How To Describe The Native American Culture

Identity in Native America is directly associated with culture and language. As a result, some of the issues today which are important in shaping the identity of modern Native Americans include: representations of native people by the media in sports and popular culture; how indigenous languages are being revitalized and maintained; and identity reclamation. The Native American lifestyle has changed significantly during the last half of the 20th century and that is because views on the Native people have drastically changed over time. They have had many hardships that have greatly impacted their culture over the past few centuries leading up to today.

Have you ever wonder how the world was created from another culture’s perspective? Native Americans used creation myths to explained to their people how the world was developed overtime. Creation myths are a big part of the Native American culture. they have been passed down from generation to generation. In the creation myths, harmony with nature, rituals, and strong social values are shown in each myths. The purpose of having strong social value in these myths is to teach younger Native Americans valuable lesson if they ever do something bad. These myths reveals how the rituals were created and their intentions for doing it. Creation myths has harmony with nature in it to show a very close kinship between them

Current American society is constantly affected by events from the past, but sometimes what society thinks is in the past is not so far behind. The way Native Americans were treated historically continually plays a part in current American society. Due to the racism and stereotypes carried throughout society the Native American cultural circle is constantly under fire.

So many people today have failed to understand the Native Americans in context of history, which includes conquest of land, forced relocation, and organized efforts to eradicate native cultures. There shouldn’t be any stereotypes toward Native Americans, they shouldn’t be labeled as “blood thirsty savages” for simply defending their own land from intruders. Whether they are portrayed as noble savages, environmentalists, drunken, living of the government, Indian princess/squaw, casino-rich, they find an effort to be treated with a measure of respect and integrity, and that is something that I’ve learned. They may have shown people how to throw knives and axes, ride horses, pass down stories to younger generations, but in today’s society the history of the Native Americans have taught us so much more than that, and to me, that is what’s important about

Erasure. Imagine having almost every detail of your life – your beliefs, your family, your culture, and success – erased by those only focused on their own personal gain. That is what happened to Native Americans over the course of American history. Due to the settler colonialism that laid the foundation of our nation, many Native Americans became the victims of horrific abuse and discrimination. As “whiteness” became the ideal in society, Native Americans lost their voices and the ability to stand up for themselves. Through her memoir, Bad Indians, Deborah Miranda reveals the truth of the horrific pasts of California Native Americans, and gives her ancestors’ stories a chance to finally be heard. In the section “Old News”, Deborah Miranda writes poems from the “white man’s” perspective to show the violent racism committed against Native Americans, as well as the indifference of whites to this violence.

Culture, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is stated as “The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief and behavior that dpends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. The customary beliefs, social forms and material traits of a racial, religious or social group. The set shared attitudes, values, goals and practices that characterizes an institution or organization. The set of values, conventions or social practices associated with a particular field, activity or societal characteristic.” Of these four definitions, I shall be focusing on the second one to discuss what makes up the culture of American Indians.The culture of the various tribes that made up the Native Americans is one of close knit families, highlyspiritual peoples and living together as one with the land they lived on. They believed in spirits, worshiping and honoring them. Some settled into single locations while others were nomadic, but all had a focus on working with the land around them. Because there are so many varying tribes that make up Native

Native American culture originated in some parts North America. These countries are known as the United States of America and some parts of Canada. In the United States, there are 6.6 million Native Americans, which form about 2.0 percent of the population (Bureau, 2016). Europe had realized there were about 50 million people already living the “new world” and these people were called Native Americans. Native Americans were originally called Indians, but later through history they formed a new name. These people were called this because of them being native to the “new world” and the American part came after the colonist named the United States. Throughout history, Native Americans believed that using raw material in nature was the best way to provide for their people. Their culture thought no part of an animal should go to waste. They would eat the meat, use the skin for clothing, and make jewelry from the bones. Over the years a lot of their culture and customs were lost due to conforming with society. Their languages were referred to as “Indigenous Languages” because of them being extremely complicated and diverse. Some important factors that help understand the foundation of Native American culture are their rituals/practices, death ceremonies, holidays, family, and stereotypes.

