The Sacred Path: Spells, prayers & power songs of the American Indians

by John Bierhorst (Editor)

The only up-to-date anthology of traditional American poetry, The sacred Oath emphasizes the relationship between the life of the individual and the power of the spoken word. Arranged as the progression of a human life, beginning with chants to ease the labor of an expectant mother, the selections narrate a journey through birth and infancy puberty adulthood, and old age. The underlying belief, shared by native American cultures as different as the Cherokee and the Aztec, that language, like the forces of nature, can bring about change. If uttered at the proper moment and in proper combinations, words can ward off disease, control the movements of a loved one, exorcise a ghost and in short, enable the user to deal with the crises that arise at each stage of life. The Sacred Path is a powerful introduction to an increasingly important field of American literature.

191 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 1984

About the author

John Bierhorst is the author, editor, or translator of more than thirty books on Native American lore, including Latin American Folktales, The Mythology of South America, The Mythology of North America, and The Mythology of Mexico and Central America.

Reviews

[Aria]

[Dex]

Poetry translated and rescued from the mists of the pre-Columbian era. Warm and beautiful, I cherished the words and structure, the rhythm and music, the aphoristic sayings. Compiles the poetry, spells, and songs of very obscure tribes from what is now known as North, Central, and South America. Also collects the poetry, songs, and incantations of well-known cultures as well (the Incas, the Mayans, the Aztecs, etc.). Highly recommended.