...Life of a Native American Cultural Diversity January 14, 2012 Trina Hines Native Americans may be considered some sort of an outcast in our country but they are really the original founders of the United States. My people were the ones that were here when the European settlers arrived and began to explore the United States. It was a very awkward and complicated situation because they came over to the Americas with intentions to claim the land for themselves and settle here, when we thought the land was already our own. As part of our good nature, our leaders did try to negotiate the land and our living situations with the European leaders to the best of their ability. Many people may not understand how difficult the life of a Native American used to be like when we first began to come across those of other races and face the issues of everyday living amongst them. It has constantly been a long hard road for us of Native American race and culture. Our people were considered the first to live in the Americas, prior to the people of European descent, thus giving us the name Native Americans. Although we tried to cooperate with the European people and come to an agreement over the land, we were successful to no avail. The Europeans turned to methods such as scalping to torture my people and make us give up the most valued land. When this began to happen, many of our group decided to retreat to our own areas...
Words: 885 - Pages: 4
...Life as a Native American teenager was rough. We faced many dangers and feared for our lives all the while we lived. We were forced out of our home brutality and hurriedly. The American soldiers, or brutes as we called them, treated us poor, beat us, pushed us, and some were even responsible for the deaths of our family members. Many of the dangers we faced killed off our tribe and scattered our people. Disease, famine, disloyalty, racism, favoritism, and harsh treatment were only a few of the hardships we faced along the trail of tears. The bodies of our fallen family members were left on the side of the trail like roadkill. We couldn't do anything about it but keep our heads down, push forward, and silently mourn for our fallen family members....
Words: 288 - Pages: 2
...Morton greatly admires the generous lifestyle of the Native Americans and condemns their customs for appearing to be the work of the devil, while also writing that the Indians lead a freer life due to their careless attitude towards wealth. In 1637, in the small town Mount Wollaston, Massachusetts. His accounts of Native American life went into much detail and he expressed his opinions as well. In his first account of Native American life, He describes their generosity towards guests in their homes. From what he’s witnessed, They would lie out warm mats for guests to sleep on and would leave them some food to eat for later. (P.5) This act of generosity surprised him very much since he never thought “savages” had “such humanity”. (P.5) There...
Words: 351 - Pages: 2
...Craig Jones Professor Middleton NAS 001 11/20/2014 In a response to poor water quality, soiled beaches, and a dwindling marine life population on the coast of California, Governor Gray Davis in 1999 proposed his solution. It was called the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), and its aim was to restore coastal regions of California to their former glory. Since its inception the MLPA has received much criticism, as it has violated the rights of many native tribes whose places of traditional practices overlap in these Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). (California Marine 11/17/14) The conflict has only gotten worse as new initiatives were passed which allowed privatized use (drilling, commercial fishing, etc.) of these coastal areas while still excluding natives from their traditional lands. In 1999 the MLPA was passed and it created MPAs up and down the coast of California. In 2004 the Schwarzenegger administration allowed a private corporation, the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation, to fund an accelerated implementation of the act. The task forces designated to oversee the creation of these areas were headed by oil industry lobbyists, marina developers, and other members with various corporate interests. Very few people with genuine responsibility to the land were present in the implementation process. Despite continued efforts from many different tribes and activist groups, the Protected Areas went into effect on the north coast of California in 2012. (Dan Bacher 11/17/14)...
Words: 1259 - Pages: 6
...Craig Jones Professor Middleton NAS 001 11/20/2014 In a response to poor water quality, soiled beaches, and a dwindling marine life population on the coast of California, Governor Gray Davis in 1999 proposed his solution. It was called the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), and its aim was to restore coastal regions of California to their former glory. Since its inception the MLPA has received much criticism, as it has violated the rights of many native tribes whose places of traditional practices overlap in these Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). (California Marine 11/17/14) The conflict has only gotten worse as new initiatives were passed which allowed privatized use (drilling, commercial fishing, etc.) of these coastal areas while still excluding natives from their traditional lands. In 1999 the MLPA was passed and it created MPAs up and down the coast of California. In 2004 the Schwarzenegger administration allowed a private corporation, the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation, to fund an accelerated implementation of the act. The task forces designated to oversee the creation of these areas were headed by oil industry lobbyists, marina developers, and other members with various corporate interests. Very few people with genuine responsibility to the land were present in the implementation process. Despite continued efforts from many different tribes and activist groups, the Protected Areas went into effect on the north coast of California in 2012. (Dan Bacher 11/17/14)...
