was the issues he faced in order to RElearn indigenous ways after having been forced to go to western schools. Particularly the "ostracism" that he faced (as well as the mental ostracism that he dished out) upon returning to the village. It wasn't until the experience with the "green lady" of the tree that he was able to reconcile west and east. A brief synopisis for those who haven't read this:

As a part of a ritual of initiation to bridge the gap he felt between himself and his people, the village elders told him to sit down and gaze upon a tree until its true nature was revealed. Unable to do so, he tried to outwit the elders becasue he was sitting in the sun and the elements exposed. After about 30 hours sitting in front of the tree, he broke down. His intellect had failed him, so he was in a state of question. At that point the tree revealed itself to him in teh form of a "green lady."

The interesting thing to me is that there are detrimental effects that western ways of life have on indigenous world view. I mean it took extreme lenghts for Dr. Some to revisit something that was inherant to the community at large (because young boys were going through this and Dr. Some was in his 20s). But for those of us who have always lived in the west, what does that mean for us who want to reclaim ANY aspect of our past? How can we do that. At least Dr. Some had SOME experience, possibly, from which to draw upon. How would we, as westerners go about bridging that gap? It seems like we would have to be "reborn" all over again and learn as if we were babies...if that's even possible.