Abstract A discussion of the YanomamiIndians who are shielded by forests, live in almost complete seclusion and are believed to be the last culture to have come into contact with the modern world. This paper examines their family and kinship, food gathering, religion, and their uncertain future. The author also looks at how modernization has already changed much of their traditional lifestyle.
From the Paper "The Yanomami have nuclear families, with what anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon calls a ?male supremacist culture.? Despite the fact that there are more males than females, they prefer sons to daughters, especially as firstborn children. In fact, a firstborn girl may be killed, while a son is usually allowed to live. Furthermore, even though there are not even enough women for each man, 25 percent of the men practice polygyny (Kottak 201).
The Yanomami live in small, concentrated villages, where several nuclear or extended families live under circular shelters called shabono. There could be as much as 65 people living in a shingle shabono, relatives by consanguinity or alliance (Chagnon 1997: 56)."
Abstract This paper is an in-depth exploration of the Hopi Tribe of northern Arizona and the Yanomami Tribe of Brazil and Venezuela. The author contrasts and compares both of these peoples and illustrates the differences, as well as the many similarities between these two cultures that are located so far apart. Some of the topics covered are their individual histories, descendants, culture, patterns of living, religion, the role of their respective governments in their ability to maintain their respective homelands and the role of that agriculture plays in both societies.
From the Paper "The life at the Hopi villages revolves around their religious calendar. The calendar is divided on the basis of the visits of the "Kachinas". The Kachinas are believed to be the ancestral spirits which arrive after the winter and leave at the time when the summer season is at its peak. To recognize and celebrate their stay, colorful ceremonies and dances are arranged in the village plazas. It is believed that such ceremonies are going to benefit the people, plants, animal and spirit life of the tribe. When these Kachinas finally depart from the tribe, stamped images of the Kachinas are given as spiritual gifts. The Katsinam, who perform the public dances, are sacred to the Hopi people, as are the carved Kachinas which have been ceremonially sanctified. The religion is something of prime importance in the Hopi culture."
Extensive bibliography but no footnotes, or endnotes.
Abstract The following paper is a proposal for a larger essay discussing the impact of globalization - especially business globalization - upon the Yanomami people of the Amazon regions of Venezuela and Brazil. The paper provides an annotated bibliography and also suggests some areas of study. In particular, the paper focuses upon the social and cultural impact of globalization upon the Yanomami.
From the Paper "The Yanomami people of Brazil have endured much in recent decades as white settlers and then western corporations violated the formerly pristine lands of the Amazon rainforest and greatly disrupted the indigenous ecosystem. More importantly for our discussion, however, the arrival of late-twentieth century globalization has both greatly impacted the social and cultural life of the Yanomami - and exacted a disturbing toll in terms of loss of life."
Abstract The paper discusses that the term 'Indian giver' has come to be a synonym for someone who gives something, only to take it back. The paper further explains that it was the Indians who were forced to give to the Europeans--their knowledge about farming and fishing in the Americas and ultimately their land. The paper discusses that in Jack Weatherford's book, "Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World," the exchange between Europeans and Native Americans was an unequal one, with Europeans taking of the positive benefits of the New World, while the Indians were doing all of the giving. The paper concludes that unwittingly, the Indians found themselves the recipient of the evils of European civilization, like slavery, and a disrespectful attitude to the land.
From the Paper "According to Weatherford, the early post-Columbian contact of the Europeans with the native populace actually enabled the Industrial Revolution to change Europe, and ultimately the world. "Had Europe and America not come together through Columbus or some other connection, the industrial revolution would never have happened in the way we know it," because Europeans would never have gained access to the metals of the New World, or to Indian mines (Weatherford 57). This contact also generated the money economy of Europe and fueled a shift to a European economy based upon real, hard, convertible currency. Metal-based currency also was critical in fueling industrialism and world trade. By beginning the book with tales of South American encounters with Europe, which were particularly brutal and unequal from the beginning of the Indian-European relationship, Weatherford initiates a tragic tone, explaining how enslaved South American Indians mining gold and silver in Potosi supplied the precious metals for most of the European coins that generated wealth for the Old World at the expense of the liberty of the New World."
This paper reviews and examines Donald Hughes' book "North American Indian Ecology" which focuses on a wide range of ecological and environmental issues faced by Native American Indians in the 20th century.
Abstract This paper explores and details North American Indian life and culture as portrayed in Donald Hughes' book "North American Indian Ecology." This paper discusses the land issues facing the North American Indian tribes including overgrazing, erosion and assessments of appropriate land usage. The writer of this paper finds Hughes' book to be straightforward and concise in clarifying the characteristics of Indian life such as hunting, food growing and rituals.
