The Culture And History Of Native Americans

The Culture and History of Native Americans
Native American, or American Indians, have a rich culture comprised of struggle, strife and success.
For this paper, i will discuss the Native American Culture and it's history. History Spotted Tail,
Lakota Sioux Chief stated: "This war did not spring up on our land, this war was brought upon us by
the children of the Great Father who came to take our land without a price, and who, in our land, do
a great many evil things....This war has come from robbery from the stealing of our land. (Lazarus
1991). To me, this statement sums up the significant affect white settlers had on the Native
American's world. It all started in 1492 when Christopher Columbus first discovered the Native
people with the idea that they may be able to "adopt to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Tsai & Alanis (2004), states relation is symbolized by the Circle of life, represented through
different tribal traditions and consist of the elements of life: fire, water, earth and air. Life is also
represented through four circles, the first representing our spirit, the second representing your
family or clan, the third represents our natural environment and relations, the fourth and last circle
represents the spirit world. Harmony and balance for native Americans, shows an emphasis on
Unity; Through community, sharing, and extended family. Harmony with nature and living in the
present is important as well as a deep respect for their elders. Wellness shows an emphasis on
harmony with yourself, environment, and others. Native American's use the term "Did you take your
medicine?" Which is more than physical wellness. "Medicine" is everything. It is described as an
inner strength. What i found most interesting about this article was how it pointed out that there is
no clear word for "religion" in many of the Native American languages, but spirituality is an integral
part of every day life because it is necessary for balance and harmony, wellness of the person and
family, tribe or community. I think I closely relate to their value of family and unity. To me it is the
most positive and most important value to have. Cultural Identity Issue/Macro Practices While
Native
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Native American Tradition Culture Of Native Indians
Every country and nation have 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. The Powwow is an
important festival and ritual for the Native American, and it is a symbol of the tradition culture of
Native Indians. Powwow, is a social gathering by the Native American tribes, and they are 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. ... Show more content on
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This means people have more entertainment programs and reward the winner from the competition.
The most interesting part that I found was the dancing part. The Native Indian are always good at
expressing their emotions through the dancing. Every tribe has they own way to express the
reverence for natural, the delight of hunting and the desire of victory. These wonderful
conversations between the Manitou and people, has formed the special art in the Native American.
Certainly, there are music accompany by dances, and the instrument contains spiritual symbol as
well. For instance, drum plays an important role in the Powwow. The article "Without the drum,
there would be no Powwow" mention that " Our drum has character, we have that powwow spirit,
and people dance." Drum is not only representing the core of Native people faith, but also is the
heartbeat of the creator. Powwow drums are often made by circle, because circle stands for
lifecycle. People surrounding and beat the drum, like the life turning and returning. Jingle dance
song is one of the powwow music that I favorite. According to the textbook, there are two versions
that described the origin of the Jingle Dress Dance. One is on United States Chippewa and the other
one is from the Canadian Ojibway. This dance performed by females, and drum is played on the
music. During the song, I can hear a leader man voice in the beginning, and drum beat accompanied
with male harmony. During listening

Native Americans And Western Culture
Native Americans have an intimate relationship with the Earth that is very unusual to western
culture. For centuries before the arrival of Europeans, Native Americans lived off the land in North
America, without claiming ownership or creating massive environmental destruction. They have
both a deep love and fear for the power of nature, and try to live as one with the environment.
Because of this common value among tribes, Native Americans are often stereotyped as being the
first environmentalists, which is not entirely true. Native Americans do value and treasure the
environment, but not always in the way western environmentalists imagen. Modern
environmentalists grew up in a different culture, one that embraces development and progress ...
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Positives between Environmentalists and Native Americans There is good reason why
environmentalists so often associate themselves with Native Americans. Indigenous culture has a
deep reverence for the environment that is not prevalent in western culture. Using nature for
hunting, gathering, and planting required religious procedures and ceremonies in order for Native
Americans to receive permission to use resources (Cornell, 1985). Because of this cautious respect,
environmentalists and Native Americans often agree with each other on environmental issues,
including fracking, mining, and land exploitation. Modern native american activists more frequently
are from western tribes, including Crow, Lakota, and Cheyenne, because they were in contact with
European capitalist culture later than eastern tribes, so they have held on to their old traditions
(Cornell, 1985). Environmentalists and Native Americans also overlap in their concern for "the
people" and future generations. When these two groups are separate, they have weaker political
power, but when they join forces they can have a much stronger impact. One survey compared the
beliefs of Native American hunters and majority–culture (western) hunters, to see if Native
Americans truly respect the environment more. The first part of the survey asked multiple Native
American hunters and western hunters to rank multiple plant and animal species in importance. Of
the 17 Native

Essay On Native American Culture
Indian Cultures of North America (Modern USA)
INTRODUCTION:
The History of America has been stongly shaped by a collection of popular myths, stories and
overall religious or cultural traditions, but not to the extent of the Native American History. We are
all familiar with myths and legends about the past, namely the creation of our species and the
mythological views of multiple godly figures. The majority of those mythological events have been
created to suit Native American cultures. Because of these stories, Americans have misunderstood
much about the Native American culture, For example, many assume that pre–Columbian North
America was a land that was very wide spread and consisted of little inhabitants, when really,
millions of Native Americans lived in the land. For example, Native American societies were full of
wealth and held and heir of sophistication, contrary to popular beliefe that the Native Americans
survived only through hunting, gathering, and fishing
INVOLVEMENT WITH THE EUROPEAN CULTURE: The Native American culture was more
advanced than we usually give them credit for. It was because of their sophistication and
advancements that they actually influenced much of the European culture. The food they ... Show
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So did the Native Americans. Thousands of languages were spoken in the Americas in 1492. This
was a very large factor in recognizing the Cultural differences between tribes or bands. The
misconceptions we have of the Native Americans is not all wrong, Some Indian people were part of
a hunter and gathereing band, but most practiced a more sophisticated method of agriculture. These
agriculturally– based Native Americans were the main cultural influence to the Europeans. This was
also a big factor in the cultural diffrences between the Native

