30 Eye-Opening Native American Information
There are such a lot of misconceptions, myths, and half-truths surrounding my Native folks. Beneath you’ll discover a compelling assortment of Native American info I gathered to share together with your college students. Some could problem your preconceptions, others could pique your curiosity, and lots of extra have the ability to encourage a profound sense of surprise and respect.
These Native American info have been gathered from numerous sources with attentiveness and thorough consideration. But it surely’s essential to keep in mind that these insights solely scratch the floor of the expansive, multifaceted realities of those Indigenous folks. The true essence of Native American ceremonies, traditions, and methods of life usually lies past the confines of textbooks and tutorial archives, handed down via the ability of oral storytelling and firsthand accounts. It’s at all times greatest apply to hunt the reality immediately from the folks themselves. If you happen to search a deeper understanding and connection to who we’re and the historical past of this land, ask us about our story and you will note.
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Intriguing Native American Information
1. There are 574 federally acknowledged tribes in the USA.
This implies these tribes are formally acknowledged by the federal government and might obtain particular applications and providers. Additionally they have sure rights, like making a few of their very own legal guidelines and selections.
2. The large sequoia tree is known as after the Cherokee chief Sequoyah, who invented the phonetic written alphabet for the Cherokee language.
In 1847, Austrian scientist Stephen Endlicher named the coastal redwood timber Sequoia sempervirens. He was doubtless honoring Cherokee chief Sequoya, who created an alphabet with 86 symbols for the Cherokee language. Later, in 1854, a French scientist named Joseph Decaisne used the identical identify for big sequoias, that are associated to the coastal redwoods.
3. Many U.S. state names come from languages of Native American tribes.
For instance, Texas comes from the Caddo phrase taysha (translated to tejas in Spanish), that means “buddies” or “allies,” which highlights the pleasant relationships among the many Native tribes. Equally, Michigan is known as after the Ojibwe phrase mishigama, that means “giant water” or “giant lake,” referring to its location close to the Nice Lakes.
4. Earlier than the colonization of North America, there have been as many as 500 native languages spoken on this continent.
Many native languages have disappeared, however some are nonetheless spoken as we speak. When the final speaker of a language dies, the language is misplaced endlessly. Nonetheless, Native communities are working to protect and revive their languages, with some tribes efficiently bringing again misplaced languages utilizing outdated books and articles.
5. Nike designed a shoe particularly for the distinctive construct of Native American ft.
Nike’s analysis for creating the specialised sneakers included greater than 70 tribes. That shoe is the N7 and was launched in 2007.
6. The Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota tribes all revere the buffalo as a sacred animal.
The three tribes as soon as used each a part of the buffalo, from the hair for rope to the enamel for jewellery and the bones for instruments, weapons, and toys. Nothing was wasted.
7. Birchbark canoes have been mild and sturdy modes of transportation for Native peoples residing close to giant our bodies of water.
To protect their canoes for one more season, the Ojibwe folks would line the canoe with clay and stones and sink it to the underside of the lake. After the winter ice melted, they’d retrieve the canoe and use it for one more yr.
8. “Counting coup” in your enemy is the very best honor in battle.
Killing one other warrior was not as honorable as counting coup on them. Counting coup is achieved when a warrior can contact an enemy with a stick, struggle membership, or whip with out being harmed. On this method, the warrior who counts the coup is displaying the opposite that his life might have been taken, however he’s spared on today. This present of dominance and ability was the very best honor one might earn in battle.
Setting Native American Information Straight
9. Pocahontas didn’t marry John Smith, nor was she a princess.
Bear in mind, films are for leisure, not historic info. She was married to John Rolfe.
10. Native People don’t use the time period “shaman” of their tradition. They use the phrase “medication man.”
Actually, many Native People discover the time period “shaman” offensive. The phrase “shaman” truly comes from Siberia, the place it describes a holy one that interacts with deities and spirits via direct contact, prayer, rituals, and choices.
11. Witchcraft, skinwalkers, and Bigfoot/Sasquatch are all very actual beliefs in Native American tradition.
For instance, the Navajo consider in skinwalkers—shape-shifters who can take the type of animals. Turning into a skinwalker includes violent rituals, and people initiated are thought-about “pure evil.” These legends are deeply rooted in Native American tradition and are as actual to them as another myths are to different cultures.
12. A struggle bonnet (feathered headdress) shouldn’t be a dressing up or ornament, it’s an honor reserved for the best of Native folks.
Struggle bonnets are reserved for warriors who’ve accomplished a large number of deeds in life and battle. They’re earned by a lifetime of nice deeds that your neighborhood acknowledges by gifting you the struggle bonnet. This may occasionally take a lifetime to realize. Evidently, if a Native neighborhood didn’t reward you a struggle bonnet, you shouldn’t be carrying one, nor carrying imitation struggle bonnets—each are disrespectful.
13. Not all Native People lived in teepees.
One of many most iconic symbols related to Native People is the teepee. That is largely due to their depiction in Hollywood movies, but in addition due to the dearth of correct Native American historical past taught in our college techniques. The reality is Native housing/dwellings have been simply as various as our language and tradition. Every geographic area provided its personal particular pure assets, which have been utilized for dwellings. For instance, the arctic tribes used igloos, the river tribes made mud properties, desert tribes used adobe, and the woodlands tribes constructed longhouses. These are however just a few of the varied number of properties Natives lived in.
14. Sure, Native People should pay taxes.
Federally acknowledged Indian tribal governments don’t pay federal earnings tax however should pay employment taxes for his or her staff. Nonetheless, particular person members of those tribes should pay federal earnings and employment taxes, similar to different U.S. residents.
15. Alaska Natives favor to be known as “Inuit” for plural or “Inuk” for singular.
The phrase “Eskimo” is virtually a racial slur and has nothing to do with arctic tribal tradition.
