Returning to the Lakota Way: Old Values to Save a Modern World

by Joseph M. Marshall III

Overview

Returning to the Lakota Way immerses us once again in the world of the Lakota Sioux through the beautiful storytelling and deep insight of Joseph Marshall’s writing. Relaying traditional tales that have been passed down over generations, Marshall takes us on an inspiring journey that will help us better understand the world around us and our place in it.

The teaching stories found in each chapter provide lessons that open our eyes to universal qualities and practices passed down over many generations. From the hunting adventures of the raven and the wolf, we discover the importance of tolerance; the actions of the grasshopper highlight the value of patience; and the experiences of a young man named Walks Alone show us the benefit of silence and turning within. Speaking to these and other traits, such as faith and selflessness, Marshall helps us see our own lives more clearly using time-honored tales interspersed with stories from his own life growing up on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. In his work, we find a clear example of how the wisdom of the past has relevance and meaning in the world of today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781401931780
Publisher:	Hay House Inc.
Publication date:	11/04/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	232
Sales rank:	327,045
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Joseph Marshall III was born and raised on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation and is an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota (Rosebud Sioux) tribe. Because he was raised in a traditional Lakota household by his maternal grandparents, his first language is Lakota. In that environment he also learned the ancient tradition of oral storytelling. Marshall is an author with nine nonfiction works, three novels, a collection of short stories and essays, and several screenplays to his credit. He is also a speaker and lecturer, having appeared throughout the United States and in countries such as France, Sweden, and Siberia.Marshall has also appeared in television documentaries, served as technical advisor for movies, and served as the narrator for the six-part mini-series Into the West, as well as playing the on-screen role of "Loved by the Buffalo," a Lakota medicine man.Website: http://www.josephmarshall.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Gift of Silence 1

Chapter 2 The Wolf and the Raven 39

Chapter 3 Iktomi Flies 63

Chapter 4 The People of the Great Ones 89

Chapter 5 Lessons from the Grasshopper 117

Chapter 6 The Journey 147

Chapter 7 The Shield Maker 197

Chapter 8 The Hunter 229

Epilogue: The Crooked Cane 249

Acknowledgments 277

About the Author 279

Editorial Reviews

"This book is certain to become a classic in Native American literature as well as a guide for anyone who seeks larger spiritual truths. Marshall, a Sicangu elder, is well on his way to becoming an elder for all of America."
--Roger Welsch, author of Embracing Fry Bread: Confessions of a Wannabe

"In this fine collection of stories, Marshall eloquently delivers some hard truths in a soft package. His message for today's world: we will surely sink beneath the floodwaters of tomorrow if we do not embrace the wisdom of yesterday."
--Joseph Starita, author of "I Am a Man" Chief Standing Bear's Journey for Justice

"Joseph Marshall is more than a great storyteller. He's also a very wise man. In these evocative vignettes from Lakota legend and rich personal experience, he reminds his readers that even in the overstimulated, overstressed 21st century, the greatest peace is to be found in simple, universal values and quiet contemplation."
--Kirk Ellis, writer/producer of TNT's Into the West and HBO's John Adams

"Through the beautiful teachings of his Lakota elders Joseph Marshall shares with the reader many of life's truths. He reminds us of the simplicity and the sanctity of life. There are no new magical answers or solutions to life's mysteries in this collection, but there are certainly powerful lessons that one can choose to embrace. When you read this book you will be motivated to rekindle the person you were when you began this journey."
--Judi M. Gaiashkibos, an enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs

From the Publisher