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Sunday, 27 September 2015

Ceremony - Leslie Marmon Silko

Silko is a well-established native american writer from the south-west.
Interesting look into a different perspective on the world based on a native tradition (as interpreted by Silko).
Various themes:
- a pretty clear condemnation of the violent, rapacious and alienated nature of white society
- relationships to nature in a traditional native ethos (she writes beautifully about the natural world around her and the relationship you can have with the land)
- explores the theme of cultural crossover and how difficult it is to live in the two cultural worlds
- though Silko seems to see her salvation in a return to old native values and ways, the book has a fair bit of Christian symbolism, especially in the "ceremony"  that takes place at the end of the book - also in Tayo's days alone in the wilderness

She does a nice job of weaving traditional stories and myths into the narrative.

Find more by her.

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