Treading Lightly

Two items in the latest issue of National Geographic Adventure caught my attention. First, in Learn the Ancient Way, author Charlie LeDuff spends time with Navajo rancher Tom Big John (Uncle Tom), who lives in Monument Valley in northern Arizona. The Ojibway (Chippewa) author describes his house like this: “Uncle Tom’s cabin was the simplest, most rural home I’ve ever visited in the United States: 200 square feet of plywood, a bed, a table, a wood-burning stove, a washbasin. No electricity, no plumbing… He had six dogs, four horses, a half-dozen cattle, and twice as many sheep.”

Uncle Tom spoke very little English, and living alone, was used to speaking hardly at all. But there was a surprising revelation: “Uncle Tom told me about his life and showed me a copy of a check made out to him from the United States Treasury--$100,000. ‘Two more,’ he said in English. Next year two more checks, he meant. A settlement, it turned out, for years spent in a mine. Uncle Tom was wealthy. And he lived like this not because he had to, but because he wanted to.”

The next article, The Vanishing Breed, was about the Nenets, an indigenous band of Russian reindeer herders—Komi people. This small band has no permanent residence, but move with their herd of 2500 reindeer, travelling on sleds and living together in a skinned chum (like a teepee). Their people have lived like this forever. They were ignored during the Russian revolution and again forgotten during Stalin’s purge. And curiously, some have experienced life in Russian towns, but choose to brave -30°F temperatures in the winter and +90°F in the summer and live in the chum. “We live better than in the village,” said one women. “It has always been that way and will always be.”

I’m continually amazed at how quickly we dismiss lifestyles that deviate from the American dream. Most of us have little idea what will truly make us happy, but scurry along with the rest of the lemmings over the cliffs of self-indulgence and mindless profligacy. But I am inspired to read about Uncle Tom, and the indigenous Nenets, who may not have all of life’s answers, but are willing to turn from the endless road of acquisition and consumerism and tread lightly on a different path.