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Open Up to the World of Global Health

Join globally minded faculty, staff, students and community members and engage in global health thought without needing to get on a plane. Participants will read at their own pace, have support from the Office of Global Health Initiatives (GHI) and be able to discuss the book with fellow readers at their choice of an in-person or virtual small group event.

Join the Global Health Book Club, get discussion points, and stay informed about future book selections: https://bookclubs.com/clubs/5963110/join/cea18b

Fall 2023 Book

Bring the world of global health to Kentucky as we discuss Sand Talk:  How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World by Tyson Yunkaporta.

(From the publisher) As an indigenous person, Tyson Yunkaporta looks at global systems from a unique perspective, one tied to the natural and spiritual world. In considering how contemporary life diverges from the pattern of creation, he raises important questions. How does this affect us? How can we do things differently?

In this thoughtful, culturally rich, mind-expanding book, he provides answers. Yunkaporta’s writing process begins with images. Honoring indigenous traditions, he makes carvings of what he wants to say, channeling his thoughts through symbols and diagrams rather than words. He yarns with people, looking for ways to connect images and stories with place and relationship to create a coherent world view, and he uses sand talk, the Aboriginal custom of drawing images on the ground to convey knowledge. 

Sand Talk

In Sand Talk, he provides a new model for our everyday lives. Rich in ideas and inspiration, it explains how lines and symbols and shapes can help us make sense of the world. It’s about how we learn and how we remember. It’s about talking to everyone and listening carefully. It’s about finding different ways to look at things.

Most of all it’s about a very special way of thinking, of learning to see from a native perspective, one that is spiritually and physically tied to the earth around us, and how it can save our world.

Virtual: November 28, 12:00 PM - ZOOM

In-Person: November 30, 4:00 PM - 207 Bradley Hall

Suggested Reading Schedule:

  • By October 23 read through "Albino Boy".
  • By October 30 read through "Forever Limited".
  • By November 6 read through "Of Spirits and Spirits".
  • By November 13 read through "Displaced Apostrophes".
  • By November 20 read through "Duck Hunting Is Everybody's Business".
  • By November 27 read through the end of the book.

Target Audience:

Those interested in social determinants of health that impact people worldwide. 

“I’m not reporting on Indigenous Knowledge systems for a global audience’s perspective. I’m examining global systems from an Indigenous Knowledge perspective.”

― Tyson Yunkaporta

Questions? Contact craig.borie@uky.edu