Native American Culture Summary
On Wednesday, April 4th, Dr. Adrienne Keene presented Native Appropriations, Indigenous Social
Media, and Responding to Racism in Graff Main Hall. As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and an
Assistant Professor of American and Ethnic Studies at Brown University, Dr. Keene is well
established as an authority to speak on this subject. To introduce the presentation, she started by
showing the audience the first page of Google Image results for "Native American", then explained
some of the problems clearly displayed on screen. One of her highlights on this was that so much of
this search result – and so much of Native American representation as a whole– is old, historic, and
male. After introducing this, she discussed some of her reasons to do this work, quoting James
Baldwin's words, "If I love you, I have to make you aware of the things you do not see." ... Show
She described how, contrary to the one–sided historic stereotypes presented, there are 566+
federally recognized tribes demonstrating how complex and multifaceted Native identities are. Next,
she defined cultural appropriation and showed how it significantly harms Native American People
economically, morally, and culturally. She then went over her questions for campus communities,
and suggested several ways campuses can help support Native American Students and reject white
settler–colonialism dominance. One of her recommendations was free/reduced tuition for students
from tribes who were forced away from the land that the university now occupies. In conclusion,
she went over again the reasons she does this work, powerfully saying that "part of owning your
privilege is working to dismantle

The Identity Of Native American Culture In Native America
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. During the first half of
the 20th century numerous changes went on in the native community. Life on the reservations was
bleak and economic opportunities were almost non–existence. Many natives remained on the
reservations where they were able to maintain their language and culture (Otten, Dutton). However,
some others left the reservations for economic opportunities that the growing U.S economy
promised and offered. Native Americans who didn't live on the reservations chose to make as little
reference as possible to their indigenous roots, much like other ethnic groups that migrated into the
U.S. That is because though most Native Americans knew that the dominant culture would enjoy the
indigenous dances and native jewelry and pottery, etc, it was almost impossible to live a traditional
native lifestyle. Several natives

Native Americans: The Cherokee Culture
I decided to research about Native Americans, specifically the Cherokee tribe. This culture interests
me because they were the first people to cultivate America. I have limited knowledge about Native
Americans other than what I learned in grade school around Thanksgiving. According to Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are approximately 566 federally recognized Native
American tribes in the United States with the most abundant tribe being the Cherokee (CDC, 2015).
Like every culture, the Cherokee's have their own unique way of defining health, healing, and
illness. Cherokee's define health holistically, when there is harmony of the body, soul, and nature
(Conley, n.d.). In other words, man is part

The Influence Of The Native American Culture Of Native...
"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.
As mentioned above religion played a key role in shaping both cultures and still have huge impacts
on both to this day. The

Native Americans And Native American Cultures
The initial clash between the European and Native American cultures is the start of our Mixed–
American history. Like many other colonization stories, concepts such as culture, religion, trade,
and colonialism are tossed in a mix between virtues such as trust, acceptance, and fairness. Often
times neglecting the latter of the mixture. The oddity of such unions is that the native people are
generally tolerant with the foreigners... until the foreigner grows into the oppressor. Such is the case
between the Native Americans and the European colonizers. Despite early collaboration, Native
American tribes responded with great despise and animosity towards the expanse of European
colonization. The initial contact between Native Americans and Europeans was rather easygoing.
Both cultures didn't quite seem to understand each other and their ways. Nonetheless, both parties
found methods to be partially reliant (for the Native Americans lesser than the former) on the other
in ways that helped settle the original inept feelings. An example of such alliance was the start of
Chesapeake colony, Virginia. Early settlements were dismantled by the inadequate environment and
lack of food–only until the collaboration with the Powhatan tribe were they able to then barely
survive. With the exchange of survival, the Native Americans were given goods such as metal tools,
objects and other modern goods that helped ease day–to–day Indian lifestyle. Another example of
positive collaboration in the

Native American Culture
Native American lives were much different before the arrival of Europeans. Due to the fact that
there was a multitude of tribes, cultures differ greatly amongst different groups. Native Americans
hiked over the land bridge, the Bering Strait, more than 12.000 years ago. Among this group of
people, scientist divided them into 10 different culture areas: the Arctic, California, the Great Basin,
the Northeast, the Northeast Coast, the Southeast, the Southwest, the Subarctic, the Plains and the
Plateau. The Arctic culture was located in present–day Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. The Native
Americans that lived there were the Inuit and the Aleut. Their dialects were called Eskimo–Aleut.
California was home to about 100 different tribes and 200 different dialects. Although there were
about 100 different tribes, they lived fairly similar lives. Instead of living agriculture based lives,
they were hunter–gatherers. These Indians were generally peaceful. ... Show more content on
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Most Native Americans living here spoke Shoshonean or Uto–Aztecan dialects. These cultures
foraged for roots, seeds and nuts. They also hunted for snakes, lizards and small mammals. These
tribes were nomadic so they too followed their food sources and lived in wikiups. In the Northeast
Native American tribes there were two main cultures, the Iroquois and Algonquin. Usually the
groups in the Northeast were at war with each other. This group was also one of the first to have
sustained contact with the Europeans. For the Native Americans living in the Northwest Coast area,
everything they needed was the their fingertips; these people had easy access to the ocean and many
rivers which provided salmon, whales, sea otters, seals and fish. The Northwest Indians did not have
to live a nomadic lifestyle because all of their basic needs were there for the

