GREY OWL - different breed of man

Grey Owl
a different breed of man.
One of Canada's Greatest Environmentalists
and Imposters!
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Grey Owl was the name British-born Archibald Belaney (September 18, 1888 – April 13, 1938) chose for himself when he took on a fraudulent First Nations identity for himself as an adult. While he achieved fame as a conservationist during his life, after his death the revelation of his non-Native origins and other autobiographical fabrications negatively affected his reputation.

Belaney rose to prominence as a notable author, lecturer, and one of the "most effective apostles of the wilderness". Together with his numerous articles, books, films and lectures, his views on conservation reached audiences beyond the borders of Canada, challenging people to re-evaluate their relationship with nature. His conservation views largely focused on humans' negative impact on nature through their commodification of nature's resources for profits, and a need for humans to develop a respect for the natural world.

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I've had chipmunks sit in my hand, fed wild deer, and had ducks come up on shore
but I've never had a beaver put his head in my lap. ​

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I trust you have read one or all of these books. Can you recommend a good one to start with?

It pains me to say this out loud, but I've not heard of this man (with your recommendation of books, maybe that will change.)

When I was in college, I took an introduction to Philosophy class. The instructor used a book entitled, "Black Elk Speaks." I learned more about the connection we all have to everything on this planet, than any other class, book or lesson since. When I took Philosophy up as a major I transferred schools. One of the classes I took under my declared major was an environmental ethics classes. This instructor used a book my a man named Aldo Leopold, again a life changing experience. I've never forgotten the lessons that Black Elk and Leopold taught me. 4 years at a university and 2 years at a college these two men had more influence in my life than anything else I studied. I'm hoping that Grey Owl will be the next to be inducted to my personal hall of fame.

 

Grey Owl is indeed an interesting man and is right up there with the best around the world. The first book listed I believe is the newest.

Title:
Grey Owl
the Mystery of Archibald Belaney
By:
Armand Garnet Ruffo
Printers:
Coteau Books
ISBN:
9781550501094
Price:
Approximately $12.95 USD

You might want to explore the internet - you will find information and interesting accounts there. There was a movie made of his life starring Pierce Brosnan [James Bond] in 1999 but wasn't released in the United States. You might get it on Youtube.

 

Amazon had both the movie and books. I ordered the book you mentioned. Possible the movie, they fictionalized so much in movies that I'd like to get a more accurate understanding first. It will take a week to get the book if they are as slow with delivery as they were with the lady one.

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...you are right on. I tend to read the book first. So often the directors take liberties when it's not really necessary. Separating fact from fiction can be a tedious assignment. Let me know what you think. Though "G.O." would not be at the top of my hero list he deserves mention.

 

I appreciate what you say. Will do on letting you know what I think of the book. Killeroy suggested a book that was delivered this past week, so I'll have to eat that one up before I can devour the newest. You know I use to read three books at a time. A couple hours with one, set it down and do the same.... I just don't do that any more, scary, is this laziness or old age, I don't know.

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...we have similar traits. I use to read four newspaper a day too. Now? I don't read newspapers nor do I watch television. I tend to be a radioholic - selecting stations that sooth the soul and not incite riot. Admittedly I don't read as often as I should. Since leaving the College I've become lazy as well.

 

We do seem to share some traits. As you, I no longer read newspapers and I haven't watched news since Walter Cronkite retired. I don't believe them anymore. I think the press and TV news no longer report news but make their own, what ever it takes to promote their agenda. I think they are a lie living off their past reputations for reporting the news. It scares me. I don't listen to the radio much anymore either. I used to like programming on NPR, but have decided they are as one sided as the rest. So I've turned to music. The music I listen to does what you describe only I could never say what you said so eloquently, not in a hundred years of thinking on it. Beautifully said, "to sooth the soul and not incite riot." Humbly I tell you I love those words. Your mind is a wonder! We have similarities (not brilliance of mind) that give me a sense of not being alone. When you and Killeroy talk about canoeing and your trips I get the same kind of feeling of a brotherhood. Sounds corny and maybe I am, (especially since I've never been canoeing) but the peace I get from sharing back and forth on this forum can't be described. The forest, rivers and campgrounds almost always grant me the same peace. The biggest difficulty I have in sharing on this forum is how abrasive I am as a person and trying to temper those abrasives so as not to offend when I have no intentions of offending anyone in the first place. There, maybe I should pick up a book on that and read it instead of the good stuff I have and I'm getting!

 

...ya, I have to say it, we share the same spirit. And that's just fine with me. We can all be members of the same family (sort of). It doesn't mean that we have to all dress the same way. For me the forum lets me babble - good word that Erik the founder incorporated. We don't have to be serious and there is a whole lot of room to be corny.