Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence

Contents
Foreword by Leroy Little Bear, J.D. ix
Dedication and Acknowledgments viii
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 Telling a Special Story 11
First Insights 13
The Creative Context 15
Chaos Theory 16
Sense, Perception, and Creative Participation 20
Perceptual Blindness versus Creative Sensibility 22
Body Sense 25
The Metaphoric Mind 28
Native Stories of Creation and Emergence 31
Art as a Means of Ceremony and Transformation 46
Meanings and Possibilities 52
Chapter 2 Philosophy of Native Science 57
Eco-Philosophy 58
Tenets of Native Philosophy 64
Process of Native Science 66
Native Science Practice 71
Guiding Stories 74
Guiding Thoughts 75
Native Science Paradigm 77
Meanings and Possibilities 82
Chapter 3 The Ecology of Native American Community 85
We Are All Related 86
A Personal Story 87
For the Good of the People: Foundations for Leadership,
Service, and Community Value 90
Workings of Native Community 90
Native Science Practice in Native Communities 98
Meanings and Possibilities 104
Chapter 4 Plants, Food, Medicine, and Gardening 107
A Green Philosophy 108
Plants Are the Hair of Mother Earth 111
Plants and the Foundations of Health and Wholeness 115
The Ecology of Native Healing 118
The Quest for Healing Knowledge 122
Native Gardening 127
"Native People Loved Their Gardens" 129
Native Food Contributions 133
Native Permaculture and Agricultural Technology 140
Meanings and Possibilities 146
Chapter 5 Animals in Native Myth and Reality 149
Animals and the Native Worldview and 150
Animal Nature 152
Our Relatives, the Animals 156
The Hunter of Good Heart 158
Animals in Myth 165
Animals and Spirituality 167
American Indian Animal Husbandry 168
Meanings and Possibilities 174
Chapter 6 A Sense of Place 177
Living in Relationship 178
The Role of Language 183
The Human Body as Metaphor for Landscape 185
The Psychology of Place 186
Applied Technologies on Land, River, and Sea 188
Mining 189
Hydraulics 190
Transportation Systems 197
Sacred Space 204
The Mythic Body of the Landscape 206
Orienting to Place and Space 210
Meanings and Possibilities 211
Chapter 7 Native Astronomy: A Skyward View 215
Living the Heavens: An Introduction 216
A Navajo Perspective on Cosmology and Astronomy 218
A Relational Philosophy: The Stars Are Our Relatives 226
Community: The Skidi Pawnee, Star People of the Plains 234
Star Visions and the Role of Plants 237
The Nazca Animal Geoglyphs of Peru 242
Place and Astronomical Orientation 246
A Cosmic Journey 250
Meanings and Possibilities 255
Chapter 8 Creating New Minds and Worlds 259
A New Sun 260
Finding Face 265
Finding Heart 266
Finding a Foundation 267
Meanings and Possibilities 282
"Land and Stars, The Only Knowledge" (Simon Ortiz) 288
References 291
Further Reading 298
Index 302