Native American Cultures And Development Of Native Americans
Native American populations in the 1490's cary from 50 to 100 million people. Spread throughout
the America's, the natives adapted and shaped their ways of life according to their environment and
their surroundings. For example, the southwest settlements such as the Pueblos depended on
irrigation systems living in large numbers, where the settlements in the Great Plains region, lived a
nomadic lifestyle being dependent on buffalo as their life source. In essence, the environment where
the Native population settled led to diversity among the tribes because each tribe had to adapt to
their unique environment in order to survive. The southwest settements lived a stationary life, where
those in the Great Plains migrated as they followed their cattle. Additionally, not only did their
environment vary, their language also differed. American Indian languages consisted of more then
20 language families including 400 distinct languages. Due to this, the ability to comminicate lacked
leading to varied beliefs, customs, cultures and development of ways of life.
Although both Spain and England conquered and settled in areas located in America, their colonies
differed. To illustrate, the English settled in areas without large native empires unlike the Spanish.
Because of this difference, the English were unable to to use natives as a controllable workforce as
the Spanish did. The Spanish used an economic system called encomienda system that relied on the
use of slavery. Additionally,

Native American Culture 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 ... Show more content on
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For example, I am grateful that nature is give me a chance to capture this deer (line 23–24). The
hunter is thanking nature for giving him an opportunity to come across one of it's finest creatures
and letting him capture it. He will not ask nature for more. Another example of social value would
be in the song, "Song of the Sky Loom". The social value that is shown here is to show respect
towards nature. An example would be, "That we may walk fittingly where birds sing, That we may
walk fittingly where the grass is green" (Lines 8–9), It is telling human to show their respect to
nature by living at peace with nature and put no harm to it due to its provision to the human race.
Finally, the principal Native American belief, harmony with nature, appears in most works of their
culture. Harmony with nature appear in the song, "Hunting Song" on line 23 to line 24: "...Quarry
mine, blessed am i in the luck of the chase" (Lines 23–24). This quote shows that the Navajo hunter
is blessed that nature is giving him permission to capture and eat one of it's creature and being part
of nature. Also, it made him feel as one with nature once eats the deer. Another example of harmony
with nature would be in the song, "Song of the Sky Looms" on the opening lines of the Tewa song.
An example of harmony with nature would be, " O mother the earth, O father the sky, your children
we are..." (line 1–2). This song is more like a

Native American Indian Culture
The values of Native American culture, including the importance of family, spirituality, and
environment, have been influenced by European American enculturation in both positive and
negative ways over the course of history. For instance, one of the benefits of enculturation within
American Indian populations is that modern tribes are comprised of small groups and have a unique
or distinctive culture that has been passed down for generations. The values of American Indian
culture have gone untouched for centuries because those living outside of the community have little
experience with the native culture unless, of course, they are invited by a member of the tribe to
participate or visit the community (Hall, 2010). The research on adolescents ... Show more content
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In fact, most American behaviors are counterintuitive to traditional Indian culture, where a strong
component of native American spirituality centers on respect and preservation of the environmental
resources. Native American tribes around the U.S., for instance, have programs that are deeply
rooted in American Indian tradition to help to sustain the balance of nature through the proper
maintenance of the land and use of natural resources (Hall, 2010). However, the recent protests at
Standing Rock over the Dakota Access Pipeline have brought public attention to the injustices that
many American Indian tribes continue to face, including discrimination, prejudice, and devaluation
of their culture in

Native American Culture Preaches
society and what it means to be Native American today persist to this day. They continue to be
forced into the white man's way, yet try to hold onto their own. Despite all the oppression, the way
Native Americans deal with and perceive American cultural, economic, and military power is
presented by the author and his characters. The American culture preaches individuality, yet finds
ways to systemize its people and stereotypes cultures who do not fit within their standards. In the
story Amusements, Victor placed his friend Dirty Joe on a ride while he was intoxicated. Once Dirty
Joe woke up on the ride and threw up, Victor was caught and began to run from the security. As he
was running, Victor was mocked by two children who pretended to

Native American Culture Analysis
For decades, popular media has portrayed Indian Americans in a negative light full of stereotypes
and outdated beliefs. This includes newspapers, magazines, songs, and movies. In recent years, such
portrayals have improved as more Native Americans become involved in the production of movies.
However, these portrayals have not been eliminated, and one glaringly obvious example was
released a few years ago. The movie appeared on Netflix and was produced by Adam Sandler. It is
called the Ridiculous 6, and it is a huge step backwards for Native American portrayals in media.
This movie tends to only show Indians of the past, and not in a good way. There are numerous
stereotypes portrayed in this film, and many of them cause damaging effects on Native identity. One
of the negative stereotypes is that Indians are depicted as being a savage, warrior culture. In one of
the scenes, an older white man walks into the Native village and chaos breaks out. Almost all the
Native characters pull out a bow and arrow. Even a baby was shown holding a hatchet, ready to
fight. There was also a scene in the movie where Native Americans clash with cowboys, yet another
stereotypical portrayal. These notions, in fact, are not true. Indian ... Show more content on
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For many, this would likely reinforce negative stereotypes and prolong unfavorable policy directed
to Native Americans. This is due to politicians that are largely elected to reflect to opinion of the
majority culture. For example, the stereotype of savagery portrayed in this film could solidify a
negative perception of Native Americans in the majority culture that could be reflected in who is
elected to national or regional offices. In addition to negative stereotypes, this movie could convince
people that Native Americans no longer exist. This can lead to many unforeseen circumstances,
including a lack of recognition for contemporary Native Americans

