Abstract The writer of paper explores the current situation affecting the majority of the once proud NativeAmericans who now suffer from alcohol and substance abuse as well as declining general health. This paper historically details the life of NativeAmericans prior to the arrival of the English. The NativeAmericans lived in relative harmony with their surroundings and as contributing members to the land. This paper examines how the arrival of the English brought with them domination and a disrespect for the harmonious way of life the NativeAmericans had adopted. This paper discusses the fact that the English introduced alcohol to the Native-Americans. Prior to the introduction of alcohol the natives were seen as fit, athletic and lean people, whereas the people of today are often seen as obese and sickly. The writer contends and explains why alcohol is not the only problem introduced by the Europeans. This paper examines the the cultural genocide that has occurred among the natives who suffer from higher than average death rates, higher tuberculosis rates and a generally poor overall level of health.
From the Paper "Alcohol abuse is no the only problem introduced by the Europeans; today as a result of the cultural genocide that has occurred among the Native Americans, people living in these communities often suffer from higher than average general death rates, higher infant mortality and childhood death rates, higher tuberculosis rates and a general poor overall level of health regardless of ones age. In addition there is a generally inaccessibility to adequate health care facilities and a tremendous lack of preventive programs for health improvement among the population, all of which can contribute to an increased abuse of alcohol and other addictive substances. Most natives probably content themselves with living an impoverished lifestyle and have to turn to substances to take their mind off of the poor quality of life and healthy they must endure day after day."
Tags:native, american, health, substance, drugs, alcohol, abuse, english, europe
Abstract Often people have the wrong concept of an American Indian. Children 's conception of NativeAmericans often is developed from the media. Often NativeAmericans are sent to school and lose their concept of the NativeAmerican as well as the language of their people.
Abstract This paper addresses the continued controversy surrounding the use of NativeAmerican persons and images as sports-team mascots. The paper presents cogent reasons why these cultural images should not be used because they destroy more pride (in the NativeAmerican people who find them offensive) than they create for the sports fans in the community. The paper approaches the issue from a psychological and anthropological perspective. 4 pgs. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Abstract This paper evaluates the alternatives, which are available for members of the NativeAmerican population that face alcoholism in their daily lives. The author anticipates that these problems are difficult to overcome due to the massive distrust and apprehension of other people, both within and beyond the NativeAmerican culture. The paper relates that, within NativeAmerican communities, it is expected that there are varying degrees of support for this complex problem of alcoholism.
From the Paper 'Native Americans are a unique group of individuals that possess their own distinct culture, one that has experienced tremendous turmoil and strife over the years. In many instances, Native Americans have faced much adversity within their personal and social lives, and the exclusion of this culture from many standard offerings in America has led to considerable weaknesses amongst personalities. In many cases, Native Americans are not able to face their personal and social problems without the assistance of drugs or alcohol as a means of coping with reality. Within Native American communities, it is expected that there are varying degrees of support for these processes, and many individuals within these groups possess a variety of complex problems and circumstances.'
Abstract This paper looks at NativeAmerican Women and focuses on the changes in life that the Europeans brought to NativeAmerican women, and the struggles that began. It further discusses the stereotypes that forever influenced these women's lives and relates how these misconceptions still affect NativeAmerican women of today.
From the Paper "The perceptions that have historically been applied to Native American women have often been that they have always been subservient beings, abused by their husbands, who have no choice in their personal destinies (Hoxie). Throughout time various individuals have contended that Native American women were mere shadows in the existence of tribal men, and that slavery was not uncommon for them because it was an element of the world that they were born into. Yet, the research will demonstrate that these philosophies about Native American women were subjective analysis of females that were unknown to those providing critique. It will further show that beneath these suppositions existed the lives of people that historically made tremendous contributions to their cultures, and who currently are the greatest strength that continue the traditions in the Native American tribes. "
Abstract This paper examines the conversion of NativeAmericans to Christianity within Massachusetts as asserted by the Puritans. The author points out that, from the beginning, the religious refugees from Europe into the New World, the majority of whom ironically had left England because they were religious or otherwise social outcasts, attempted to make this world a reflection of their own ideals. The paper relates that their most intense focus for religious conversion (and thus, promulgation) were the NativeAmericans.
