Sand Talk - Can Indigenous Thinking Really Save the World?

In 'Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World', Tyson Yunkaporta attempts a sprawling exploration of indigenous thought patterns across the world as centred by his own experiences as an Aboriginal Australian. Each chapter explores a single theme through the development of a symbol and works to introduce a particular thought pattern or practice in a way that is broadly accessible and thought-provoking. 

Integral to this text is the discussion of the production of knowledge, as he explores different 'ways of knowing' and the 'indigenous knowledge systems' used in indigenous knowledge production. Though I have studied epistemology (theory of knowledge) to some degree before, I think that Yunkaporta’s explanations of these key concepts were both effective and accessible.These indigenous processes are frequently contrasted with what he perceives to be the Western standard of knowledge production on a given point. In this juxtaposition, however, Yunkaporta repeatedly makes claims both about the nature of Western culture and history that just don’t add up while frequently overgeneralising the nature of Western knowledge production. He readily admits he’s no expert in either Indigenous cultures or the Western cultures he often critiques, so approach any broad claims about either with some respect and skepticism. Though I do question why he bothered to make sweeping generalisations knowing that this was the case. Perhaps, this was just to provide a clear contrast to what he perceives his own culture does instead, but I felt it discredited his through-line argument against simplistic thinking in the face of complex challenges. 

Further, certain key issues as far as indigenous cultures were glossed over or dismissed without adequate discussion despite being at times relevant to the discussion. On the case of domestic abuse and paedophilia in Australian indigenous communities, Yunkaporta fails to truly address the issues of today (see Indigenous Child Safety) and instead focuses on potential bad reporting of observers during first contact. He further goes on to claim that paedophilia isn’t an issue because traditionally adolescence was not as extended as it now is and that it wasn’t just old men preying on young girls, it was old women praying on young boys too (see the chapter 'Duck Hunting is Everybody's Business'):

Selective recording of observations by anthropologists and early settlers popularised the    idea that old men used their power and influence to marry underage girls and monopolise the young women of the group. This ignored the fact that old women did the same with young men - a mechanism that makes sense in terms of maintaining stable populations with low birth rates. It also served to curtail the excesses of youth and to mentor young people in how to navigate the complexity of sexual relationships. You may think of this as paedophilia, but bear in mind that this was an era when adolescence lasted months rather than years - all over the world, children became young adults and married sooner in those days. 

Some further examples of bizarre claims made throughout include the assertion that vitamin D deficiency due to anti-skin cancer campaigns has killed more people than the cancer would have, another being that neural changes caused by literacy are abhorrent. Unsurprisingly then, this book is largely devoid of references to back up any such claims, but maybe I’m just missing the point.

As others have stated, this book has little to do with indigenous thinking changing the world. Sure, there are moments in which an approach or idea could be useful when applied at scale, but the title overpromises on what are effectively broad ways of understanding the world. Further, indigenous thinking and culture is by its nature relegated to only small groups of people, and so I see no real place for the non-indigenous majority to adopt any of what is described in the book - you can’t just become indigenous. This exclusivity of indigenous knowledge is hesitantly acknowledged by Yunkaporta, as he notes the secrecy of Aboriginal Australian cultures. I doubt that this overpromising title is the fault of Yunkaporta, however, and was likely some sort of marketing push to sell more copies of an otherwise challenging and pertinent collection of essays.

This book will likely challenge things you take advantage of in your worldview, things you didn’t even consider to be part of any worldview at all. Yunkaporta does this in a way that is fascinating and accessible through a melding of art, memoir and analysis (as he calls it: “yarning”.) For this reason alone, this book is a worthy read for anyone vaguely interested in philosophy or world history. Take it slowly, and you’ll get far more out of mulling these ideas over than trying to ram them into your likely very differently wired skull. 

References:

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2014, Indigenous child safety, AIHW, Canberra.

Yunkaporta, T. (2020). Sand Talk : How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World. Harpercollins Publishers.