Changing Native American Culture
In class essay Imagine you were a Native American living peacefully in the Oregon country, but
then one day fur trappers and traders came and turned that all around. In this essay, you will read
how the Native Americans culture was changed by new things and new people in the Oregon
country. The Native Americans culture changed in 3 ways. Theses ways are fur trade both positively
and negatively changed Native American culture, fur trappers decreased population of fur bearing
animals, and new diseases kill thousands of Native Americans. Fur trade both positively and
negatively changed Native American culture. As stated by Lambert and Clark "The increased
European and American presence in the Oregon country however, had severe consequences for the
American Indians," (Lambert and Clark, 228). The consequences trade served was, there was more
violence because of guns. The positive of trade for the Native Americans was there had modern
weapons and tools, that they could not make. So, trade was good but had consequences. ... Show
As stated by lambert and Clark "Fur trappers and companies worked within a region only so long as
supplies remained abundant. Once the animals were depleted, the trappers and traders left,"
(Lambert and Clark, 208). This quote showed that fur trappers would almost kill all fur bearing
animals in an area and then leave to go do it again in another area. This left the Native Americans
less fur bearing animals. This left the Indians less pelts to trade. So, the fur trappers made life harder
for Natives, so the Natives had to adapt so this changed their

Connection To Native American Culture
My connection to Native American culture is very limited. The knowledge I do have would
primarily be from the Disney movie Pocachontas as well as what I learned in elementary school
relating to the first settlers and Thanksgiving. I have a basic understanding that their culture is based
deeply in spiritual rituals. I also know that they have been forced to move from their land and have
had to fight to keep the reservations that they currently reside on.
I would say that the Native American culture most influences me in relation to my love of art. The
Native Americans are well known for many artistic things in jewelry and pottery. The Native
American jewelry can also be based on spiritual rituals as well as tribal and is often turquoise

The Native American Tribes ' Culture
Abstract The Native American tribes' culture has been affected as a result of the change in a climate
whereby most of the refined foods are not consumed by the modern and the manufactured foods.
The Native Americans of the American Indian, Alaska and the Bannock tribes face unique
challenges whereby their native foods are no more due to the destruction of their cultural practices,
and people have turned into taking the modern food (Marry, 2016). The climate change has led to
the loss of the traditional foods as the native tribes depended on the traditional such as the fungi,
plant as well as the animal species for food. These types of food were very nutritious to the body
and protected the body from the diseases as the food gave ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
They could hunt and gather food from the rest, and the food was purely natural and greens were the
most common type of food they ate. According to their structure, they had foods which were
recommended by the physicians who used the roots as well as the greens to make medicine for the
community. By then there was no modern food. As a result, they ate only the natural food which
could protect them from diseases. The American Indians have a strong belief in their native food,
and it was the only source that they believed was the natural foods like the green plants and the
animals. The Indians were so much into spices, and the spices were made out of animals and spices
was familiar to the community as every meal had to be spiced (Aguilar, 2015). The modern culture
of American Indian tribes is characterized by the adoption of the current practices which include
taking the manufactured food which is bought, and ready to eat. The modern food has led to the loss
of the cultural food whereby people ate only the nutritious food which was from the farm and had
no additional chemicals. The modern culture has changed a lot regarding eating culture and habits of
the people as now the native people no longer consider the traditional food as being of any
importance, but many call it the old food. The modern food has led to many health issues as well as
complications. The modern food is manufactured, and

Native American Culture Essay
The consequences of colonization of 1942 has left many Americans to forget about the first people
who inhabited the lands we now call the United States. Not only has it made us forget, but has
dramatically affected Indian Country by the lost of culture, language, families, health, food sources,
environment, and their overall traditional ways of living. As indigenous people are restoring what
was taken away from them, Indian Country is also battling the disease of alcoholism, drug abuse,
mental health, physical abuse, lost of Identity, high rates of suicide, poverty, unemployment and
systemic oppression. Not to mention, their rights as Sovereign people. As the result of the American
Indian Boarding Schools, The English language was forced upon them in order for them to
completely ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Historical trauma is more rampant in Indian Country where intergenerational trauma is also
prevalent in families and individuals, where that has become the result of historical trauma. "Based
on the theory, Native Americans were subjected to traumas that are defined in specific historical
losses of population, land, family and culture. These traumas resulted in historical loss symptoms
related to social–environmental and psychological functioning that continue today (Whitbeck,
Adams, Hoyt, & Chen, 2004)"(Brown–Rice, K. (n.d.) ). This quote by Brown–Rice, supports the
fact that colonization is the casualization of the plethora of issues we see occurring on reservations
and with native individuals in general. Although, this may be true, one important statement that
Brown–Rice mentions in the beginning of her paper, is how important it is to not associate all
Native Americans with having mental, emotional, spiritual and physical issues while working with
Native American communities because it may not be the case for some

Suicide In Native American Culture
Addressing Suicide In The Native American Culture Native Americans have a staggering forty
percent rate from suicidal incidents in the ages fifteen through twenty–four. For young adults, it
occurs between eighteen and twenty–four. Surprisingly, Native Americans have the highest rate of
suicide than the general population, ethnicities, and races. In the year 2014, a report found that
suicide happened to be the second leading cause of death, other than unintentional injuries. It is
believed that in many occasions, Native Americans do not like to speak about suicide. In the case it
was brought up, they will eventually kill themselves. They Native American culture struggles to
receive mental–health funding to save anyone they can. Health issues like Diabetes and depression
are very common.
Native American Youth And Suicide ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, "90 percent of the
30,000 people who die annually by suicide have a diagnosable mental illness and/or substance abuse
disorder" (2010). Like many young and adult Native Americans, they go through extreme poverty,
unemployment, substance abuse, hunger, alcoholism, and domestic violence. In addition, peer
pressure and every type of bullying imaginable drowns them with negativity and excess trauma. The
way that they cope with all the stress is by simply shutting everything down, not facing it, and
eventually ending their lives the easy way. According to Time Magazine, "Suffocation was the most
common method used for this group" (2015). Youth suicide rates vary from tribe to tribe and may
consist of higher percentages than

