Native American culture and society explored at TheWildWest.org. American Indians lived life in love with nature.
Their wisdom showed in everything - their capacity for harmony with the
environment, what they wore, what they created, what they ate and how
it was prepared, in their home life and importance of family and in
their philosophies and beliefs. It would be impossible to tell the
whole story of the American Indian, or even one people within the
whole. Not only because there is so much to know, but because
"historical" information is often incomplete, inaccurate or totally
nonexistent. These offerings provide a brief and basic look into a few
of literally hundreds of American Indian tribes and bands that existed in North America
before the arrival of European influence. The brief and basic looks are
intended to spark interest and serve as a jumping off point for your
pursuit of those peoples, traditions and beliefs which most interest you.
Note: This is a work in progress. More Indian Tribes coming soon.
Europeans first came to North America in the 16th- and 17th-century, At first, the Natives regarded their lighter skinned visitors as something of an intrigue, not only for their clothing, jewelry and hairstyles but also for their great technology, huge ships and varied weapons such as steel knives, swords and cannon.
But they soon found out that Europeans did not hold the same values as they did when it came to nature and the environment. Much like it is with certain people today, nature to the Europeans was more of an obstacle or commodity, something to be either abused or conquered. The sole purpose of a beautiful forest was how many board feet of lumber it could produce; animals were only worth what their pelts could bring on the market, Indians were yet another commodity when it came time for Christian conversions. The more, the better. The Europeans also brought with them diseases that were unheard of in America and they devastated the Indians. Conflicts developed between the Native Americans and the Europeans, who began arriving in ever greater numbers. The conflicts led to the Indian Wars and much carnage on both sides. Then, The Indian Removal Act in 1830 and other acts were instituted by the Europeans in order to accomplish their various objectives. And they were largely successful because the nomadic lifestyle of the Indian tribes caused an unwillingness to cooperate with one another plus they were at a huge disadvantage due to their lack of advanced weaponry.
The end of the Indian wars coincided with the end of the 19th century. The last major conflict was what became known as the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 in which Indian warriors, women, and children were slaughtered by U.S. Cavalrymen at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. It is an event that is remembered and honored by Native Americans and European descendants alike,. Some believe this was the final horrid stain in American History but a look through these pages will show you that the American Indian Tragedy continues today with the poverty of Indian reservations.
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