Book 2 Post 1

 

The book I chose to read is The Wayfinders by Wade Davis. I chose this book because I knew little about the indigenous cultures the book focuses on, and I want to learn from them. So far, it’s been very enjoyable. I’ve read about the Polynesian cultures from New Zealand to Rapa Nui (Easter Island). It was cool to read about how much these isolated cultures on islands across the pacific shared in terms of culture and traditions. While they weren’t technologically advanced, their navigation skills are beyond belief, and their individual societies functioned better than many today. 


I’m currently finishing his section on the cultures of the Amazon and the Anaconda people. One particularly interesting thing I learned was about Ayahuasca’s role in ceremonial traditions. One thing I could deal with a little less of in the book is the naming of random places that the author has visited. It feels like he just throws in names that don’t serve any purpose and just make him seem more knowledgeable. Besides that, the book is engaging, and I’m learning a lot from it.




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