From the Paper "Tribes are having to mediate the disparate demands of their members and the industrial mindset of the BIA to balance forest use for economic need and preservation for cultural need. Tribes face many of the same problems as non-Native communities held hostage by the timber industry. Replanting has not always kept pace with harvesting on public or trust lands. The push to harvest old-growth timber is constrained by federal mandates to protect endangered species habitats, putting people out of work. Few local communities gain the "value-added" benefits of processing their own timber especially jobs and new businesses and when they do the environmental impact of mill sites has to be factored into any cost-benefit analysis."
Abstract This paper addresses the changes in American Indian warfare during the period of western settlement in the 19th century. It gives a summary of Plains Indian culture and reasons for conflict, and details conflicts between settlers and American Indian tribes. The paper's thesis, borne out in historical research, is that the introduction of horses and firearms made conflicts between US relocation forces and unwilling Indian tribesmen bloodier than necessary on both sides. The author does not take sides on the Native American sovereignty issue.
Abstract The paper explains that Jack Weatherford began to examine the history of the Native American as he discovered that many agricultural products would not have been produced in farming without the knowledge that Indians gave those in the new world. The paper describes how Weatherford further stipulates that it is through these advances in agriculture that the United States has remained a strong contender in the global market ,and that without the influences of the Native Americans on the early settlers those new to America would not have survived. The paper analyzes how, through his work, "Indian Givers: How Indians of the Americas Transformed the World", Volume I, Weatherford brings an insight to a people that most individuals have been negligent in understanding. The paper concludes that it is Weatherford's purpose to demonstrate that Native Americans have been a misrepresented and forgotten people when the history of North America is discussed.
Abstract This paper presents a brief history of the Native Americans of California, focusing on their struggles with colonizing Europeans and their eventual loss of land and civil rights. The paper traces the history of Native Americans in the US back to their arrival in North America from Asia. Next the author describes their settlement and cultures in North America, and California specifically. The paper highlights the arrival of Europeans to Californian, describing the Native American's subsequent loss of loss of land, culture and autonomy. Special attention is paid to the effects of reservations on the Native American population.
Outline:
California Indians Population Decline of California Indian Figure-1: Native California [Census 2000]
Figure-2: Native California Population [Census 2000]
Indian Plight since Columbian Period
Paper includes maps and charts.
From the Paper "This exploitation continued well into the twentieth century and displacement of Native Indian from reserves continued with little or no compensation until the early twentieth century. The enlightened society of the twentieth century began to apply the laws which have been on the statutes for centuries to all Americans. Discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion and sex can not be legally justified anymore. This important factor now provides legal rights and new protection to Native Indians. "
Abstract This paper discusses the public apology made by Kevin Gover, the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, to Native Americans for the harsh mistreatment they received at the hands of the U.S. Government. The paper looks at the many aspects of this mistreatment addressed by the apology, and suggests that, although late in coming, a public apology may open the door to reparations for American Indians.
From the Paper "In his speech, Gover made note of the Dawes Severalty Act, passed in 1887. This act was just one in a long line of examples of the early settlers? inability to understand the ways of the Native Americans. The act was created by whites who believed they were helping weak Native Americans by turning them into farmers and land owners. While this act uprooted the Native Americans from their homes and placed them in reservations, the American government alleged that they were helping, rather than hurting the Native Americans simply because of their belief in the superiority of America and of its culture."
Abstract The military history of British involvement in India began, fully, in 1857 when Indian forces staged a revolt against the British East India Company. The Indian army began as an indigenous force run by British officers. The British role in India, far surpassed the history of British Imperialism anywhere else in the world.
Abstract This paper is an anthropology paper that debates the true reason for resistance to Indian Casinos. The paper wholeheartedly supports the anthropologist Darrian-Smith in asserting that the one of the ultimate reasons for resistance to Indian Casinos lies in the centuries old traditions of non-Native discrimination towards natives, and both traditional and new age stereotyping.
From the Paper "Indian Casinos For much of hundreds of years the American people have variously exterminated, stolen from or assimilated their indigenous peoples. In more recent decades this has turned into milder forms of discrimination and stereotypical conceptualizations. The one enduring theme has been the patrimonial dominance over Native peoples, being the most regulated of all people within the boundaries of the United States. Relegated by land appropriations to remote, often worthless plots of reservation lands, the remnants of traditional Native societies have barely been able to eke out a subsistence living. However, taking advantage of laws previously designed against them, a limited number of Native American tribes have turned to Casinos as a source of revenue to alleviate them from their hardship."
Abstract This paper examines Indian-white relations on the post-revolutionary frontier up to the early 19th century. All social, political, and economic relations are marked by inequality and a dominant-inferior pattern.
Abstract This paper is a review of "One Dead Indian". The position taken is that Edwards completely lacks objectivity and consciously tries to sway the reader. His argument is correct, but he is too artificial in his techniques.
Tags: WRITING / PRO-CON, ARGUMENT, EXPOSITORY ESSAYS, one dead indian
