Earth Keeper: Reflections on the American Land [9780063009332]

Overview

"Dazzling. . . . In glittering prose, Momaday recalls stories passed down through generations, illuminating the earth as a sacrosanct place of wonder and abundance. At once a celebration and a warning, Earth Keeper is an impassioned defense of all that our endangered planet stands to lose." — Esquire

A magnificent testament to the earth, from Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and poet N. Scott Momaday.

One of the most distinguished voices in American letters, N. Scott Momaday has devoted much of his life to celebrating and preserving the rich tapestry of Native American culture, especially its oral tradition. A member of the Kiowa tribe, Momaday was born in Lawton, Oklahoma and grew up on Navajo, Apache, and Peublo reservations throughout the Southwest. It is a part of the earth he knows well and loves deeply.

In Earth Keeper, he reflects on his native ground and its influence on his people. "When I think about my life and the lives of my ancestors," he writes, "I am inevitably led to the conviction that I, and they, belong to the American land. This is a declaration of belonging. And it is an offering to the earth."

In this wise and wonderous work, Momaday shares stories and memories throughout his life, stories that have been passed down through generations, stories that reveal a profound spiritual connection to the American landscape and a deep reverence for the natural world. He offers an homage and a warning. He shows us that the earth is a sacred place of wonder and beauty, a source of strength and healing that must be honored and protected before it’s too late. As he so eloquently and simply reminds us, we must all be keepers of the earth.

• Indigenous Wisdom: Experience the American landscape through the eyes of a Kiowa elder, with stories and memories passed down through generations.
• A Spiritual Autobiography: Follow Momaday’s personal declaration of belonging as he reflects on his life, his ancestors, and his profound connection to his native ground.
• A Lyrical Homage: Written in glittering, poetic prose, this work is both a celebration of the natural world’s beauty and an impassioned defense of all we stand to lose.
• The Oral Tradition: Discover a collection of foundational stories and reflections that honor the Native American practice of preserving culture through the spoken word.