Lo-Tek: Design by Radical Indigenism
By Julia Watson
(418 pages, nonfiction, 2019)
Ever wondered how other parts of the world live? What do third world countries use for bridges and ladders? How do they clear land without technology? How do they work with nature instead of against it?
This is a big ol’ book of wisdom. It starts off with a heading, “Drowning in information while starving for wisdom.” The old ways were considered primitive, so their knowledge wasn’t passed along. But in some parts of the world, this knowledge thrives. It allows villages in India to build bridges on the side of mountains that can withstand monsoons, but they’re not made of modern materials. These bridges are made with living trees. The wisdom lies in how they get these trees to grow to form a bridge.
In Iran, they make man made islands from reeds. They build beautiful reed buildings on these islands. In many locations they use the planting method of the Three Sisters to keep soil fertilized and their diet well balanced. In Iraq they dig holes in the desert that bring water to an oasis of vegetation within the desert. In Brazil they make dams that also catch fish.
Read this book to learn the wisdom behind their lifestyle. These third world countries are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. Feed your mind and become one with nature by reading this book. For the visual learner, there are pictures!
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Amy Cornwell
