If You've Forgotten the Names of the Clouds, You've Lost Your Way: An Introduction to American Indian Thought and Philosophy

by Russell Means, Bayard Johnson

This book begins the explanation of how traditional American Indian thought and philosophy were integral to day-to-day matrilineal life. The civilization of the American Indian was predicated on the people's relationships with every form of life, from the perspective of close-knit family communities. This introduction partially explains why indigenous people the world over never overpopulate their environment or destroy the lands where they live. This is the only philosophy that can stop the worldwide ongoing rape by the patriarchs.

Genres: Philosophy, Native American, Nonfiction, Nature, Native Americans

88 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2012

About the author

Russell Means (Lakota: Oyate Wacinyapin; is one of contemporary America's best-known and prolific activists for the rights of American Indians. Means has also pursued careers in politics, acting, and music.
In 1968, Means joined the American Indian Movement and quickly became one of its most prominent leaders. In 1969, Means was part of a group of Native Americans that occupied Alcatraz Island for a period of 19 months. He was appointed the group's first national director in 1970. Later that year, Means was one of the leaders of AIM's takeover of Mount Rushmore. In 1972, he participated in AIM's takeover of the Bureau of Indian Affairs office in Washington, D.C., and in 1973 he led AIM's occupation of Wounded Knee, which became the group's most well-known action.

Reviews

[Janni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book consists of lots of 1 to 2 page pieces of lakotah wisdom, spanning many topics of life, from childhood to marriage, family and tribe life, our interconnectedness with all life, history, to how we should view and interact with the world around us, each introduced with a quote of an elder. And i say even though most of it comes from a time before western civilization even set foot in america, many of these teachings are timeless, and there is a wisdom to them that seems to be forgotten in most of todays world. The world could be a better place if we dropped our arrogance, became humble and listened to these native people.
So much valuable eye opening perspective in just 100 pages, this book can change the way you view the world and i hope it does! Highly recommended.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit of a detour. I had a student who included a tidbit in her speech about how Native Americans value silence and thinking before they speak, which we talked about in the follow-up discussion; and the next day she brought in this and said she thought I’d like it. I read a couple 15 pages in a brief sitting and thought I may as well finish it – it’s short, only 100 pages, full of little page- or two-page long sections of philosophy. I like philosophy and reading about other cultures, so why not?

But it’s kind of hard to “review.” Am I reviewing the book? Responding to the philosophy? I mean, like with all philosophies, there’s a healthy dose of allegory and analogy and idealism. Is everything meant to be taken literally? Do 100% of the Lakota people follow everything, hook, line, and sinker? For every nugget that seems to make a lot of sense, there’s an equivalent nugget that gave me pause. Sure, it makes sense to raise children as a community, incorporating them into the larger “family” of the tribe; but then a child in this culture never hears the word “no” because it eliminates waste and want by establishing that all is available? Hmm. Kids are born with time apart (I feel like I remember reading 6 years? Maybe?) so that each child gets enough focus; ok, but then it says “or else the mother’s love could be compromised”? And it compares the story of Cain and Abel as a way of illustrating what could happen when they’re not born far enough apart? And in the case of twins, they give one away to someone else to raise? Hmmm. I’m pretty sure the number of siblings born within a year or two of another who have murdered the other is fairly low, but I have yet to finish my research into this matter. Every village has a Peacemaker, and when there’s a problem, you go to the Peacemaker. The decision is respected, and if not the minority party could, with no hard feelings, separate from the larger clan and form a sister clan, who would then greet one another like long lost relatives when they meet in the future. Sounds nice, but a bit idealistic? Does this really happen? People are shunned or kicked out and separate and there’s no “hard feelings”? The White Buffalo Calf Woman who brought the ceremonies seems like a bit of a story that one isn’t meant to literally believe, like many cultures have… or is it believed literally? There’s a lot of talk about their world as a Matriarchy and the faults of the larger world as a Patriarchy, which I thought was interesting in this age of hyper-masculinity and toxic relationships or characteristics…. But some of the claims don’t seem to fully align. Famine only happens in a Patriarchy? Serial killers increase in proliferation after the Patriarchy rose – when was that? Only in Europe? Well, there was never any psychopaths? Parkinson’s never existed before the Industrial Revolution?

Again, I don’t want to poke holes in all this and get too literal… it was a though-provoking read but some of the illustrations lost me a bit. I did, however, feel a bit mind-blown on two occasions. One, I thought it was pretty interesting to see discussed how the moon’s cycle is 28 days, a woman’s cycle (roughly) is 28 days, and the buffalo has 28 ribs, equaling what it means that the Earth is a woman, all purify themselves in cycles, and hence we try to all keep ourselves “in balance.” Two -- and we might need to get the fact-checkers on this – but they were talking about the Mayan calendar and the end of the world arriving in 2012, but the date was arrived at by assuming the Christian calendar with 30-31 day months, and if we used the 28 day month then the end of the world (for them?) already arrived….. in the year 1492. Whoa.

So, yeah. Interesting. Didn’t LOVE it. But it’s certainly more believable and relatable than Qanon.

[Clifford W. Snedeker Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Path to Find the Way?

Interesting and intriguing. A bit self centered and self justifying. I can believe some of the ideals of the authk, but not his means. Macklin intended.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book from a very special man!

[Tal · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will learn so much from this book.

[Haruka · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only downside to this book is that I wished it would have been longer and more thoroughly explained, while the core of its teachings is golden. It is difficult to find a book on a thorough in depth look at indigenous people's lives, philosophy and traditions written by an actual native, with direct experience. Anthropologists while many have deep respect and connection with the indigenous they describe, tend to overanalyse and interpret, instead of directly transcribing what they feel and sense more than they see and reason. Although you need both the vital part to understand about native cultures is often missed that way. So if anyone knows a book that provides this, please let me know. All the while this book holds great knowledge, although condensed.

[Rebecca Qualls · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look into the culture of the Lakota. Rich with symbolism. It is easy to get swallowed by our culture. Russell Means provides an alternate perspective full of meaning.