num_pages: 158
description: From mountain shrines to lowland oases, ethnobiologist Gary Nabhan takes us on a series of journeys with contemporary Papago Indians, the Tohono O'odham, or "Desert People." From these journeys we discover how much the Desert People know about the dynamics of their arid homeland in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. The Desert Smells Like Rain offers insights into the natural history of desert plants and animals as it documents a dying agricultural tradition that has enriched the biological diversity of the Papago's seemingly harsh environment. Drawing on his extensive scientific research and study of Papago folklore, as well as his years of work among the Desert People in village gardening and nutrition programs, Nabhan portrays a desert-adapted way of life that has persisted despite the pressures of modern civilization.
language: English
title: The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in Papago Indian Country
titlecomplete: The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in Papago Indian Country
genres: Anthropology, Cultural, Nature, Natural History, Science, Nonfiction, Essays, Travel, History, Food
ratings_count: 320
publisher: North Point Press