July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
New book provokes wonder (01/07/08)
As I See It
By By DIANA DOLECKI-
I treated myself to a new Tony Hillerman book last weekend. I had waited an entire year for the paperback version to come out. There is something satisfying about all paperback books. The size is perfect, the paper smells enticing and the feel of it in my hands implies the promise of an adventure just waiting to unfold.
It was a mystery, as most of this guy's books are. I usually read the first few chapters of any book then flip to the back to see how it all turns out. This time I figured out the who and how before I finished the first half of the tale and had no need to flip to the back. It had a satisfying ending as most of Hillerman's books do.
I had been a little worried because all the reviews had been negative. The primary complaint against the book was legitimate. It had the main character as being retired only a month when he had been retired for several previous books. There were a couple other blips that would not be noticed by a first time reader but were obvious to those who have followed his characters over the years.
I always read his books at least twice. I read them once for the mystery and once for the anthropology. The book is set in Navajo territory and is full of Navajo beliefs. Now, honestly, I wouldn't recognize a Navajo if one smacked me but I do find it interesting to read about people who have drastically different beliefs than I do.
Bits of the creation story are told in each book. I find it curious that their Creator destroyed the world by flood because the people were not behaving as they should. It seems there is a similar story in my Bible upstairs. I have read other creation stories and many of them also involve the world being destroyed by flood for the very same reason.
What I really find compelling are the differences in our beliefs. For instance, one character is trying to sell a fancy saddle to a Navajo. The seller tells the potential customer that the saddle will make the guy look like the richest man on the reservation.
He lost the sale.
While it is common for us non-Navajo to want to appear wealthy, it is considered wrong for them. They are expected to take care of family first and not be better than anybody else. People are suspicious of a wealthy man.
The story revolves around a hand-woven rug that illustrates a dark time in history. The Navajo were rounded up by the United States government and removed from their lands. Many died. More died on the return home. It was an ugly part of our past.
When the Navajo character comments on it he says, "... Why keep that kind of hatred alive? We have our curing ceremonials to get people back in harmony. Get rid of the anger. Get happy again."
Our Christian Bible tells us to forgive those who trespass against us and to judge not lest we be judged. Popular culture and our justice system tell us the opposite. Our laws are set up for revenge not forgiveness. We decry leniency, especially for heinous offenses. We prefer criminals be put to death or at least be warehoused somewhere they can't hurt ordinary people and we don't have to think about them.
Our television and movie entertainment is filled with this belief. All the crime shows focus on catching the bad guy and punishing him (and sometimes her). The message is that criminals won't get away with whatever they have done; that they will pay for their evil doings. They will never, "get happy again."
I do not think that revenge and punishment are working. People still commit crimes and I am probably wrong, but the crimes seem even more horrible than what they used to be. Or maybe it is just that they are getting more publicity than they used to.
In all the crime shows there is something missing. How do the survivors go on with their lives? Do they ever regain the trust in their fellow human beings or is that gone forever? I suspect it is gone forever.
Too bad we don't have curing ceremonies to rely on. Too bad we can't seem to prevent crime and injustice. Too bad we can't live in harmony with each other. Too bad we can't all "get happy again."
Too bad it isn't that simple.
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It was a mystery, as most of this guy's books are. I usually read the first few chapters of any book then flip to the back to see how it all turns out. This time I figured out the who and how before I finished the first half of the tale and had no need to flip to the back. It had a satisfying ending as most of Hillerman's books do.
I had been a little worried because all the reviews had been negative. The primary complaint against the book was legitimate. It had the main character as being retired only a month when he had been retired for several previous books. There were a couple other blips that would not be noticed by a first time reader but were obvious to those who have followed his characters over the years.
I always read his books at least twice. I read them once for the mystery and once for the anthropology. The book is set in Navajo territory and is full of Navajo beliefs. Now, honestly, I wouldn't recognize a Navajo if one smacked me but I do find it interesting to read about people who have drastically different beliefs than I do.
Bits of the creation story are told in each book. I find it curious that their Creator destroyed the world by flood because the people were not behaving as they should. It seems there is a similar story in my Bible upstairs. I have read other creation stories and many of them also involve the world being destroyed by flood for the very same reason.
What I really find compelling are the differences in our beliefs. For instance, one character is trying to sell a fancy saddle to a Navajo. The seller tells the potential customer that the saddle will make the guy look like the richest man on the reservation.
He lost the sale.
While it is common for us non-Navajo to want to appear wealthy, it is considered wrong for them. They are expected to take care of family first and not be better than anybody else. People are suspicious of a wealthy man.
The story revolves around a hand-woven rug that illustrates a dark time in history. The Navajo were rounded up by the United States government and removed from their lands. Many died. More died on the return home. It was an ugly part of our past.
When the Navajo character comments on it he says, "... Why keep that kind of hatred alive? We have our curing ceremonials to get people back in harmony. Get rid of the anger. Get happy again."
Our Christian Bible tells us to forgive those who trespass against us and to judge not lest we be judged. Popular culture and our justice system tell us the opposite. Our laws are set up for revenge not forgiveness. We decry leniency, especially for heinous offenses. We prefer criminals be put to death or at least be warehoused somewhere they can't hurt ordinary people and we don't have to think about them.
Our television and movie entertainment is filled with this belief. All the crime shows focus on catching the bad guy and punishing him (and sometimes her). The message is that criminals won't get away with whatever they have done; that they will pay for their evil doings. They will never, "get happy again."
I do not think that revenge and punishment are working. People still commit crimes and I am probably wrong, but the crimes seem even more horrible than what they used to be. Or maybe it is just that they are getting more publicity than they used to.
In all the crime shows there is something missing. How do the survivors go on with their lives? Do they ever regain the trust in their fellow human beings or is that gone forever? I suspect it is gone forever.
Too bad we don't have curing ceremonies to rely on. Too bad we can't seem to prevent crime and injustice. Too bad we can't live in harmony with each other. Too bad we can't all "get happy again."
Too bad it isn't that simple.
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