Native American Culture Summary
According to the article "Native American Cultures," the history of the Native Americans began
approximately 12,000 years ago with the migration of Asian nomads over a large land bridge. The
article then explains how these nomads would splinter across the North American continent,
creating no fewer than ten identifiable cultural areas. As each area became more established, tribes
began to develop traits such as how food was obtained. Many tribes continued to be nomadic, just as
their ancestors were, depending on how harsh their environment was. The article also shares how
unfortunately for all of these Native American tribes, a prevailing theme was that the introduction of
Europeans and their diseases proved to be a foe too powerful to overcome. I agree with the article in
all three of the following themes: tribes varied on how they obtained food, whether a tribe became
settled or nomadic was dependent upon their environment, and all Native American tribes were
affected by European settlers in some negative way. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I agree with this, as it would not be logical to assume that all Native American tribes foraged in the
same manner. Some examples the article provides for food gathering include how the tribes of the
Southeast were known as expert farmers, whereas the tribes of the Arctic were either nomads,
following their prey, or fishermen. The article also details the lives of tribes in the Southwest. Here,
some tribes ,such as the Hopi, created established settlements and farmed while other Southwest
tribes, such as the Navajo, remained nomadic and relied on hunting, gathering, and raiding for

Women In Native American Culture
In the Native American culture, there was a noticeable change in the status of women in the
Cherokee nation. Women rarely labored in the fields because duties were "assigned them by nature
as Mothers and Wives are well attended to... and cheerfully do they prepare our meals, & for the
family they sew, they spin and weave and are in fact a valuable portion of our citizens." These
descriptions of a more civilized culture were hailed in the American press as indicative of the
remarkable achievement of an exceptional Indian people. In order to understand the cultural and
social changes by Cherokee women, their traditional culture must be analyzed. Cherokee society
was matrilineal; when a woman bore a child, it became a part of her clan and was ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The sexism common in this movement, which was similar to that in other people of color
movements, also influenced how native women relate to feminism. Sexism within AIM was thus
detrimental to Native women's confidence and empowerment, discouraging them from fighting
against sexism within the movement as they fought sexism outside of the movement. Native women
frequently occupied subordinate positions within the movement, and were expected to satisfy and
fulfill the sexual desires of AIM's male leaders. Native women were thus led to believe that
indigenous men should be in power. Native American women "were taught in this sexist
environment to support an indigenous nationalism that disregarded their own antisexist priorities."
Native women activists, except those who are "assimilated," do not consider themselves feminists;
feminism is an imperial project that assumes the given–ness of US colonial stranglehold on
indigenous nations. However, one of the founders of Women of All Red Nations (WARN), Lorelei
DeCora,

Native Americans have a complex relationship to American culture because they are the only
indigenous people of the United States and modern Native Americans are still members of tribes
and nations that have their own sovereignty and rights. Since the first ship landed on American soil,
European took control of Native Americans' visual sovereignty and how Native American could
express their culture. The only way to best represent a culture is having someone from their own
culture being able to express themselves. Historically, Native Americans have faced changelings in
controlling their own visually sovereignty in film and other media with stereotypical portrayals that
benefited the white middle–class Americans. As Native Americans began to fight back against these
portrayals and gaining their own political sovereignty, films began to be produced by Native
Americans, such as Imagining Indians and Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, for them to best represent
their culture and way of life. When Native Americans first started being shown in films and other
media, they were used to portray stereotypical white ideas which as how they appear and act with
others. As seen in Professor Boger's lecture (10/25), the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show starting in
1883 restaged historical battles that hired numerous Native American performers. After the success
of the show, many more motion pictures and feature films were created with the idea of "Hollywood
American" that were either shown as

Native American Culture In America
What is Native American culture? Native American culture is recognized in the United States. It has
over five hundred tribes and village, the Native American culture has been spread throughout the
entire globe. The main religions and the main traditions of the Native Americans were based on the
culture of Animism. Animism is a commonly shared doctrine or belief of the indigenous people and
many other Indian Tribes that have been found in North America. There is an enormous amount of
languages that the Native Americans speak. "There were as many as nine hundred thousand
inhabitants with over three hundred languages" ("Native American Blog"). Some of the federally
recognized tribes vary in population and they vary in land–base. Many of the tribes all have their
own culture, their own language, and their own history. Every tribe has its own unique customs.
Some of the tribes even have distinct styles of housing, dressing, and eating.
Native American tribes have effectively governed themselves for hundreds of years. Native
Americans have even developed many different systems of nurturing and teaching their youth.
Today, many tribes that are located in the United States are reviving their cultures and even their
traditions. Every single tribe has its own unique rich culture. Whether the tribe is founded in
language or ceremony, it strengthens America as a nation today. Although it was not always like
this, there have been many obstacles in the way. At one point federal laws and policies had
completely prohibited tribes from practicing any of their religions and any of their ceremonies. It
was unfair, "Tribes lacked control of their own ceremonial items and even their human remains until
the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act required federal agencies and
institutions that receive federal funding to return Native American "cultural items" to their
descendants and tribes" ("Native Americans Destroying"). That law was not completely repealed
until the 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act. Which was then later amended to protect
the Native American Church's ceremonial use.
Why did Americans adopt their culture? The Native Americans had an extremely beautiful culture.
The 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.
Ceremonies and rituals are critical to the Native American culture. This culture also considers these
rituals as a part of their religion. When referring to religion it's not the same as the way

