Title: Wisdom Sits in Places: Landscape and Language Among the Western Apache
Author: Keith H. Basso
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press
Description:
In “Wisdom Sits in Places: Landscape and Language Among the Western Apache,” Keith H. Basso delves into the intricate relationship between the Western Apache people, their landscape, and their language. Published in 1996, this groundbreaking work offers profound insights into the cultural significance of place-names and the deep connection between Indigenous peoples and their surroundings. Through ethnographic research and narrative exploration, Basso reveals how the Apache people encode cultural knowledge, historical events, and moral teachings within the geographical features of their homeland. Drawing on Apache oral traditions and personal narratives, he demonstrates how the landscape serves as a repository of wisdom, embodying the collective memory and spiritual heritage of the community. By analyzing the linguistic nuances of place-names and their associated narratives, Basso illuminates the ways in which Indigenous peoples perceive, interact with, and derive meaning from their environment. “Wisdom Sits in Places” offers a profound meditation on the interplay between language, culture, and landscape, inviting readers to reconsider their relationship with the natural world and appreciate the richness of Indigenous knowledge systems. This paperback edition, originally published in August 1996, continues to inspire scholars, educators, and readers interested in the intersections of anthropology, linguistics, and Indigenous studies.