Words: 1259 - Pages: 6
... The role of the man was mostly hunting. Most men also fought for their tribe in wars. Warrior societies governed the tribe and protected women, children and elderly from tribal enemies. Most common tribal enemies were the Arikara, the Blackfeet and the Crow. War to the Plains Indians was more like a sport than mortal combat. Men also protected the tribe´s ground and taught boys at a young age the ways of a man. The role of the women was mostly to keep the household. They prepared meat after a hunt and made clothing the family wore. They were in charge of taking down and setting up the tipis after a trip. Besides cooking and keeping their household, women dragged the heavy sticks of the tipi wherever they traveled. Several women could take a tipi down in minutes. Women also taught girls the skill they would need when they get married. Children Boys:When a boy turned 12, it was time for him to seek the spirit that would protect him until he died. He would see the spirit in a dream (vision) and from signs. The boy was taken far away from the camp to spend four days and four nights by himself. He could not drink or eat during this period. He prayed to the spirits to send signs. He had to remember what he saw in his dreams. When some men came to get him, he was very weak. Then he was taken to the medicine man and he told the holy man everything that he had heard, seen, and felt in his dreams. The medicine man would then decide what the boy’s spirit...
Words: 447 - Pages: 2
...Self-Actualization? Beginning with the first settlers from Europe in the New World, Native Americans have persistently been exploited for their land and resources. The creation of the United States of America spawned an unprecedented explosion of immigrants flocking to America, which created tensions with Native Americans over territory. Under the Jackson presidency and approved by the U.S. Congress, the Indian Removal Act of 1830 detailed a plan for the relocation of Native Americans, later known as the Trail of Tears. Standing their ground, the Native Americans resisted the advancements of the U.S. government, creating a new wave of battles within the Indian Wars. U.S. Army captain Richard Henry...
Words: 1480 - Pages: 6
... In the reading it states that the mask can change images by pulling on different strings located on it. The bright colors and shapes also attracted me to it. The frowning face, that represents the inside of the mask is quite unusual, it does directly depict an actual likeness of a face, and the outer parts look like the frame of the face. The book makes reference to the Kwakiutl people lived on the Vancouver Island, trading and warring with each other and their neighbors. But they produced great artwork like the mask which were used in Shaman ceremonies, and totem poles. The Kwakiutl are famed for their transformation masks. These massive American masks, up to eight feet long, are based around an animal form and open up during the ceremony to reveal an inner human character. This method links the human, animal and spiritual aspects of life. The winter period, called Tsetseka, meaning good humor, was used by the Kwakiutl as a time for celebrating. They believed that the spirits who had been at large in the world returned to the village to capture certain members of the population. The dances were often connected with the initiation of novices. Possessed by wild spirits the novices would disappear into the woods to be given the ancestral rites and then reappear as fully fledged members of the society. The spirit which possessed them was Bakbakwalanooksiwae (Cannibal at the north end of the World) who inspired them to eat human flesh, but there is no record of cannibalism having...
Words: 324 - Pages: 2
...Native American Teen Health " Nearly one in Native American adolescents has attempted suicide, a rate four times that of other teenagers, according to a study that found alarming health problems on reservations." Suicide has a big affect on Native American teens. Providing more awareness about teen health in the Native American culture, would result in a fewer teen suicide." Native American teenagers/ Youth are planning on taking their life's or they have already took their life's for many reasons. Out of all the races Native American/ Alaskan Natives have the highest risk for teen suicide. In the article " Teen Suicide Statistics" has noted that "77.9% of all suicide are male and females has attempted suicide 3 times as often as males, fire arms are used in 51% of males suicides, also 38% of females suicides are use drugs ( poising) as the method of suicide." Statistics like these have shown many times they have tried to commit suicide. Suicide very's from Native communities to other Native communities around Native country. So many Native people are overwhelmed to be going to funerals...
Words: 1776 - Pages: 8
...During the Civil War in in 1861, native americans fighting in the war had just as many challenges as other soldiers. Many Native Americans had to put their freedom and life on the line during the Civil War. In the Native American language, solider means warrior, protector, and helper. The war itself, brought everyday hardships on everyone but especially the Native Americans. The life of a native american soldier in the Civil War was not always easy. Although the Native Americans knew that they would possibly be giving up their freedom and the land they possessed, they still did what they needed to do for their culture. Approximately 20,000 native americans served in both the union and confederate armies and fought in many battles. Native...
Words: 923 - Pages: 4
...M Baptiste MWF 2-3p Native American Music: A Root of Contemporary Music Yet Explored What is Native American Music? As our class brainstormed ideas for research, I already knew what topic I wanted to explore. Having been a musician, closely involved with music my entire life, I directed my focus toward Native American music. Before I began to develop any sort of directed, narrowed research questions, I asked myself first, “What is Native American music?” Regarding various definitions of the so-called “genre,” I discovered that Native American music shouldn’t be typified into any genre or defined style of music. It was the perspective toward music that was unique to Native peoples, and this perspective is key in understanding the Native American influence on later creations of music. Definition and Philosophy Native peoples tend to view their music in a distinctly different way from Euro-Americans. To Natives, music is thought; music appeared to be particularly inclusive into Native Americans’ way of life, and is unique in its origin, meaning, and efficacy. To ask “what is Native American music?” would be a question foreign to Native Americans, especially during the time that Native American music was first discovered. One aspect of music specific to indigenous peoples is its place in daily life. In fact, “its place in human affairs are much more significant to Indians than its mode of construction or technical character.” (Native American Music, 1980, p. 12) Unlike...
