35 pages 1 hour read

Keith H. Basso

Wisdom Sits in Places

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1996

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Essay Topics

1.

Of the three types of narratives in Western Apache tradition, Basso identifies historical tales as the one with the most direct bearing on place. Describe the relationship between historical tales and place, offering examples of how this relationship helps historical tales fulfill their function as cautionary narratives. 

2.

In Chapter 1, Charles Henry describes how his tour of Western Apache places reflects the changing context in which those names were bestowed. Describe each of these conditions and discuss how each set of conditions furthers our understanding of the function of place-names. 

3.

Basso states that anthropologists must use ethnography to fully understand the significance of statements about the land. Choose an example of a situation in which Basso used ethnographic research to understand utterances by Western Apache individuals and discuss how it helped Basso interpret what was said.