Native Americans
Some cultural elements
• The indigenous people of modern America will always be a
staple of world history. Native Americans ruled the land before
their tragic downfall when the colonies overtook their
homelands. Composed of varying ethnic groups, bands and
tribes, the American Indian history is rich. The little-known
facts, stories and traditions of these people are fascinating,
especially since there are tribes in America today as partially
sovereign nations. Brush up on your Native American history
skills with these little known facts.
• There are 566
Few Generalizations Can Be Made federally recognized
American Indian
and Alaska Native
tribes and villages
in the United
States, each with
their own culture,
language and
history. Every tribe
has unique
traditions and
distinct styles of
housing, dress, and
food.
“Without your language or your land, you are not who you say you are.” Loretta Afraid of Bear, Oglala Lakota
Totem Poles Native Americans
would build totem
poles from scratch
from poles or
pillars. They include
symbols and faces
often describing the
status of the family.
Totem poles were
typically made from
red cedar. They
were mostly built by
Native Americans
living in the Pacific
Northwest regions.
Especially with the
Native American Buffalo Plains Tribes, Native
Ettiquette Americans hunting
buffalo would use three
methods: the impound,
the buffalo jump, and
the horse-mounted
hunt. Buffalo was
considered the real food
of the land. When a
Native American had his
first buffalo kill, it was
customary for the
hunter to be offered the
tongue to eat. However,
it is expected that the
hunter share with
friends.
The quills of the porcupine
were very useful for Native
Porcupine Quill Uses Americans. They would use
them for hair brushes and
other grooming. They
would also master a
practice that is still used
today - - quillwork.
Quillwork is an art form
where porcupine quills are
woven in different forms
including loom and
embroidery. The quills
would be reshaped and
dyed using natural plant-
based dyes and used for
multiple purposes, such as
embellishing clothing.
Many tribes
seemed to be so
Civilization different from
those of
Europeans.
However, a few
tribes impressed
them because of
their planned
farms and
villages, showing
a civilized social
system. These
tribes were the
Cherokee,
Choctow,
Seminole, Creek
and Chickasaw.
The Iroquois were a
Iroquois Confederacy Bald powerful part of
Eagle the Native
American
Confederacy in the
northeast. The
totemite of all the
Iroquois was the
bald eagle. It
represented peace
and protection.
Oddly enough, this
influence may be
what drove the
decision to put the
bald eagle on the
US Shield.
Can't we all just get
along? That's what
Five tribes of the Iroquois the Haudenosaunee,
also known as the
Iroquois, did when
prior enemies came
together. The five
original tribes in the
1600s, the Seneca,
Cayuga, Onondaga,
Oneida, and
Mohawk, decided to
create the Iroquois
Confederacy to
establish a strong
and powerful peace
within their land.
The Iroquois Impressed
Benjamin Franklin
The Iroquois Confederacy impressed
Ben Franklin. He saw the successful
group as showing signs that their
system worked. Franklin thought their
government system was something the
colonies could emulate.
Governments and
peoples in both
Taking Them Out Canada and the
United States
decided to go
against the Native
Americans. Forces
purposefully tried
and essentially
succeeded in
removing the Indian
tribes from any rule
and control.
Eradicating native
cultures by force
was essentially
common practice.
Reservations
The US Bureau of
Indian Affairs made
legal reservations to
be run by Indian rule,
without the
infiltration of United
States democracy. It
is believed that out of
the over 5 million
Native Americans
living in the US, 22%
live on the
reservations.
Big City Start
Many of the big US
cities we know
today actually
started out as
trading posts for
Indian tribes.
Detroit, Kansas
City, Pittsburgh,
and Chicago are all
major cities which
started out as
Indian trade posts,
forts and then
cities.
Devoted Native Americans When World War I
came about in 1914,
members of the US
government
mandated the
Native Americans to
be drafted. It was
confusing because
the Natives were not
citizens. It turns out,
about 12,000 Native
Americans
volunteered to fight
in World War I.
Although many original
Native American
Diverse Languages languages are extinct
today the almost 300
Native American
languages vary across
the US. It is too difficult
to pin-point where each
language came from.
Instead, researchers
believe the languages
came from three regions
of migration. Eskimo-
Aleut, Na-Dene, and
Amerind are the three
distinct groupings, but
many experts reject this
idea.
