I Become Part of It: Sacred Dimensions in Native American Life

This collection of essays and stories, many of which first appeared in Parabola magazine, range from descriptions of traditional Native American lifestyles and sacred rituals to startlingly apt prophesies of the coming of Europeans and descriptions of the struggle to live the traditional Native teachings in a world that has gone in a very different direction. Some of the topics explored include kachinas, the irreverent Hopi clowns; Navajo healing sand paintings; a dramatic firsthand description of a spirit-quest; the purpose of art in Native cultures; and the role of masks in ritual and in self-knowledge. The stories included are retellings of traditional tales; the text is further enhanced by a series of powerful illustrations by contemporary Native American artists.