Reviews

• A vital read for all Americans

  We know so little of our own history and, "A people without a knowledge of their past is like a tree with out roots," as Marcus Garvey so eloquently said. This book eloquently takes one on an epic voyage into the not so distant past, it allows one to reflect on how deep a way of life the Yurok of modern day northern California lived, and sensibly shares a glimpse into those times. The mention of the ancient spiritual race of illuminated beings that taught the first natives everything they knew, asked them to care for the sacred sites and ancient mortars; then left back to where they came from, is utterly fascinating! As well as the authors accounts of their medicine lodges, and how these were shared with the deer and rattle snakes. We desperately need to reconnect ourselves with nature and everyone together do what we can to consume less and care for nature more. To awaken whats latent within us ~ a deeper understanding of life. I always recommend this book as a basic essential read to anyone interested in rekindling a dimming but not yet completely forgotten wisdom. It is a great gift to humanity. My only precaution to reads would to, as with most books written over 100 years ago, try to read through the lines and not get lost in the influences that allowed her to create this book, see the golden message beyond the specific wording, and enjoy! Jonathon Miller Weisberger, author of Rainforest Medicine: Preserving Indigenous Science and Biological Diversity in the Upper Amazon. (North Atlantic Books)

• Gave me new insight into the land of big trees and fog

  I agree with the other reviewers this book contains extremely interesting pre-white legends and local-area facts which which make it remarkably good. While I disagree with the reviewer who linked the ancient whites (Wa-Gas) to the Chechins (this linkage is nowhere in the book), there are number of very interesting things this book reveals. Such as an account of their tribe having migrated down from a land of ice (comports with Beringian immigration theory). Mermaids in the Klamath River. A Jesus Christ figure within the Yuroks.. An accurate knowledge of interplanetary and interstellar concepts. And, grave-robbing outcasts. I found her comments about the neighboring Wiyot and Tolowa tribes are somewhat negative and interesting. She calls the Karuk "Upriver Klamath", as if they were an extension of her own Yurok tribe (Downriver Klamath). I grew up in the area and know the terms up-river and down-river are still often heard. When I go back to Humboldt and DelNorte counties, I now see more than just big trees and fog, thanks to the insights this book gave me.

• Read it for yourself before it is gone.

  Excellent resource for both white folks and indians that want to understand true history and more. We are by far more connected and history is not what we have been told recently. This woman was THE go to for everything "Native American" in her day as attested by the translator and a little research. She was THE authority on the matters of 'Indian'. In this book the translator writes the the author had no clue what she was talking about and somehow ignorantly meant shiny phosphorescent gods when she literally has pages dedicated to the Ancient Vikings(Germanics) who inhabited the lands far before her tribe came along. The translator ignores the practicality that even if they did not have a "word for god" they were not foolish enough to consider pale humans simply to be those shiny luminescent gods of old. She/they knew what they meant. Also, another reviewer says that someone else mentions the Wagas(Wodan) connection to the ancient white folks and that it was not in this book. In fact... it is. Please read this likely to be censored work and trust and respect in what the woman is saying. Indian history is deeper than you are told and most tribes know they did not come from the areas we ignorantly say they are 'native' to. This is not insensitive, this is fact by DNA and even this great Womans work in telling the truth of her Inuit peoples travels, even the Hopi Indians who tell the tale of traveling north to find America.

• Really Neat Book

  This book is a wonderful read of local history from a time gone by. Would reccomend for anyone who likes to read.

• A personal account of a Yurok woman, her history and culture prior to WW I

  I am very glad Lucy Thompson wrote the book as there are few records of the times in which she lived. Some of the history goes against what we often think about Native Americans (definitely a class system, and those who could might have slaves) but all in all, worth the read for the history. Another book I read (when I lived in the area) from an outside viewpoint is Land of the Grasshopper Song written by two maiden ladies who came to 'the wildest part of the United States at the time -prior to 1912-' to have a 'settling' influence in the area. I'm giving it 5 stars because it is an honest account from a woman who respected herself and her understanding of their life and history...not always an easy read.

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