Native American Culture Just when the human history of the Americas actually began is the subject
of scholarly debate. The disciplinary tools of anthropology and archaeology continue to provide us
with ever more refined and exact knowledge about early Native American communities, but the
exact time frame remains murky, broadly defined, and subject to disagreement. This lack of
precision results from the absence of writing among most of the Native American cultures,
depriving us of the benefits of the account of any eyewitnesses to help guide the inquiry. Although
the isolation of the western hemisphere allowed the humans there to develop distinctive cultures,
some disadvantages became clear the moment Europeans appeared. The first was that ... Show more
Still other men of estate used their access to local legislatures to freeze wages, convert manorial
services into money rents, and set rents at all–time high levels. Finally, wherever possible,
aristocrats created new taxes or new labor obligations to pass the burden of their financial misery
onto their farmers. One result of all these actions were peasant rebellions––acts of violent
desperation that invariably failed (324). As stated before, these peasant revolts occurred most
frequently in France and England. No longer willing to live peaceably under such oppressive
conditions, these angry French farmers launched a massive uprising called the Jacquerie.
Concentrated in the provinces Picardy and Champagne, the Jacques (peasants) stormed onto estates,
killing every nobleman they could find, raping women, and slaughtering livestock. This rampage
may have helped vent the anger that rural people felt, but it hardly solved their problems. The
French nobility outside the rebellious districts organized a counterattack in which they slaughtered
thousands of peasants, many of whom had not been directly involved with the atrocities against the
nobility. After this initial outburst, France suffered regional peasant rebellions periodically in 1363,
1380, 1420, and 1484. Each one, however, ended it with the same bloody

Reflecting Upon Early Native American Virtues In the Lakota language, "wicozani" is a word that
means wealth by living a happy and well balanced life with a physical and mental well–being in
conformity with creation. In order to fulfill a life of prosperity and euphoria, it is crucial to be a
well–behaved, humane person. In the Native American culture, being an impish, untrustworthy
being goes against everything they believe in. One of the most meaningful values to the Native
Americans is honesty. One of the most condemned traits is disrespect. Honesty is a pivotal value in
order to gain trust from another person, not only to Native Americans, but also to the entire
population. Many well–known Native American medicine men and notable leaders ... Show more
Being disrespectful seems to be one of the most unfavorable things to be in the culture. Disrespect
comes in many different aspects to Native Americans. Discourtesy to elders is one of the biggest
mistakes a youthful Native American could make. Being respectful to your family and elders has
been an enduring tradition in the Native American culture. Elders have been known for being
affectionate people full of passion for their children and grandchildren. They have seen many things
throughout their life, so they are full of wisdom and advice. Cultural beliefs and stories are often
remembered and known because they are passed down from an elder to the youth. The elders play
an important role in all aspects of Native American life. Elders take part in many traditional
ceremonies and their presence is greatly requested and appreciated. One eminent ceremony is the
sacred Hunka ceremony. This ceremony is one of the most important family traditions in the Lakota
culture. It is the "making relatives" ceremony. During the commemoration, a Native receives his or
her Indian name. An elder does the honor of giving the youth their name and ties an eagle feather or
plume in the hair of the person. The youth and the elder are then connected in a deep, special

Native American Culture : Pow Wows And Native American...
Native Americans celebrate a lot of traditions but one of the most popular celebration is Pow wows.
Pow wows are also a time to extend native american culture and preserve the rich heritage of
american indians. According to the article, What is a Pow wow, "A pow wow is gathering for many
different communities". Native americans have a diverse culture. Some say that Pow wows stand for
an "American Indian medicine man". Pow wows celebrate people's way of meeting together, to join
in dancing, singing, visiting, renewing old friendships, and making new ones. Pow wows aren't just
started as a dancing and singing get together. Pow wows start with Grand Entries. A "Grand Entry"
is an entering of all of the people. During the pow wow grand entry everyone is suppose to stand for
the flags that are being brought in one by one. There are a lot of different flags that are brought into
the arena. In the article, What is a Pow wow, "The flags carried generally include the U.S. Flag,
Tribal Flags, the POW Flag, and Eagle Staffs of various Native Nations present". The flags mean a
lot to the Native american culture. In the pow wows the flags are usually carried by veterans. After
the veterans come in, more important guest come in like the tribal chiefs, princesses, elders, and
Pow wow organizers. These guests are very important when it comes to Pow wows. The next people
following in line from the important guest are the men dancers, and then also the women. Once
everyone in the line of

Amidst the early 1600s, European settlers travelled across the Atlantic ocean to North America for
religious freedom, economic opportunity, and political freedom. Seeking the New World for a new
life, many colonists had plenty of experiences with Native Americans already occupying the land.
Several unexpected repercussions to Native Americans and their culture erupted as a result of
colonization. As a result, many literary authors would comment on the effects of colonization via
literature. There was the typical perception of indigenous people as barbarous, and then there was
the more progressive, understanding perception of indigenous people. In John Smith's The General
History of Virginia and in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, both authors' ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
In The General History of Virginia, Smith describes his Native American captors, with faces painted
red and white, dancing in a circle while screeching out hellish noises (Smith 62). This depiction
negatively portrays the indigenous natives because it depicts the Native Americans as devilish and
subhuman. Considering that Smith's audience at the time was primarily composed of readers
following the Christian faith, this portrayal feeds into his audience's fear and leads them to associate
this dancing ritual, which is a part of the Native American culture, as sinister. On the flip side,
William Shakespeare utilizes Ariel to showcase the progressive perspective of indigenous people.
Ariel greets Prospero by saying, "All hail, great master! Grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best
pleasure" (Shakespeare I.ii.190–191). Ariel's kind and respectful demeanor towards Prospero
represents indigenous people as innately benevolent and free from the corruption of colonization.
By creating Ariel's character, Shakespeare elicits the idea that not all natives are barbarous, which
challenges the general, preconceived notion of natives during the time of colonization. Authors from
both texts do not only depict the views of indigenous people one–sidedly, but they both also explore
the other counter perspective of native cultures. William Shakespeare's The Tempest and John
Smith's The General History of Virginia both contain portrayals of indigenous people progressively
and

