The Way We Lived, California Indian Stories, Songs, Reminiscences by Malcolm Margolin

 

The Way we Lived: California Indian Stories, Songs, Reminiscences by Malcolm Margolin

pub 1981

August Book Club Read 

The author was really involved in the California History Society and obviously passionate about compiling this treasure trove of lore. The story integrates excerpts of tales and verbatim accounts from Native Californians and includes photographs.  

One of the standout things to me from this is how diverse the populations were in pre-European California. According to the author, when Europeans first appeared in California, there were as many as 100 different languages being spoken. 

Margolin honors the diversity of the groups, but in this book also points out many parallel systems and beliefs that they shared. I enjoyed reading about the customs and crafts of particular groups. He touches on how the arrival of Europeans dramatically altered the lives of these incredible groups. 

One thing that differs greatly from my culture, is the emphasis on dreams, visions, and the supernatural. 

The author points out that when interviews of tribal members would take place, he wanted to know more concrete things about their lives, whereas the interviewee was more interested sharing about their dreams, visions, and unique personal stories of the supernatural. He points out that to them, these factual elements would have been understood by all in their small close knit communities, but what would be unique were their particular spiritual experiences. 

I also was surprised that there was a deep resistance to innovation and change amongst many groups. I guess I have an idealized view of indigenous populations as being very fluid and adaptable based on their close reliance with an ever-changing natural world. Instead it seems, that strict and religious adherence to custom, ritual, roles, and traditions was seen as a vital way of passing down survival ways and a particular cultural heritage - even warding off evil and harm from unseen forces. I guess humans are the same everywhere in the tendency to safeguard practices without always challenging whether or not they are still relevant. 

I enjoyed the book, even if I skimmed over some of the mythology and coyote stories which I've been exposed to before. I'm always amazed at how people in each region utilized natural elements to make tools, weapons, boats etc. The book referenced Carobeth Laird and her memoir about her life with anthropologist John Harrington ( I think I wrote an entry about this). He was manically running around California trying to capture different language groups and sounds before they disappeared. 

As a docent at our local museum, I have recently reviewed some documentaries made mid century 1900s about our local Yokut Indians showing their artisanship.