantic flights bound for European and American capitals. These travels constitute a shamanic critique of Western industrial society, whose endless material greed, mass violence, and ecological blindness contrast sharply with Yanomami cultural values." -- Publisher's description Contents Foreword Maps Setting the Scene Words Given I. Becoming O1ther II. Metal Smoke III. The Falling Sky Words of Omama How This Book Was Written Appendices Appendix A. Ethnonym, Language, and Orthography Appendix B. The Yanomami in Brazil Appendix C. Watoriki Appendix D. The Haximu Massacre Notes Ethnobiological Glossary Geographic Glossary References Acknowledgments Index