What is Basso's position in his narrative?

Basso's main role in the book is as an observer. He primarily tells stories about the characters he encounters, like Dudley Patterson and Nick Thompson, in order to illustrate his main arguments in each of his three essays. Basso's character comes through primarily through his admiration for Western Apache culture and his determination to extensively map the area. He also displays a self-deprecating sense of his grasp of the Western Apache language and culture.

Basso's primary aim in the book is to explain to the anthropology community that place-naming and the intersection between language and geography is a crucial factor involved in understanding a culture and a people. About that he is quite adamant. Basso also displays a high degree of familiarity with philosophers, poets and social scientists, all of whom he uses to make his point.