Guided by the Mountains: Navajo Political Philosophy and Governance by Michael Lerma (review)

Guided by the Mountains: Navajo Political Philosophy and Governance is an original and provocative book. Michael Lerma learned about the Navajo (Diné) philosophy of governance from his experiences working with the Diné Policy Institute and Avery Denny, Robert Yazzie, and many other Diné individuals willing to share their thoughts, experiences, and knowledge on the subject or related areas. This book is distinctive from other Native American works that examine governance, politics, sociopolitical concepts, or law because of the ways in which Lerma analyzes Diné history and governance within Diné philosophy.

Lerma insightfully discusses Diné philosophy of governance in relation to the history of Diné people and the contemporary approaches toward Diné government. Each chapter in the book is guided by Diné philosophy, giving specific descriptions of the concepts and ideas of the Diné theory of governance. Lerma describes governance through the Diné worldview and the concurrent realities of life and history, tying the philosophical understandings and knowledge to governance and leadership. The figures and tables in the book enhance and explain further concepts central to Diné governance.

The book is written for both public and academic audiences; any reader can comprehend and reflect on Diné philosophy as it relates to administration and the four sacred elements of the Diné. The book is accessible to anyone with little or no Navajo knowledge, just as it is to experts in the field. The book is written following a Diné philosophical framework, which a linear ideology and worldview might find repetitive or confusing, and readers need to approach the text through the group's or community's viewpoint when examining and discussing the application of Diné governance.

This book joins a small growing number of others, including David Wilkin's The Navajo Political Experience, Raymond Austin's Navajo Courts and Navajo Common Law, and Lloyd L. Lee's Navajo Sovereignty, which examine and discuss Navajo politics, government, law, sovereignty, and philosophy. This book offers a look into Diné governance, which very few know, and provides a perspective that many people would be interested in learning and knowing.

A main thread throughout the book is the four sacred elements of the Diné. Lerma discusses and describes the elements of k'ó (fire and light), tó (water), niłchí (air), and tadidiin and nahasdzáán (pollen and earth) and how each guides Diné people in governance, leadership, and life. This thread resonates deeply with the ways in which Indigenous peoples' philosophies are ingrained and how they follow a pathway reflective of their relationship to all things.

One area of the book that fosters a deeper analysis is the discussion of how Diné philosophy interprets and exercises the learning and understanding of new knowledge and ways, molding them into a Diné way of life. In other words, Diné philosophy accepts and respects the views of other peoples and their ways of life in the world while allowing Diné people to shape and mold them in a way conducive to Diné philosophy.

Overall, this book is engaging, provocative, and helpful for understanding how Indigenous peoples view the world, government, leadership, and life in general. This book is a valuable contribution to Indigenous knowledge and the world.