Words: 3317 - Pages: 14
...should give money back to native american groups. To compensate for the Land they took from them. I will give 3 clams supporting that the united states government should give the native americans money. Also i will give 3 counterclaims that will support the other side. On how the united states government should give the native americans there land back. One reason why the united states government should give money back to native american groups. Is because they deserve some respect for the discrimination we have given them over the years. As obama said “The biggest problem that we have in terms of race relations, I think, is dealing with the legacy of past discrimination against blacks and Native Americans which has resulted in extreme disparities in terms of poverty and income for these groups. This is basically states that we should help native americans because the nation has not treated them equally as other races. Some people believe we should give them their...
Words: 624 - Pages: 3
...CHAPTER TWO: NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIONS Chapter Outline and Unit Summaries Introduction: The Challenges in Studying Native American Religions A. The Contemporary Revival of Interest in Native American Religions 1. Important Role in History of North America 2. Emphasis on Nature and Personal Religious Experience 3. Absence of Formal Organizational Structure B. A Wider Variety of Religious Types Under One Heading 1. A Fifteen to Twenty Thousand Year Legacy 2. Geographic Spread Across a Continent 3. Numerous Forms of Social and Economic Organization C. A Dearth of Reliable Sources on Native American Religions 4. Literary Sources from Only Past Four Hundred Years, with Best Sources from Past One Hundred Years 5. Difficulty of Identifying a Pure Type: Many Changes Fostered by Engagement with Europeans 6. Archaeology Provides Some Clues to Pre-European Era 7. The Necessity of Generalizing about the Entire Field The Spirit World A. A Mixture of Polytheism, Monotheism, and Monism B. Native American Religions Tend Toward Polytheism 1. The World Populated by Numerous Spirits 2. Mother Earth at Heart of Nature 3. Deities Represented by Natural Forces C. Native American Religions Tend Toward Monotheism and Monism1. The Supreme Being / High God Above Lesser Deities 2. High God Generally Uninvolved in World—Lower Deities Hold Sway over Nature and Everyday Life 3. High...
Words: 884 - Pages: 4
...american indiansThe Effects of Colonization on the Native Americans Native Americans had inherited the land now called America and eventually their lives were destroyed due to European Colonization. When the Europeans arrived and settled, they changed the Native American way of life for the worst. These changes were caused by a number of factors including disease, loss of land, attempts to export religion, and laws, which violated Native American culture. Native Americans never came in contact with diseases that developed in the Old World because they were separated from Asia, Africa, and Europe when ocean levels rose following the end of the last Ice Age. Diseases like smallpox, measles, pneumonia, influenza, and malaria were unknown to the Native Americans until the Europeans brought these diseases over time to them. This triggered the largest population decline in all recorded history. Fifty percent of the Native American population had died of disease within twenty years. Soon after, Native Americans began to question their religion and doubted the ability of shamen to heal. This was the first step towards the destruction of Native cultures. The Native Americans had never experienced anything like these deadly diseases before and they came to believe that Europeans had the power to kill or give life. Many Native groups, because they were nomadic, didn't see land as belonging to one person. The idea that someone could come in, claim a piece of land and ban them...
Words: 478 - Pages: 2
...question is essentially that the differing beliefs on land between the Native Americans and white settlers was what eventually led to the destruction of the Plains Indians’ way of life. To come to a conclusion on this, the factor of land beliefs will have to be analysed and considered. But to compare and make a fair judgement, I will also be examining other factors also. These will include the railroads, US government and the US army. I shall then come to conclusion based on the analysis in my assessment. As it is the subject of the hypothesis for this question, I shall start with analysing the impact of beliefs of land. The primary Belief on land of the Plains Indians was that no body owned it, and that everything belonged to the Great Spirit. The white Americans however believed that land was owned by whoever took it first, or who bought it off the owner. This led to conflicts and therefore partially led to the destruction of the Native American way of life. The white Americans quickly claimed land and would move the Plains Indians around as they saw fit, usually affected by where gold had recently been discovered. This culminated in putting the Native Americans on reservations. In many of the agreements and treaties signed over land the settlers would claim never to go back on their promises “as long as grass grew” and “the mountains stood”. Breaking the promises would have shown the Native Americans that the settlers thought little of their intelligence, and also would instil...
Words: 1508 - Pages: 7