Traditional Native American Culture
Long before the white man "discovered" America, people have already been living here. These
people are known as the Native Americans. As the settlers came to the native land, they brought
firm beliefs with them that ended up causing great conflicts with the native people. It was clear that
the travelers and the native people could not live among one another since the native people has
their own set of values and they were much different than the white man's beliefs. Traditional
Lakota spirituality is a form of religious belief that each thing, plant and animal has a spirit. The
traditional Native American community was a small group of related families. Each community
included a headman, a man would accomplish this position of leadership by demonstrating
characteristics valued by the group, such as generosity, wisdom, fortitude, and spiritual power
gained through dreams and visions. The Natives felt that the more isolated and rural the population
was the more traditional it tended to be. Fraternal societies were also significant within the
community life. Memberships to this society was by invitation only. The point of the society was to
function as a tribal council. One important leader in the society was a healer, respected for wisdom
as well as curative powers. This healer ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There were the healing rituals which consisted of singing and dances and were held to help the tribe
return to harmony. Another ceremony was the Pow–wow, the closest English translation is meeting.
The pow–wow is an event for native and non–native American people to meet and honor the native
American culture. One more ceremony that is important to the native people is the Green Corn
Festival. The ceremony typically takes place late in the summer and is tied to the ripening of the
corn. At this festival, there is dancing, feasting, fasting and religious observations. Most ceremonies
in the Native American culture last several

Identity In Native American Culture
In what way did you notice all or some of the material connecting? I found it interesting how
identity is found in many aspects of Native American culture. After reading chapters 1 – 3, I noticed
the material connected through the theme of identity. Identity is a recurring theme throughout the
first three chapters. Identity in Native American culture is complex, in that there are many
components to Native American culture and identity. The first component is that "In the eyes of the
Indian community it is not sufficient to wish oneself Indian" (pg. 10). To be identified as Native
American, one must have a specified amount of Native American blood in their lineage, which
differs depending on what tribe one belongs to, be a member of a federally ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
43). Because Native Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and put on reservations by
Europeans, the only way they were able to preserve their culture was through the art of storytelling.
Because of the absence of written documentation, their history was retold by the Europeans to fit
their prejudiced viewpoints and belief systems, which portrayed the Europeans as strong and brave
and the Native Americans as weak, cruel savages, distorting the truth of what happened to fit in with
their beliefs. A few examples of this are the first Thanksgiving, where from a European perspective
the colonists and Native Americans happily shared a huge feast, yet from a Native American
perspective the Native Americans provided the tired, hungry colonists with the first food and drink
they had had in many days. The story of Pocahontas from a European perspective portrays
Pocahontas as a pretty, young lady who falls in love with colonist John Smith, saving his life so they
could live happily ever after. According to Native American history, Pocahontas was a stocky young
lady who saved John Smith's life in the hope of the colonists and Native Americans maintaining a
respectful relationship that would bring peace to both nations. "Indian voices must be heard, and

Native American Culture And Rituals
Native American Culture Native Americans are also known as American Indians. They have been
living on this continent 48,000 years before Christopher Columbus discovered America. By the time
that he discovered it there were over 10 million Native Americans living on this continent. When the
Europeans arrived the Native Americans were very interested and worshiped them to some degree.
However, the Europeans began to act greedy and mean and only cared about material things. So
Native Americans began to hate them. The Europeans also brought with them many diseases and
pathogens that the Native Americans had not faced prior to their arrival. As time went on Native
Americans were forced of their lands. There were many conflicts that began the Indian Wars. Many
Native ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Indian.org states "Soon the Native American people were only left with some small Indian
reservations for their people, a vast difference from when the continent had been their home" ("Brief
Glimpse of Native American History," 2015). In the Native American culture ceremonies and rituals
are very important to them. Many people refer to those activities as religion. However, according to
Legends of America "most Native Americans did not consider their spirituality, ceremonies, and
rituals as "religion," in the way that Christians do. Rather, their beliefs and practices form an
integral and seamless part of their very being" ("Native American Rituals and Ceremonies – History
and Information," 2003). As previously mentioned Europeans had a negative effect on the Native
Americans. Some of the first Europeans found the Native American traditions to be "worthless
superstition from the devil. They then tried to convert the Native Americans to Christianity"
("Native American Rituals and Ceremonies – History and Information," 2003). This history of
Native Americans is sad. However, it is important to be informed about what happened so

Native American Culture Native American culture is particularly distinct and different from the
European American culture that most people are aware of that live in the United States or elsewhere.
Discernible aspects of the Native American cultural group include a modified nursing assessment of
a client of this culture, common health problems, biomedical explanations for illnesses, medical or
herbal remedies used, religious beliefs and social norms, and traditional foods most common of this
cultural group. Having an understanding, and respect to some degree, of the Native Americans and
their ways of life, will facilitate a superior health care experience for the client, and promote a
therapeutic relationship between the client and the nurse. For assessment of a Native American
client, the nurse may use the Giger and Davidhizar's transcultural assessment model that contains
key points that view the client as a more culturally unique individual. The use of quiet, silent
communication that values nonverbal rather than verbal communication is of great significance in
the Native American culture(nwindian). Native American people tend to value silence during
emotional times and also value listening before speaking(nwindian). It is critical for the nurse to
realize that this specific culture is sensitive to direct eye contact for long periods of time and to
avoid it(nwindian). Native Americans prefer to keep a larger distance, longer than arms length,
when communicating and