Every country and nation has they own special festivals and music, and Native American is no exception. First, the native music related many aspects such as ritual, life and work. They like to combine music with dance, and the Native American music always created rich percussion instruments. For example, the hand drum, log drum, water drum and rattle, etc. Powwow is an important festival and ritual for the Native American, and it is a symbol for the tradition culture of Native Indians. Powwow, is a social gathering by the Native American tribes, and they singing and dancing. Powwow is not only a method that the Native American expresses the enthusiasm of the life and peace, but also enhances the sense of identity and cohesion. Hence,

“If you want to be born into this world you should see to it that you are WHITE and MALE. It is not the big, dramatic events that press you down, it is enough that you are Indian. Traditional Indian knowledge and experience is called barbaric superstition by the white missionaries, teachers and employers. They say we must kill the Indian in us to get ahead in this world” (Crow Dog, 1991). References to cultural difference serve a purpose of giving word to experiences of negative attitudes and distant relationship. This hostile attitude and suspiciousness is reflected in Mary’s story. This attitude is obvious both in the Indians and in the whites. The cultural encounters between these parties are dominated by stereotypes, and communication leads to one cultural clash after another. An example of this is the conflict with the tribal presidents. In the book communication between full blooded Indians and those who are not of pure breed is also portrayed as problematic. As I see it the primary reason for the cultural clashes lies in the colonialists’ feelings of superiority towards the native inhabitants. That this process still has influence is a fact that I became convinced about when reading the book. The colonialists believed that the discovery of America gave them the right to manage the natives and by force take their land and successful cultures could

“My people are few. They resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain...There was a time when our people covered the land as the waves of a wind-ruffled sea cover its shell-paved floor, but that time long since passed away with the greatness of tribes that are now but a mournful memory.,” Chief Seattle Speech of 1854. The culture of the Native American people has been deteriorating ever since the Europeans arrived in the Americas. The impactful and immense loss of lifestyle that they faced is one that can never be recovered, what the United States has given them are generations of trauma and blatant suffering. However, the U.S. did not stop there, a multitude of cultures have been broken to help keep America pure. For instance, one of the most significant cultures that have been dismantled by the U.S. other than the Natives and their music were the languages and music of the African slaves. The apparent likeness of these two cultures in the ways in which their deconstruction impacted them is in more of an abundance, such as the dominating influence of the Christian religion and the gravely vital role of maintaining what little heritage they could through language. In contrast to this, the two groups had an opposing difference pertaining to how the Natives and slaves tried to compensate the immense loss of their culture through the generations.

Native Americans, the true founders of America, are best known for having a tight grip on tradition throughout the years. Tradition is a way that Native Americans have been able to coexist for so long, and is also a way that natives have found stability from tribe to tribe. As Native Americans graciously welcomed colonists into the new world years ago, they did not receive equal respect in return. The colonists invading America gave natives a harsh ultimatum, to either leave America, or conform to the new society that would soon destroy the teepees and farmlands the natives considered home. The oppression from the colonists, gave natives the incentive that being any race other than white was not something to be proud of. Through the use of narrative writing done by Native Americans, readers are given an opportunity to see history through the lens of the oppressed. This further gives an opportunity for readers understand the very situation that many people who may even look like them once had to deal with. This allows us to not only draw specific conclusions about this period of oppression, but it displays how easy it can be for people to fall into very specific standards, and conform to societies that do not protect their values, and lives.

Humans in nature are curious and this leads into finding or creating extraordinary things that may one day be value or question by many. As early civilizations emerge, the beginning of many wonders were developed and with great accuracy. Although there was a lack of technology, as we have today, one wonders how some items may have been developed. The Native Americans are just one particular example to analyze. Despite the lack of the tools we have today, their artwork is impeccable and with great accuracy. Their art work and constructions leave one to ponder on how those items were developed. Furthermore, one can also wonder on how records were kept. The number system that we have today was not available to them. Yet, they were able to have some sense of counting. In addition, Native Americans placed importance on specific numbers and this can be seen in both art and their activities.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “the ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people”. This quote resonates with me because it explains how normal it has become in our society to dismiss history or the various forms of oppression and dominations. Prior to reading An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, I had very limited knowledge of the massacres, enslavement and tragedies that the Native Americans tribes endured because of colonization. As an immigrant to the United States, I did not know a lot about Native Americans nor were they part of the larger academic conversation. In school the most we were taught about Native Americans were that Columbus sailed the oceans in 1492, looking for India but instead he discovered

“Sometimes it is impossible to know where you are headed without reflecting on where you came from. Understanding your heritage, your roots and your ancestry is an important part of carving out your adventure.” When reading from Close Range and A Radiant Curve the reader gets the feeling that both of these women have strong ties to their heritage, their roots. It is evident in Luci Tapahonso’s poem “The warp is even: taut vertical loops”. Tapahonso wants the reader to feel close to her family as she feels. “Suddenly I miss my father to. How he savored such mornings (Tapahonso 3).”

In this painting by George Catlin titled “Assinneboine Chief before and after Civilization” it shows a very proud Assinneboine Chief standing straight and proud. His clothing expresses his Indian culture as he is dressed in leggings and shirt made of mountain goat skin, and finished with a pictured robe of buffalo hide over his right shoulder. Moccasins covered his feet and his tribal headdress decorated his head allowing his long hair to blend with the feathers of his headdress. In his left hand is his long pipe which he would smoke with those with whom he would want to make peace. The background which is painted in a lighter hue then