The Hogan Shelter
The Hogan shelter
is a traditional
Navajo home.
They are still used
today, especially
in ceremonies.
Hogan's are
constructed of
mud, bark, thick
tree branches, and
sometimes stone.
Some US States Are Named After Native Americans
There are 26 states
named after Native
Americans. Some are
named after a tribe,
such as Alabama
(Alibamu tribe,
meaning "clears the
thickit"). Others are
named after Native
American language,
such as
Massachusetts
(means "about the
big hill).
Navajo Language The Navajo language is
very complex. It is so
complex, it is very
difficult to learn and
understand. During
World War II, some
Navajo Native
Americans were used in
the battle to "speak
code" over the
airwaves. Because of
the Navajo language,
enemies were unable to
break the code, and
Americans were
successful.
Cocoa was popular
among the Native
Cacao Chocolate Drink Americans. They
would grind the cocoa
bean with stone into a
fine powder. they
would then mix the
powder with boiling
water and sometimes
pepper. The drink
would be cold in the
summer and thick and
warm in the winter
months. The cocoa
was often used as a
clan symbol, and was
even traded like
currency.
While some vain attempt
to integrate Native
American Indian Removal Americans into society,
such as bringing them to
school and showing the
ways of the white people,
things didn't work out.
Although courts ruled in
favor of the Native
Americans, they were still
treated terribly and forced
from their homelands.
Tribes were removed and
sent to other areas as
settlers saw fit. Many
Native Americans passed
away and there was a
great decline.
Ouray married Chipeta after his
first wife died and his son was
Chief Ouray and Chipeta taken by the Sioux tribe during
an attack. When Ouray's father
passed, he became Chief of the
Ute tribe. The couple was
fluent in many languages, and
became diplomats for the
Native Americans. They spent
their lives fighting for their
original homeland, but they
were denied and were
continued to be forced out of
their land. Despite this, Chief
Ouray and Chipeta are
respected as peaceful
diplomats in Native American
history.
Pictured are two children
Native American Children on on a Hopi reservation in the
Reservations 70s. Today, approximately
40% of children on
reservations are under the
poverty level. Housing
conditions are poor and
unstable, and there isn't
enough food. Many of the
reservations were forced on
infertile soil, making it
difficult to sustain crops.
Jobs are scarce for Native
Americans and college
graduates are around 11%.
Native Americans definitely
need support and aide
continually.
Native American Chiefs
Pictured is a group
of Native American
Chiefs posing for
their picture. They
are adorned in
traditional garment
and ornate, hand
made ornaments.
They also pose with
their tomahawks.
This photo was
taken in 1865.
Native American Religions
Shamanism is the oldest documented
spiritual belief system, dating back
40,000 years. It’s practiced in every
indigenous culture across the planet.
It is an open-source practice rooted
in the presence, gratitude, and the
inter-connectivity of all things. A
“shaman” refers to a person who
makes journeys to other realities or
“worlds” in an altered state of
consciousness. The journeys are
intended to heal, get information, or
do other things
• What is a Trickster? A Trickster is a legendary supernatural
Trickster creature that features in the stories, myths and legends of
the different tribes of Native American Indians. Tricksters
are mythical creatures that are mischievous supernatural
beings who take the form of animals such as the coyote,
spider, ram, hare and raven. The trickster, who is almost
always male, represents uncertainty. The trickster disobeys
normal rules and conventional behavior. The trickster loves
to upset things and spread confusion. The Trickster can be
fun, like a clown, but they can also have a cruel side. The
Trickster can be a hero in one tale and a villain in the next
tale. His outrageous and totally unconventional behaviour
might include lying, cheating, tricking, and deceiving. These
traits might be unconscious due to the Trickster being a fool
lacking in intellect or may have the deliberate actions of a
spiteful spoiler who lacks morality.
To learn more about
Native American cultures:
Indian Tribes Pictures of the Native Am
History of Native Americ ericans
Native American Indians
ans
Native American Clothin The Indian Wars
gNative American Houses Native American Indian N
Native American Symbol ames
Native Indian Tribes Index
sNative American Culture Native Indian Weapons an
Famous Native America d Tools
Native American Life
ns Native Indian Art Native American Women
