Native American Way Of Life (czyli essay o Indianinach)

Some people believe that Columbus discovered America, which is not true. Long before the white man set his foot on the American soil, the Native Americans had been living in America. When the Europeans came, there were about 10 million Indians populating North America and present day Mexico. It is also believed that the first Native Americans arrived during the ice age- about 20,000- 30,000 years ago. Life has changed a lot for them since they first set their tribes. The Indians built their own houses and they led and interesting family life. Their religion and beliefs may look conspicuous to people today. The Indian life had its own ways and tracks, and went through a lot of conversions.

In fact, Native Americans built their own houses. They used natural resources around them to make their homes. Many families shared homes because of their sizes. Each tribe had its own form of a house that they built. The Northwest cultures had houses that were called wooden lodges, which were rectangular shaped houses and held many families. Native Americans had also homes that weren’t made to last a long time. Wick up or thatch homes, as they were called were used temporarily when Indians were hunting, distant from their actual homes. Furthermore, other Native Americans which lived in the South, called Pueblos, lived in apartment- style buildings made of clay. These held many families too, and as they grew, rooms were added on top of the rooms that were already there. Eastern woodland Indian’s homes were called longhouses. As their name states, these houses were expanded. The families shared these homes also. However, the plains Indians, used the triangular shape “tepee” homes. Made with a tent of animal skin which was fastened to the ground, they made it easier for Indians to take their homes with them when they traveled after the buffalo.

Native Americans’ family was one of the most important things in their lives. The families were attached to each other, and did countless things together. In addition, Indians lived in clusters of related families who shared a common ancestor, where everyone had something to do. Their work was organized wisely. Women took responsibility of the care for young children and the home, while men hunted, traded, and also worked as laborers. Several Indian families moved from camp to camp a couple times a year to take advantage of the seasonal foods in different locations. When summer came with bountiful crops, all those small groups feasted together. Furthermore, they lived in small or large villages which were governed by councils which usually consisted of a representative from each family. Men were picked most of the time, but in some villages the chief was a woman. There were families that led their children for leadership, and had a great chance that their child would soon become a village chief and give the family great pride.

It’s clear, Native Americans’ religion was centered on an unseen world of gods. They believed that gods helped them grow crops which depended on Indians’ life. In brief , the most powerful god was Earthmaker, who created Earth, and the Elder brother who made people out of clay and passed his arts and crafts to them. In addition, in Southwest tribes every fourth year Native Americans practiced a ceremony called the “Viikita”.
In Viikita, costumed and masked men danced around the fire and prayed to the gods to give them tribal prosperity and good fortune. However, in other tribes like the Yumans, the rituals were less elaborate than what the Southwestern Indians practiced. Shaman, who was a religious practitioner and spirit controller, did the prayers by himself. To make the supernatural forces pleased, the Apache’s made also special offerings of food and ceremonies to their gods and spirits. At the ceremonies men dressed in embellished costumes and masks, tall wooden slat headdresses, and body paint for their protection. The Native Americans had also a lot of ceremonies in which they worshipped their gods.

In summary, Native Americans were the first human beings to set their foot on the American land thousands of years ago. Many elements of their architecture were very practical and are still used today by people all over the world. They made their own way of living and shared their own ideas to make their lives easier. Their religion was different than others, including their various ceremonies. In conclusion, early Native Americans were a large community which lived in tribes, shared their ideas, stuck with each other, and most of all they were pioneers. It’s always hard for the pioneers to reach their goals. The Indians were successful with their effortful work to make a difference in their lives.