preview

Native American Tribe Essay

Decent Essays

There are hundreds of Native American tribes and millions of people that are within North America that identify themselves as Native Americans. Each tribe has their own unique customs, language, and myths. However, within the confines of this paper I will take a broad view with regards to Native American customs and traditions from a small sample of tribes that were observed prior to the vast expansion of colonizing the west. The Hidatsa people were one such tribe along with a select few other tribes in the Great Plains region of North America that was observed in extensive detail. Their villages and tribal organization consisted of a “chief”, this term meaning anyone who is designated by his authority at a particular moment that is recognized …show more content…

One larger communal hunting trip would be planned months in advance this was considered to a village and not tribal activity. This large hunting trip is a custom of continuing practice that is acknowledged as the total social and economic activity where all is expected to participate. The hunting parties would go in search of large game for hundreds of mile away from the summer camp, leaving only elderly women and small children with the a small force of older men to defend the village. The council would appoint a hunting leader that all men aspired to become at least once. It was customary for former leaders to decline the role hunt leader in favor of someone who has not be …show more content…

(Bowers, A.W., 1992) The village members that planned on searching out their enemies could be seen giving feasts to the older men for advice, checking their riding equipment and ceremonial bundles. Warfare was highly encouraged within the tribes and males hoped to show publicly their military accomplishments. The members of the tribe that were asked to remain in the village to help protect women, children and the elderly were praised just as high as if they returned to the village victories from

Get Access