Looking Beyond the Vistas: Appreciating the Lore of the Land

Exploring Europe

While I was stationed in Europe, I traveled to many countries in my free time. I visited amazing historic sites that I only ever read about in books. In total, I traveled to 21 different countries in Europe.

I visited the Tower of London, gazed at the Eiffel Tower, walked along the Acropolis, and entered through the gladiator gates of the Colosseum.

I never imagined seeing so many historic wonders. Walking around the European cities made me feel like I was exploring an art piece with many different layers of culture and history. This is unlike anything I experienced back home in Southern California.

I also visited locations that are lesser-known to a North American audience. Some of my favorite locations were those that combined the beauty of natural landscapes, history, and culture. It never ceased to amaze me that certain natural regions were so well maintained and looked after for ages.

The English Countryside, Scottish Highlands, and Finnish Lapland come to mind when I think of beautiful locations immersed in nature that are rich in folklore and tradition.

Tintagel Castle, now a ruin, was once a site of trade between Cornish kings and the Mediterranean merchants in the 5th to 7th centuries. It was also the inspiration for the Legend of King Arthur. Stirling Bridge was the site of William Wallace’s battle against the English. The Nordic Lapland is rich in folklore and mythology.

Reflections Back Home

Visiting other countries made me reflect on what I valued most at home in the United States. I gained a newfound appreciation for the preservation of history, landscapes, and culture. The only thing I experienced back home that even remotely filled me with a similar type of awe that I felt in Europe were the National Parks.

National Parks provide a refuge of solace and inspiration. Whether it is the breathtaking mountain views of Yosemite Valley or the stunning night-time stary skies of Death Valley, the National Parks are truly unique and wonderful locations. The parks are fortresses that protect the natural wonders that inhabit them.

Although I love to explore the natural landscapes of the National Parks, I can’t help but feel that there is something lacking. In Europe, I enjoyed learning about folk beliefs from ages past. In the United States, it feels as though there are no tales that can rival that of the magical Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle that helped chiefs of the Scottish Clan Macleod in their battles, the Huldufólk of Iceland that sometimes take human children into a parallel world, or even the humorous exploits of the Norse god Loki. Each one of these elements of folk belief tell us more about the values and beliefs that are the foundation to their respective cultures.

Missing Layers of Culture and History

Although mining and settlement history can be interesting, these are just small fragments of history often being told from a Euro-American perspective. There is much more to the land the country stands on than colonialism and resource extraction. I feel that people often forget that the history of North America is not the history of the United States.

Cultural history in North America didn’t begin with the establishment of colonies. It began with the original inhabitants. When we refuse to acknowledge or tell the stories of the Indigenous tribes that were once spread throughout the land, we are doing a disservice to not only them, but everyone else.

When the voices of those that have been historically underrepresented are not heard, we lose a unique perspective and a cultural layer that helps us understand and have a better appreciation for the land that surrounds us.

The next time you visit a National Park – or any outdoor recreational area for that matter, I challenge you to look beyond the scenic vistas. I challenge you to learn about the cultural aspects of the land. I challenge you to uncover the varying layers of history, culture, and folklore. The land holds more character than you may have ever imagined.

Insightful Resources

If you are interested in learning more about Indigenous peoples of Yosemite, check out The Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation: Yosemite Mariposa’s First People by Dan Marengo and Scott Marengo.

The Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands was one of my favorite trips that I went on. After I visited, I read Skye: The Island and Its Legends by Otta Swire to gain a better appreciation for the sites I visited and their cultural significance.

If you’d like to learn more about Icelandic folklore, Alda Sigmundsdottir wrote two wonderful short books called Icelandic Folk Legends: Tales of Apparitions, Outlaws, and Things Unseen and The Little Book of the Hidden People: Twenty Stories of Elves from Icelandic Folklore.

Check out Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology if you are interested in learning about the tales and exploits of the Norse gods. This is a fun read that captures the essence of captivating storytelling.

If you are interested in learning about easy ways to appreciate local wildlife, check out my previous blog post Who Says You Need to go Far Out to Enjoy Wildlife?.