Indian Time: A Year of Discovery With the Native Americans of the Southwest

by Judith Fein

The author recounts her experiences among the Pueblo Indians, describes their way of life, and discusses the impact of their outlook on her own

Genres: Nonfiction

380 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Judith Fein lives to leave. An award-winning travel journalist, she is either on the road or on her computer. She has contributed to more than 100 international publications, including the Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, National Geographic Traveler, the Jerusalem Post, Hemisphere, Islands, New Mexico Magazine, Travel Age West, Organic Spa, and Spirituality and Health. She is the author of the acclaimed book, LIFE IS A TRIP: The Transformative Magic of Travel.

Judith has been a keynote presenter for many conferences, including the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and Tedx San Miguel de Allende. She is a frequent guest on broadcast media, was a regular contributor to The Savvy Traveler for six years, and has been heard on the BBC, All Things Considered, and Marketplace. With her photojournalist husband Paul Ross, she teaches public speaking and creativity as applied to writing, PR and Marketing.

Judith is the co-founder and executive editor of the award-garnering experiential travel blog www.YourLifeisaTrip.com, which has more than 125 contributors. She blogs about travel for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today, and occasionally she and Paul Ross take open-hearted people on very unusual trips. In her LBTW (Life Before Travel Writing), Fein ran a theatre company in Europe, lived in Africa, and then worked as a Hollywood screenwriter, playwright, and theatre director in the U.S.A.

Like a modern-day Marco Polo or Ibn Batuta, Fein has traveled from Mog Mog to Vanuatu, trained as assistant to a Mexican healer, purchased a camel in Tunisia, danced with spirits in Brazil and a Mayan elder in Quintana Roo, dragged her husband to consult with a Zulu sangoma in South Africa, swum with beluga whales, had a private audience with the High Priest of the Ancient Israelite Samaritans, appeased the mischievous jinns in Morocco, and eaten porcupine, albeit not with relish, in Vietnam.

Reviews

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart touching story, absolutely loved reading this book. Even half a globe away Judith's experiences could felt wholeheartedly. One of the books I recommend as a must read.

[Nmdb22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

We used to live in Santa Fe and so I was very interested in this book. My overall impression was that it was too much about the author, even though she did have a lot of knowledge about the Native Americans throughout New Mexico. She visited a lot of places, had access to traditional celebrations and developed many friendships. However, it still seemed like the focus was on her overcoming her phobias and transitioning from her fast track life in Los Angeles to "Indian Time" in New Mexico. That was not what I was hoping for in the book, so I was a bit disappointed.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt she romantized Native americans too much.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sounds corney but this book totally changed my life and help direct me to who I am today.

[Ashra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book and bought it kind of on a whim at an old used bookstore thinking, well it'll either be really heartfelt or really bad, but either way it'll be fascinating.
Well! It was genuinely quite heartfelt and deep?!!??!

There were a few parts that had me rolling my eyes at Judie, like how she just has to take the potsherds from the ground, she can't just leave them cuz she has to Take A Thing Home, which is kind of like, c'mon Judie. She does admit she shouldn't do it so it kind of takes balls to just straight up tell us that.

It's true that this narrative focuses a lot on Judie's own growth and development from her time in New Mexico -- which is interesting to see! She really is quite capable of change. I like seeing that in other people. BUT we do also hear a LOT from the indigenous people that she speaks with and it's really cool learning about their lives and beliefs, many which have been stifled for hundreds of years in a myriad of ways. The interconnectedness between the Jewish faith and indigenous people was unexpected! The healing between the Hispanic people in New Mexico and the Native Americans was really powerful and insane! Like... Judie oh my gosh!
It's a shame we never find out about the show (I'm assuming it never happened), but there's still a LOT to unpack in this nonfiction piece. It really made me reflect on myself as well. Some of the things Judie said hit me HARD, like way harder than I was prepared for. The stuff about generational trauma?? about raising children?? help I feel so seen???

All in all, it took me a while to carve the time through this, but it was worth the ride! Wow. Huh.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing. Love the Navajo, love New Mexico, so really wanted to like this book. Author and husband move to Santa Fe for a year. They mostly visit Pueblos; they get to see an awful lot. Jealous. But author is annoying, eating her way across N.M., even 'stealing' pot sherds, and getting all up in arms against Christians and Hispanics. And we never even hear if the reason why she is there (TV documentary?) is ever completed. Tho we do hear her complain about her bosses a lot, especially after she is basically fired.
Disappointing.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at Native American culture from a visitor's point of view. Judith Fein makes you feel like you are walking along with her as she visits people on the reservation.