Principles of Tsawalk: An Indigenous Approach to Global Crisis

by Umeek / E. Richard Atleo

Tsawalk, or "one," expresses the Nuu-chah-nulth view that all living things - human, plant, and animal - form part of an integrated whole brought into harmony through constant negotiation and mutual respect. In this book, Umeek argues that contemporary environmental and political crises and the ongoing plight of indigenous peoples reflect a world out of balance, a world in which Western approaches to sustainable living are not working. Nuu-chah-nulth principles of recognition, consent, and continuity, by contrast, hold the promise of bringing greater harmony, where all life forms are treated with respect and accorded formal constitutional recognition.

Genres: Indigenous, Politics, Philosophy

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Ève Leger · Rating 4 out of 5]

a little hard to understand at times, and a bit all over the place, but definitely made me reflect on our society and its reliance on western philosophies

[Adam Fryatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short book but it has a lot of density to the thoughts and articulation. If you are a person who is interested in Indigenous Knowledge and how those systems worked historically and can work in the future than I would recommend this book. It is not a surface read. It requires some time to digest and contemplate.

I very much enjoyed the Nuuchahnulth spellings using the IPA alphabet scattered throughout, and the fact they were not translated within the text forced me to actually learn the words.

[Clivemichael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring possibilities.

[Skylar Jon Izzard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply put, this was a lifechanging book. I'll have to re-read and sit with this text to really have it sink in properly.