Books and Cooks West
January 2000
The Walking People by Paula Underwood
The Walking People: A Native
American Oral History by Paula Underwood
January 26, 2000, 8:30 PM
Kim's Place
Menu: Goat cheese & leek tart, chocolate brownies, chocolate, gewurtztraminer.
Our rating: 4 cups of tea!
As the colleague who recommended it writes, "The Walking People tells the story of one branch of the Iroquois as they walked out of central Asia, across the Bering Straight, down the coast of N. America, across to the Atlantic and back to the Great Lakes. During this journey, they had to adapt to an ever-changing physical and social environment. By necessity, they learned how to learn. "
A reviewer at Amazon writes:
"This is a great story, compellingly told with simplicity and beauty. It also happens to be the best single book I've ever read on "organizational learning." The "Walking People" left central Asia and walked across an ocean, over to another ocean and back to the great lakes. On their way, they had to learn to deal with an ever changing circumstance, both physical and social. In order to survive, they learned how to learn as a people more and more effectively.
"This story deals with issues such as the balance between diversity and unity, how to honor individual styles of learning and use these to help the community, ageism, sexism, racism, cooperation and competition, the balance of long term goals and short term necessities, planning and improvisation, war and peace.
"Are you beginning to get the picture? This should be read by everyone, but at least by anyone who teaches or manages people. If a CEO or Senator reads one book in this millennium to prepare for the next, this should be it."
The Books and Cooks The
Walking People: A Native American Oral History Informal Reading Guide
(member-generated questions in no particular order)
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How historically accurate do you think this book is? How important is that?
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Are you convinced of the accuracy of oral histories? To what extent?
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What would the Walking People say about the 'separation of church and state'? Do they have an organized church or state?
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I noticed that the Walking People struggle most with issues of old vs. new and continuance vs. change (which are also modern struggles). But one modern struggle that is conspicuously absent is that of the individual vs. the group. Comment.
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Did you find the description of the lifestyle of the Walking People (e.g. gentle, nonviolent, tolerant, inquisitive) realistic?
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How much do you think the tone of the story was influenced by conflicts with the white man?
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Discuss the presence (or absence) or spirituality/religion in this history.
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How is the systematic observation-based learning of the Walking People similar to and different from the modern, western concept of scientific research?