The Importance Of The Native American Culture
tissue is to be removed, a patient may ask to take the removed body part with them. In the Native
American culture body and soul are intertwined, thus, losing a body part could mean losing a part of
the soul. In the Native American culture, individuals learn from spiritual practices of prayer,
meditation, storytelling, or dreams. On the contrary, western medicine uses an in depth inquiry of
personal questions to find answers and may be an invasion of personal comfort when trust is not yet
established.
Social Organization It is important to remember that the Native–American culture is diverse within
itself and has many different tribes, languages, and rituals. "This diversity is illustrated by 252
languages (not dialects), 280 tribal units, and numerous nations (Herring, 1990)." It is easy to
generalize people and put them in boxes based off of their cultural background, but it is more
important to see an individual as an individual dependent of the culture they are associated with.
The family structure in the Native–American culture is considered non–nuclear. It is not uncommon
for a brother in law to be referred to or thought of as a real brother. Family extends beyond
grandparents, dad and mom, and the kids. Cousins are often referred to as siblings and thus, the
family dynamics are much more complex than a nuclear family system. "The Native American's
multigenerational family structure allows for the increase in, and growth of, bonding between
generations (Herring,

Oppression In Native American Culture
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.
Growing up, children are regularly told to be themselves, because everyone else is taken. This
advice, however, is quite controversial. "I hated Tonto––Still Do," written by Sherman Alexie,
expresses how movies portraying Indians

Colonialism And Native American Culture
Religion is characterized as an organized system of beliefs, values, standards, and traditions that are
passed through generations from a specific group of individuals. Religion can be portrayed as a faith
concerning one or more deities and encompassing various rituals, ethical principles, and
ceremonies. Prior to European invasion, Native Americans thrived in hundreds of tribes and
possessed different cultures, languages, clothing, and customs. Due to forced European conversion,
Native Americans struggled to preserve their cultural background and were required to assimilate
into modern American life. The repercussions of this massive destruction of Native American
religion and culture is still prevalent in modern societies across the world. Historically, relationships
between European colonists and Native American were extremely complex and complicated. Due to
the violent European colonization of America, Native Americans became susceptible to oppressions
and extinction for over five hundred years (Poupart, 2003). European colonists' central focus were
directed towards acquiring maximum profits by exploiting Native American's vast resources and
utilizing their physical performance toward enslavement. This created devastation among Native
American families, movement of various fatal diseases, and destruction of the traditional lifestyle of
Native Americans (Starkey, 1998). The elimination of Native American culture came with strong
opposition and resistance through civil organizations, religious movements, and conflict revolutions.
Native American resistance against European assimilation dates back to the colonial period.
Governmental pressures for adaptation and eradication of customs, communities, and identities
through various federal policies gave Native Americans a valid reason to fight and preserve their
culture. During the 1880's, the United States government managed to confine Native Americans on
poverty–stricken reservations with limited resources and supplies (Young, 1990). Although these
conditions caused reservations nationwide to suffer, it produced a necessity for movements to end
injustice and abuse. Tribal leaders attempted to reassert their independence and create new spiritual

The Native American Culture
Before white people had ever set foot in the new world, the 9–10 million natives had already
inhabited America. "The name "Indian" was given them by Christopher Columbus who mistakenly
believed he had landed in the Indies" ( "Native American History" ). The Native Americans were
people who could adapt to their particular regions and made wise use of the natural resources
around them. They believed in respecting the land and its natural gifts. "We must protect the forests
for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those
who can't speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees"( Qwatsinas ). They
became proficient fishermen, hunters, farmed crops such as corn, and built homes ... Show more
In order to survive they hunted buffalo and wasted nothing, every part had a purpose. Hunting was a
huge part of their life but so was religion. "The worship of the Great Spirit was key to their beliefs" (
"Plains Indians" ). Often a dance was performed called "The Sun Dance" to show respect and love
for their god. Their spiritual belief revolved around nature and the respect they had towards "her".
They also had shaman who were like doctors, they helped heal the sick and injured. Their medicines
would be natural fruits and vegetables or they would just try to convince them that they were not
really

The Influence Of Native American Culture
America has a long and rich history. Today, the majority views the United States as the most
democratic and civilized country in the world. It is one of the largest economies on the planet.
Additionally, it has massive social influence over other nations around the globe. It is for this reason
that United States' opinion is important in the formulation of global policies. The US is a world
leader in several areas and has significant influence over global organizations such as the United
Nations.
When comparing the Native American culture and that portrayed in movies, one cannot ignore the
massive population figures that were mentioned. Movies and TV series have highlighted the
population influx in the Americas. The Indians claim to have been

Music Of Native American Culture
Music is big part of Native American Culture. It is used in many different ways, such as expressing
one's feelings or through the use of self–expression. There are unique collection of instruments that
are played in ceremonial events, recreation, and even through healing. Some of these instruments
are drums, flutes, rattles, and other percussion instruments. The voice is also used quite a lot and
may even be the most important one because it is the backbone of music made in Native American
Cultures. Native American music has many different musical styles and within every Native
American tribe there is a variety of musical styles and instruments played. Most Native American
music dancers and singers are characterized by their different ways of dancing and the different
types of instruments they play interpret from the tribe they originate from. The instruments the
Natives used were all hand made, that it self symbolizes creativity and hard work. Drums and flutes
were the two most made and played by the Natives. They way the Natives pounded on the drums
was a way they expressed how they felt. The drums are the oldest instruments in the world; it is
used in a handful of oral traditions. While the different American Indian tribes create and use drums
in the different ways, most construct them in way where it is all very similar to each other. These
drums aren't the typical drums we see in rock concerts, we are talking about ancient drums where
elk skin is wrapped around a

The Culture And History Of Native Americans

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