People of Substance

Book excerpt: People of Substance is a lively, accessible ethnography of a complex indigenous group of people of the Colombian Amazon who call themselves ‘People of the Center. ’ Carlos David Londoño Sulkin examines this group's understandings and practices relating to selfhood, social organization, livelihood, and symbolism. Through this, he makes a strong case for increased anthropological attention to morality and ethics. Londoño Sulkin explains a number of key issues and debates in Amazonian anthropology with great clarity, making People of Substance a useful text for students. At the same time, it is theoretically sophisticated, combining innovative research methods with sound analysis of empirically gathered material. Contributing both to accounts of regional history and to discussions on anthropology and history, People of Substance offers valuable engagement with concepts of structure, agency, and freedom.