From the Paper "European religious assertion upon Native Americans is a fact of American history. From the beginning, the religious refugees from England, the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain who fled to the New World had attempted to make their world a reflection of their own ideals. Ironically, the majority of colonists left England because they were religious or social outcasts. Instead of seeing themselves as the meek, once "freed" to the North American continent, they began to assert themselves in grand fashion. While their efforts occasionally changed another's mind, their most intense focus for religious conversion (and thus, promulgation) were the Native Americans. It is the intent of this paper to examine the conversion of Native Americans to Christianity within Massachusetts over the course of time. The Puritans were an agricultural people. Initially, all successful colonizing efforts from the "old" world were agricultural. "
Abstract This paper discusses the issue of NativeAmerican slavery during colonial times in America. It references books and professional publications to determine the cause of this slavery, how it existed in relation to the slavery of African Americans, who was involved in the slave trade, the politics of the issues, and how the slave trade for NativeAmericans came to an end.
From the Paper "Americans are taught that there have been many injustices throughout history with regard to civil rights. While we learn about the plight of the African American who endured slavery, and the Japanese that were imprisoned in this country after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, there is little that has been written about the enslavement of Native Americans by the British when America was in its infancy. Though the information that is now available is incomplete, it presents a picture of the lives of the Native Americans during this time period that was unbearably harsh and unnecessary. Yet, it is a part of American history that should not be ignored. As colonists began to settle in the United States from England, they had originally begun a trading relationship with Native Americans in South Carolina (Perdue, 2003, p. 670). Native Americans offered labor to the colonists in exchange for manufactured goods from Europe."
Abstract This study is restricted to consider only those NativeAmerican cultures in North America, that are well-known and which provide certain insights into the construction of the spirit world for these particular people. This is still a relatively broad group of people. Nevertheless, there are common themes that run throughout NativeAmerican mythology in North America with regard to the spirit world.
From the Paper "It would be ridiculous to suggest that Native American mythology, specifically regarding the belief in a spirit world, is monolithic. After all, when we are speaking of Native Americans, of whom are we speaking? Should we broaden our discussion to include all the various tribes and cultural groups throughout North and South America? Can we actually expect that beliefs in the Spirit World would remain consistent across such great geographical, climatic, and cultural divides? Of course, such an argument would be reductive and would provide very little useful information regarding the spiritual beliefs of any Native Americans. For the purpose of this study, I will restrict myself to consider only those Native American cultures in North America, and even then I will restrict myself further to those cultures that are well-known and which provide certain insights into the construction of the spirit world for these particular people."
Abstract This paper describes the differing beliefs and outlooks of the NativeAmericans versus the European Colonists in the early 1600s. This author evaluates their differing views on such topics as technology, religion, the environment, women's rights, and slavery. The paper gives an honest appraisal of both sides' views and prejudices about the other. The author concludes that these base differences between the two sets of peoples, the Europeans and the NativeAmericans, were what sparked the distrust held by both nations that endured for hundreds of years.
From the Paper "The European colonists and the Native Americans of North American had very different views on nearly everything they encountered in their lives. Living in vastly different cultures lead both groups to generally have two extremely different outlooks on four main topics; religious beliefs, the environment, social relations, and slavery, differences which the colonists used this to their advantage when conquering the peoples of the New World."
Abstract The Woodlands people lived in three main areas, the upper Great Lakes and Ohio River valley, the Lower Great Lakes, and the coastal region. This paper examines some of the traditions of these NativeAmerican groups, as well as their spiritual beliefs. It looks at their connection to the land, their reverence for all living things, and naming traditions. The paper also touches on the artifacts that accompanied their spiritual rituals.