16. The Inuit phrase “igloo” shouldn’t be used strictly for a shelter constituted of snow and ice.
“Igloo” refers to any dwelling the place somebody lives. Subsequently, the home you reside in now could be an “igloo.”
Exhausting-To-Face Native American Information
17. Many tribes as we speak are nonetheless not acknowledged by the U.S. authorities as sovereign nations.
Some tribes, regardless of being the unique inhabitants of this land, are nonetheless not acknowledged by the federal authorities. For instance, the Ohlone of California are nonetheless combating for federal recognition.
18. Lots of of tribes nonetheless don’t have any rights to their ancestral land.
Though there are over 500 federally acknowledged tribes in the USA, greater than 200 of them are with out land rights. This quantity doesn’t issue within the tribes which are nonetheless combating for federal recognition.
19. Greater than 10,000 Native folks died on the Path of Tears.
In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removing Act, which forcibly eliminated tribes from Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and different states and despatched them to Oklahoma. Greater than 10,000 Native folks died throughout the compelled journey.
20. U.S. and Canadian boarding faculties stole Native youngsters.
Throughout the period of the boarding faculties, Native youngsters as younger as 4 years of age have been stolen from their households and positioned in boarding faculties. The U.S. coverage was “kill the Indian, save the person.” 1000’s upon hundreds of Native youngsters have been systematically taught to overlook their tradition, their language, and their identification. They have been abused bodily and sexually, and lots of by no means made it house. Mass grave websites are being found round boarding faculties in each the USA and Canada as we speak, sparking the Each Baby Issues motion.
21. It’s estimated that from the yr 1492 to 1900, greater than 100 million Native People died prematurely on account of the invasion of Europeans.
That is the results of colonialism that introduced on, amongst different issues, genocidal violence, illness, wars, compelled relocation, and destruction of meals sources. Since 1900, many Native folks in the USA have died due to the lasting results of colonialism and ongoing racism. It’s arduous to know the precise variety of Native deaths throughout a lot of the twentieth century as a result of there isn’t sufficient info accessible. Nonetheless, it’s estimated that round 200,000 Native deaths could have occurred as a result of these issues since 1900.
22. The buffalo have been nearly hunted to extinction in an try and subdue the Plains tribes.
As soon as upon a time, you might look over the Nice Plains and spot a thunderous herd of buffalo roaming the tall grasslands. Their numbers have been estimated to be greater than 60 million. The U.S. navy strategically worn out the buffalo as a way to weaken the tribes that trusted the buffalo for his or her livelihood. The horrific marketing campaign of slaughter labored, because the buffalo have been almost hunted to extinction.
Inspiring Native American Information
23. A 22-year-old Tarahumara girl gained an ultramarathon whereas carrying sandals and a skirt.
Maria Lorena Ramirez of the Tarahumara tribe beat 500 different opponents from 12 totally different international locations in a 50-kilometer (31-mile) ultramarathon race … all whereas carrying her conventional clothes and Tarahumara-style sandals constituted of recycled tires.
24. It took greater than 8,000 troopers to seize the final band of free Apache.
It took roughly 5,000 U.S. Military personnel, plus 3,000 Mexican troopers, and about 1,000 volunteers to carry them in for give up.
25. Native dogsled mushers helped save Nome, Alaska, from a diphtheria outbreak.
Throughout the 1925 diphtheria outbreak in Nome, harsh winter climate made it unattainable for any airplane or automobile to make it to the villages to ship the serum wanted to struggle the illness. Nonetheless, a group of sled canine racers was put collectively to ship the remedy. A few of these mushers have been Native People. This actual occasion impressed the movie “Balto.”
26. John Herrington was the primary Native American to journey to house.
Herrington accomplished three house walks. He’s an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation. He additionally introduced alongside cultural artifacts and objects similar to eagle feathers, sweetgrass, arrowheads, and wood flutes on his journey via house!
27. Regardless of having his sneakers stolen earlier than the race, Native American Jim Thorpe went on to win two Olympic gold medals.
Olympian Jim Thorpe had already had a tough life with the lack of his twin brother on the age of 9 and the lack of each his mother and father shortly after, making him an orphan. After which anyone determined to steal Jim Thorpe’s sneakers proper earlier than his Olympic race. Effectively, that didn’t cease Jim. He pulled two observe sneakers out of the trash … they usually have been from two totally different pairs of sneakers. Actually, one of many sneakers was so massive, he needed to placed on further socks to maintain them on his ft. Did that cease Jim? Nope—Thorpe went on to win two gold medals!
28. As soon as forbidden in the USA, the Navajo Code Talkers’ language was used throughout WWII to assist win the struggle.
Their language was as soon as forbidden by this nation, however throughout World Struggle II, the Navajo Code Talkers used their language to assist win the struggle. Though the Japanese have been capable of crack lots of the U.S. codes, the Navajo Code was by no means damaged.
29. Lily Gladstone was the primary Native American girl to win a Golden Globe for greatest actress.
Lily Gladstone (Piegan Blackfeet and Nez Perce) was the first Native American girl to win a Golden Globe for greatest actress. This isn’t solely a win for her and any Native youngster with a dream, but in addition an indication that Hollywood is making an attempt to diversify the panorama of appearing.
30. The Apache Dawn Ceremony requires ladies to quick, dance, and pray for 4 days as they transition into womanhood.
The Apache coming-of-age ceremony generally known as the Dawn Ceremony is a particular time to honor the transition of Apache ladies into womanhood. The ladies quick, run, and dance all evening and day. Every lady’s household and neighborhood collect to encourage her via constructing, tune, dance, and prayer. The ceremony itself lasts 4 days, however the entire means of constructing and breaking down camp can take weeks.
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