AUDIOBOOK
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A gripping, witty memoir about indigeneity, travel, and colonialism.
Ursula Pike's memoir is unlike any other I've read, with her perceptive, always-seeking, and lovely narrative voice. -Susan Straight, author of Mecca
This book is alive with a spirit that welcomed mine to meet it. -Elissa Washuta, author of White Magic
When she was twenty-five, Ursula Pike boarded a plane to Bolivia and began her term of service in the Peace Corps. A member of the Karuk Tribe, Pike sought to make meaningful connections with Indigenous people halfway around the world. But she arrived in La Paz with trepidation as well as excitement, 'knowing I followed in the footsteps of Western colonizers and missionaries who had also claimed they were there to help.' In the following two years, as a series of dramatic episodes brought that tension to boiling point, she began to ask: what does it mean to have experienced the effects of colonialism firsthand, and yet to risk becoming a colonizing force in turn?
An Indian Among los Indígenas, Pike's memoir of this experience, upends a canon of travel memoirs that has historically been dominated by white writers. It is a sharp, honest, and unnerving examination of the shadows that colonial history casts over even the most well-intentioned attempts at cross-cultural aid. It is also the debut of an exceptionally astute writer with a mastery of deadpan wit. It signals a shift in travel writing that is long overdue.
Ursula Pike's memoir is unlike any other I've read, with her perceptive, always-seeking, and lovely narrative voice. -Susan Straight, author of Mecca
This book is alive with a spirit that welcomed mine to meet it. -Elissa Washuta, author of White Magic
When she was twenty-five, Ursula Pike boarded a plane to Bolivia and began her term of service in the Peace Corps. A member of the Karuk Tribe, Pike sought to make meaningful connections with Indigenous people halfway around the world. But she arrived in La Paz with trepidation as well as excitement, 'knowing I followed in the footsteps of Western colonizers and missionaries who had also claimed they were there to help.' In the following two years, as a series of dramatic episodes brought that tension to boiling point, she began to ask: what does it mean to have experienced the effects of colonialism firsthand, and yet to risk becoming a colonizing force in turn?
An Indian Among los Indígenas, Pike's memoir of this experience, upends a canon of travel memoirs that has historically been dominated by white writers. It is a sharp, honest, and unnerving examination of the shadows that colonial history casts over even the most well-intentioned attempts at cross-cultural aid. It is also the debut of an exceptionally astute writer with a mastery of deadpan wit. It signals a shift in travel writing that is long overdue.
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Reviews
"Narrator Diana Bustelo brings this travel memoir to life in a tone that adds depth and warmth. The audiobook recalls author Ursula Pike's experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador when she was in her late 20s. A member of the North American Karuk Tribe, Pike hopes to connect with Ecuador's Indigenous people. Yet, arriving from the U.S. with a degree in economics, she recognizes her own privilege and often feels out of place and isolated. Unsure at times how best to contribute to the community, she remains eager to help. Bustelo narrates moments of hesitation in a halting tone that conveys Pike's self-doubt. Her warm, youthful voice pairs with the material beautifully. She narrates words in Spanish in a neutral accent. A.M. � AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine"
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