From the Paper "But for Native Americans, names referred more to spiritual qualities. Lakota men might receive their adult name because of a dream or from something they saw in a ?vision quest,? a purposeful spiritual retreat. Or they could be named for a wondrous deed or a horrid misdeed. No matter how the adult name arose, however, it meant more than Tom, Dick or Harry. The name was meant to draw a connection between the physical person receiving the name and the spiritual things inside and outside of that person."
Abstract This paper examines the attempts of Native-American Tribes to retain their cultural heritage despite many years of repression and attempts by the colonial majority to force its culture on them. The paper looks at the major means whereby NativeAmericans are trying to preserve and even spread their culture amongst the various groupings and tribes living today in the United State of America. The author then goes on to examine the historical background to the American Indian's cultural repression. He examines, in some depth, the rebirth of Native-American literature and oral history and its impact on the Native-American population and attempts to evaluate its success.
From the Paper "Individual Indians seek to define who they are through culture in varied ways, and are frequently challenged by distance. The revival of culture is centered around reservation life. Reservations schools attempt to transmit the traditions of the past, along with language through native reservation schools that teach language through a bilingual system or through submersion programs and yet many Native Americans live far from home and family, as a result of the pressures of modernization and the fact that economic and higher education opportunities are limited on many reservations. To many Indians it is a challenge to meet the goals of a highly connected social network of family and nation as distance creates change that challenges their ability to meld their historical culture with the white culture they frequently live within. Yet, it is also clear that individual definitions of self are strongly associated with family and cultural connections and traditions. It is for this reason that Native American creativity is expressed in novel ways through many avenues and medias as well as the reason why individual and collective vision become a constant recurring theme in many of these interpretations."
Tags:nativeamericans, indians reservations history culture assimilation tradition
Abstract This paper discusses the damage done to the Native-American people as a result of the efforts by the American government to replace the Native-American culture with the dominant white culture. The paper discusses the problems associated with confinement to reservations, limited access to a culturally sensitive educational environment and the unique legal position that Native-American tribes hold. The paper also briefly looks at how the tribal gaming and casino business has helped bring economic prosperity and self-sufficiency to the the Native-American tribes.
From the Paper "All individuals, especially during the years from adolescence to early adulthood must come to terms with one's identity and the society in which they live. The process is frequently difficult and complex. For the Native American, especially the youth, it poses greater difficulty and complexity. They often feel pulled in different directions by two different cultures, including one, which has often to fail to accept them. The impact of United States culture and the combination of acculturation, pluralism, frequent segregation has produced results such as disorganized family life, geographic isolation created by remote reservations, educational deficiencies, alcoholism, to name a few."
Abstract This paper analyzes the controversy over DNA testing. The author uses the very recent case of Kennewick Man, the 9,300 year old remains, to discuss some of the issues involved. While science can learn a great deal from studying such remains, NativeAmericans are opposed to such testing because they feel it violates their beliefs. They do not like the idea of scientists studying and classifying remains, as they feel such studies are often racially motivated and damages their chances of reclaiming artifacts under the North American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. While the Kennewick Man case ended up in court, DNA testing proceeded and failed to uncover any conclusive results, resulting in the return of the artifacts to five NativeAmerican tribes. Cases such as Kennewick Man and a similar aborigine case in Australia have no easy answers; however, non-destructive testing may allow for less invasive treatment of human remains. In any case, the decision to test remains should be left to NativeAmerican descendants, not government committee.
Tags: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY / BIO-ETHICS, nativeamerican remains
Abstract This six-page undergraduate paper compares the tenets of attachment parenting to the teachings and culture of NativeAmericans in terms of birth-bonding, breast-feeding on the cues of the infant, bed-sharing, baby-wearing, and the belief in the signal value of the infant's cry.
