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www.shamansociety.org37REVIEWTheGoodRedRoadareviewofNewWasichuCrossingbyGaryLindorffbyTomCowanPhD.Intheglobalizedworldoftodaywearewitnessingthemassmigrationofpeoples.IntheMiddleEastmillionsofpeopleareexilesandrefugeesfromIraqSyriaandotherwar-torncoun-tries.Thesameistrueinsub-SaharanAfrica.ManyWesternEuropeansarehostiletowardimmigrantsfromEasternEurope.IntheUnitedStatestherearemovementstostopimmigrationfromMexicoandreturnundocu-mentedMexicansandMexican-Americanswhoarealreadyhere.Therewasneveratimewhenhu-manbeingshaventbeenmovingfromoneregionoftheEarthtoanother.Inmanyoftheseplacespeopleintheso-calledhostcoun-triesobjecttothenewcomerswithsimilarcomplaints.Theyaredifferentfromus.Theywilldestroyourwayoflife.Wedonotwantthemhere.WeheardthesecomplaintsandignoredthemoverthelastfivehundredyearswhentheywereexpressedbynativepeoplehereonTurtleIsland.Whenthenew-comersfromwhommanyofusaredescendedreachedtheGreatPlainstheLakotapeoplehadanameforthemWasichu.IntheLakotalanguageWasichumeansthosewhotakethefat.SpecificallyitreferredtothegrowingAmeri-canculturethatsentthemilitarypioneersandthrill-seekerstotheGreatPlainswheretheyproceededsometimesjustforfuntoslaughterthebuffalothefatthatprovidedawayoflifeforNativeAmericansonthePlains.IamnotsurewhetheranyofmyancestorswereliterallyWasichuorevenhadconflictswithNativeAmericans.ButasadescendantofEuropean-AmericansandarepresentativeofmainstreamAmericancultureIknowthatIcarryWasichuenergytheenergythatdestroyedthetradi-tionallifestylesofNativeAmericans.IcanlookbehindmeandseethelongWasichushadowstretchingoutandbackthroughthegenerationswhoprecededme.Icanfeelthatkarmainmybones.IknowthattheWasichulegacyispartoftheculturalbaggageIcarryfromthepast.InhisbookNewWasichuCrossingGaryLindorffisbettingonmenottocarryitintothefuture.LindorffstitlechallengesustobenewWasichusandtocrossover.Hisbookisathoughtfulinspiringandintelligentac-countofwhatthismightmean.LindorffhasponderedlongandhardaboutourpresencehereonTurtleIsland.Becausehepracticesshamanismwritespoetryrecordsandfollowshisdreamsandreadsvoraciouslysomeofthebestthinkerspastandpresentaboutthehumanconditionherealizeshisandourmoralobligationtouseourheritageusewhat-we-areusewhatwecannotdenytomakeabetterworld.ThroughoutthebookhekeepsinclosetouchwiththewisdomteachingsbequeathedusbythegreatLakotavisionaryBlackElkandhisgreat-nephewWallaceBlackElk.InadditionLindoffpersonalizeshistextwithhisownpoetryandthatofothershisdreamscruciallifeexperiencesandsynchronicitiesthatstartlehimoutofordinaryconscious-nesssothatwhenhewritesabouttheWasichuheritageheseesitandfeelsitwithinhimself.Asyoureadyouknowyouareinthepresenceofamanwhomaintainsarunningdialoguewiththewriterswhohaveinspiredhimaswellasthepeopleheknowsinhisownlifeandevenwithhimself.Youfeelheisnotjustspeakingtoyoubutwithyou.HewantsyoutobecomeanewWasichu.