Anasazi (Historical Context)

Historical Context

Gary Snyder wrote most of the poems in Turtle Island in the late 1960s and early 1970s when he returned to the United States from his 12-year hiatus in Japan. The influence of Far Eastern culture and Zen Buddhism on his work is clear in many poems, including “Anasazi,” but considering the similarity of Native American philosophy to Zen, we cannot always tell where references to one end and the other begin. Fundamentally, it makes little difference, for these poems were written in a time of large-scale revolution in American thought, politics, and behavior, much of it leaning toward — if not completely enveloping — the same sentiments and ideas that Snyder had been promoting for decades. A sampling of only the titles of the journals in which many of Turtle Island’ s poems first appeared is indicative of the world the poet lived in and the values he held: Rising Generation, Not Man Apart, Unmuzzled Ox, Peace & Pieces, and Marijuana Review. And while it may be easy to place Snyder in the “hippie” category of 1960s America, his personal beliefs and lifestyle existed long before and go well beyond any cultural fads or pseudo-political movements that came about.

The time setting of “Anasazi” and that of the poet when he wrote it are hundreds of years apart. Even so, Gary Snyder was living in the same general region of the country as these ancient Indians, performing many of the same daily routines and taking on the same daily responsibilities. He and his family built their own home (not in “clefts in the cliffs,” but with their own hands and a “village” of friends), grew their own food, used water from mountain streams for bathing and cooking, and prepared most meals over an open fire set in a pit in the middle of the living room. While the Anasazi people had no other methods from which to choose, Snyder opted for an environmentally conscious life that did not depend on technology, and he was happy to welcome neighbors and strangers alike to his home rather than put up fences and walls to keep them out.

The poetry that Snyder wrote during the 1960s and early 1970s was often didactic, or “preachy,” in nature. His essays also addressed political and social issues, reflecting the American shift in attitude toward the government, the environment, war, drug use, and other controversial topics. It was a turbulent time, and there was much fuel for anyone looking to light a fire under social reform. The war in Vietnam dragged on, and the streets in America filled up with more and more protesters. Various factions of the population who had historically had little say in government and in society began to organize movements, from Black Power to women’s rights to the American Indian Movement. Also during these years, many people became concerned about pollution and the misuse of natural resources. A “greens” movement developed, and its followers advocated an earthy spirituality, believing in “Gaia,” or in the earth as a living organism. Many environmentalists turned against hunting wild animals for sport, and a large vegetarian crusade developed. Amidst all these movements, the use of recreational drugs increased dramatically, especially within the younger generation, but hippies and peaceniks by no means invented “getting high.” Hallucinogenic herbs and powders have been used for centuries all over the world for both relaxation and in cultural and religious rites, and Native Americans often included peyote in their rituals. Gary Snyder, too, has been noted for his experimentation with a variety of drugs and for the common use of them during meditative group gatherings at his home in the mountains.

“Anasazi” is a poem that Snyder could have written at any point in his career, considering his lifelong interest in Indian culture and in living in harmony with the environment. The inclusion of it, however, in Turtle Island, as well as the publication of that book in 1974, allowed its message to be even more pertinent. The world was ready for it, so to speak. There was widespread acknowledgement that minority populations deserved an equal voice, and there was general appreciation of the lessons the majority could learn — from artistic style to soil conservation — from diverse cultures. There was a growing outcry to protect the natural resources that industrialized nations had been treating as “endless,” and part of that protection meant treating the earth more gently and with greater respect. The Anasazi had already done that. And though these people faced the hardships of enemy tribes, inclement weather, and disease, they never struggled with nor pillaged their natural environment. Instead, they took care of it and, in turn, prospered from its resources.

Compare & Contrast

• 1970: The first “Earth Day” observation was held throughout the world. More than 20 million people took part, making it the largest organized demonstration in history.
• 1970: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created by Congress to control water and air pollution.
• 1973: Members of the American Indian Movement seized the village of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, the site where Sioux Indians had been massacred by the U.S. Cavalry in 1890. Two Indians were killed by police in the 70-day occupation, and the village of Wounded Knee was destroyed by fire.
• 1973: A global energy crisis emerged, and President Richard Nixon encouraged Americans to conserve. He pointed out that the United States had 6% of the population but consumed nearly 35% of the world’s energy.
• 1989: Brazil, South America’s wealthiest country, began to regulate previously uncontrolled land clearances in the Amazon basin after profiting for years on the destruction of the land.
• 1992: Seven prominent Native Americans filed a lawsuit against the NFL’s Washington Redskins, citing the nickname and mascot as offensive to American Indians. In 1999, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board canceled federal protection of the trademark name, but it was still in use during the 1999-2000 season.
• 1995: The construction of a man-made mountain of 10,000 trees was begun in Finland, as organized by environmental artist Agnes Denes. Called “Tree Mountain-A Living Time Capsule-10, 000 Trees-10,000 People-400 Years,” the project invites people from around the world to plant a tree which will bear their name and those of their heirs for the next 400 years.
• 1999: Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Abdur Razzak announced that dwindling water supplies and poor water quality will soon threaten the lives of hundreds of millions of people in South Asia. Razzak noted that 80% of illnesses and 30% of unnatural deaths in the developing countries were caused by drinking polluted water.