The North American IndianThe North American Indian Photo by: Edward S. CurtisPhoto by: Edward S. Curtis

Tribes & NationsTribes & Nations PLAINSPLAINS

KiowaKiowa PawneePawnee ComancheComanche

GREAT LAKESGREAT LAKES HuronHuron OttawaOttawa Ojibwa (Chippewa)Ojibwa (Chippewa)

NORTHWESTNORTHWEST Nez PerceNez Perce BlackfootBlackfoot ShoshoneShoshone

SOUTHWESTSOUTHWEST Navajo (Dineh)Navajo (Dineh) ZuniZuni HopiHopi ApacheApache

EASTEAST Mohawk (Iriquois)Mohawk (Iriquois) MohicanMohican CreekCreek CherokeeCherokee

Where Will Our Children Live...

A lonesome warrior stands in fear of what the future brings,he will never hear the beating drums or the songs his brothers sing.

Our many nations once stood tall and ranged from shore to shorebut most are gone and few remain and the buffalo roam no more.

We shared our food and our land and gave with open hearts,We wanted peace and love and hope, but all were torn apart.

All this was taken because we did not know what the white man had in store,They killed our people and raped our lands and the buffalo roam no more.

                          

But those of us who still remain hold our heads up high, and the spirits ofthe elders flow through us as if they never died.

Our dreams will live on forever and our nations will be reborn, our bone andbeads and feathers all will be proudly worn.

If you listen close you will hear the drums and songs upon the winds, and inthe distance you will see....the buffalo roam again.

Submitted by Tommy Flamewalker Manasco

LONG BEFORE the white man set LONG BEFORE the white man set foot on American soil, the American foot on American soil, the American Indians, or rather the Indians, or rather the Native Native AmericansAmericans , had been living in , had been living in America. When the Europeans came America. When the Europeans came here, there were probably about 10 here, there were probably about 10 million Indians populating America million Indians populating America north of present-day Mexico. And north of present-day Mexico. And they had been living in America for they had been living in America for quite some time. It is believed that quite some time. It is believed that the first the first Native AmericansNative Americans arrived arrived during the last ice-age, during the last ice-age, approximately 20,000 - 30,000 years approximately 20,000 - 30,000 years ago.ago.

Why were Native Americans originally called “Indians?”Why were Native Americans originally called “Indians?”

When the Europeans started to arrive in the 16th- and When the Europeans started to arrive in the 16th- and 17th-century they were met by 17th-century they were met by Native AmericansNative Americans , and , and enthusiastically so. enthusiastically so.

However, conflicts eventually arose. As a starter, the However, conflicts eventually arose. As a starter, the arriving Europeans seemed attuned to another world, they arriving Europeans seemed attuned to another world, they appeared to be oblivious to the rhythms and spirit of appeared to be oblivious to the rhythms and spirit of nature. Nature to the Europeans - and the Indians nature. Nature to the Europeans - and the Indians detected this - was something of an obstacle, even an detected this - was something of an obstacle, even an enemy. It was also a commodity: A forest was so many enemy. It was also a commodity: A forest was so many board feet of timber, a beaver colony so many pelts, a board feet of timber, a beaver colony so many pelts, a herd of buffalo so many robes and tongues. Even the herd of buffalo so many robes and tongues. Even the Indians themselves were a resource - souls ripe for the Indians themselves were a resource - souls ripe for the Jesuit, Dominican, or Puritan plucking.Jesuit, Dominican, or Puritan plucking.

It was the Europeans' cultural arrogance, coupled with It was the Europeans' cultural arrogance, coupled with their materialistic view of the land and its animal and their materialistic view of the land and its animal and plant beings, that the Indians found repellent. Europeans, plant beings, that the Indians found repellent. Europeans, in sum, were regarded as something mechanical - soulless in sum, were regarded as something mechanical - soulless creatures who wielded diabolically ingenious tools and creatures who wielded diabolically ingenious tools and weapons to accomplish mad ends.weapons to accomplish mad ends.

The Europeans brought with them not only a The Europeans brought with them not only a desire and will to conquer the new continent for desire and will to conquer the new continent for all its material richness, but they also brought all its material richness, but they also brought with them diseases that hit the Indians hard. with them diseases that hit the Indians hard.

Conflicts led to the Conflicts led to the Indian WarsIndian Wars , the , the Indian Removal ActIndian Removal Act empowered by empowered by President Andrew JacksonPresident Andrew Jackson in 1830 and other acts in 1830 and other acts instituted by the Europeans in order to accomplish instituted by the Europeans in order to accomplish their objectives, as they viewed them at the time. their objectives, as they viewed them at the time.

The end of the wars more or less coincided with The end of the wars more or less coincided with the end of the 19th century. The last major war the end of the 19th century. The last major war was not really a war, it was a massacre in 1890 was not really a war, it was a massacre in 1890 where Indian warriors, women, and children where Indian warriors, women, and children were slaughtered by U.S. cavalrymen at were slaughtered by U.S. cavalrymen at Wounded KneeWounded Knee , , South DakotaSouth Dakota , in a final spasm of , in a final spasm of ferocity. ferocity.

Homes/Living StructureHomes/Living Structure

Wigwam (wetu)Wigwam (wetu)

LonghouseLonghouse

TepeeTepee

Grass HouseGrass House

AdobeAdobe

Hogan (Earth House)Hogan (Earth House)

Igloo (Inuit Nation)Igloo (Inuit Nation)

Native American ArtNative American Art

Kachina DollsKachina Dolls

ShieldsShields

Dream CatchersDream Catchers

BeadingBeading

Corn Husk DollCorn Husk Doll

PotteryPottery

TotemTotem

DrumsDrums

BeadsBeads

BasketryBasketry

JewelryJewelry

WeavingWeaving

Something to Think Something to Think AboutAbout We are all a product of our time and the We are all a product of our time and the

circumstances prevalent at the time. If I had circumstances prevalent at the time. If I had lived with the Europeans in America during the lived with the Europeans in America during the 19th century, would I have embraced what was 19th century, would I have embraced what was going on then? If I had lived with the Germans going on then? If I had lived with the Germans in the 1930s and 40s, would I have embraced in the 1930s and 40s, would I have embraced what was going on in Germany then? If I had what was going on in Germany then? If I had lived in Scandinavia during medieval time lived in Scandinavia during medieval time witnessing the horrors of slavery and killings, witnessing the horrors of slavery and killings, would I have embraced what was going on would I have embraced what was going on then? (The Nordic countries practiced slavery then? (The Nordic countries practiced slavery during the middle ages, a master could for any during the middle ages, a master could for any reason kill his slave. Abolished in 1335)reason kill his slave. Abolished in 1335)

These are hard questions for anyone to These are hard questions for anyone to honestly answer. honestly answer.

However, it is important for one sole reason However, it is important for one sole reason and that is to learn from and honor the past and that is to learn from and honor the past and move into the 21st century as better and move into the 21st century as better human beings.human beings.