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Book: Mutant Message Down Under
Author: Marlo Morgan
Year: 1990

The Book, The Author

The book and the author are very controversial. Marlo claimed that this book describes a real encounter with an Aboriginal tribe and that all parts of the book are factual. Over time the opposition built up and at the same time when the book was becoming a best seller major newspaper started calling it a fraud.

Even when confronted with Aborigines who demanded an apology and the list of reasons why the book is not consistent (nobody knows the tribe, nobody knows the places and sacred sites described in the book, the actions of the tribe are not conform with traditional Aboriginal habits and culture, etc.) kept mounting up, Marlo refused to admit publicly that it is fiction.

Read CreativeSpirits or Aussie in America for details on this controversy.

To me there is no doubt. Marlo is a fraud and the book is fiction. Nonetheless, the book is popular and its message -- while fictitious -- is food for thought.

Review

In a nutshell "Mutant Message Down Under" chronicles in detail a white American woman's three-month desert walk-about with an Aboriginal tribe. It starts with Marlo being invited to Australia to receive an honor. In her mind she is imagining receiving a plaque. But reality turns out different. An aborigine picks her up in a jeep and heads with her for the desert.

She is introduced to the tribe of some 60 Aborigines that calls itself the "Real People". They live in a remote desert area, shielded from urbanization and 1st world influences. The tribe offers her to show her their way of life, teach her their skills and trust her their sacred wisdom. All her belonging from her "previous" life are burned and she becomes a member of the tribe. She observes and follows their customs and over time she learns their believes.

The tribe lives quite in contrast to our modern society. They live happily in absolute simplicity, geographically and spiritually removed from the clutter of typical everyday life. The tribe cannot accept for itself or does not want to give into the white man's wasteful lifestyle. Rather than compromising their lifestyle, the tribe decides to become voluntarily "extinct" via celibacy. They have chosen Marlo as a messenger to pass their customs and beliefs on to the rest of the world.

Spiritual Message

The basic message of the book is on simplicity and on living in harmony with nature and the people around us. This is why I personally like it: I like simplicity, I would like to see myself in a harmonious live.

The belief of the fictitious tribe is to value people for who they are, to appreciate even the simplest things given to us by nature or others, and to be in harmonious connection with ourselves, others and our environment -- our "divine Oneness". Honesty is a key element as it is the simplest and truest form of communication. Everything in the ecosystem connects to the 'Oneness'.

In the book the tribal members use phrases like "if it's in the highest good of everyone everywhere" after a wish or a prayer. At birth or death they voice thoughts similar to "we love you and support you on your life's journey".

The spiritual message is not innovative or new. It isn't elaborate either. It is simple and common-sense: It gives us an example of a group of people living simple, honest and satisfied lives. They love, they are being loved, no material distractions come in their way of living. Who would not want to be in such a kind circle of beings?

Naturally I would not go to the extreme and suggest that one should return to such absolute simplicity, or shall I call it primitivism. While it can work for a few exceptional cases it will not work for the vast majority. We can enjoy spirituality independently of our wealth or possessions. We can love and be in harmony with our surroundings also in our cluttered 1st world. However, my belief is that we should be watchful that things, i.e. toys, around us do not eat up our time and energy as to distract us permanently from listening to our inner self.

While the book won't tell us anything new spiritually, it is a reminder that there is more to life than materialism and that happiness and personal fulfillment come from within.

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