Paper instructions:
Discussion Goals
Discussion Goals
In this discussion we will consider the varied ways native peoples regionally developed across Native North America, pre- and post- European Contact. First, we will explore Sutton’s historical, geographical, and cultural contextualization of native peoples across North America. Additionally, we will expand on the Native Voice that you selected to follow for your reflexive project, to better understand the lifeways and world view of this individual’s cultural group as well as their neighbors in pre and post contact context. In addition, together we can compare various groups.
In Sutton’s text you have been introduced to the diversity in cultures and vastly different geographies of the territories occupied by the First People of North America. Some First People groups may be more familiar to you because of where you live.
Far from the “uninhabited wilderness” Europeans thought they saw on this continent, North America was populated by millions of people with complex cultures, different languages and civilizations as sophisticated as those in the Old World. Perhaps the greatest chasm between Western thought and the worldview of the First People of North America exists between their different ideas about the land itself. In Western thought, there is a division between “man” and “nature.” For the indigenous peoples of North America, there can be no such separation. By definition, indigenous peoples are communities whose relationship to their “homeland” defines their worldview. Our Western ideas about civilization, in fact, have everything to do with controlling the natural world. The development of the controlling technologies is seen as progressive advancement. In contrast, First People’s tended to see humans and nature as co-existing in a balanced relationship.
This integral relationship of land and peoples is apparent in language and naming. A case in point are the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) who have occupied the regions including New York State for more than 10,000 years. Loosely translated to English, Haudenosaunee means People of (or Builders of) the Longhouse. The Iroquois League was seen as a living longhouse comprised of people and nations stretching across their lands, with the Western Door at the Niagara river and the Eastern Door at the Hudson river. Another image from the natural world that defines the people is the Tree of Peace, the symbolic representation of the Iroquois League.
Many of the world’s indigenous peoples have creation stories telling of their emergence from the land itself. These places, as well as burial grounds and places where significant religious and/or supernatural events have occurred are considered sacred. Forced separation from sacred places has occurred over the centuries from the first contacts in North America, to the present. The historic dislocation, and “scientific” studies of the 19th century, combined with economic development in the 20th century have forever separated most American Indians from the sacred places of their ancestors. Both the peoples of the Iroquois Confederacy, and the Navajo peoples are primary groupings comprised of peoples that have persisted in their homelands. The Cherokee, on the other hand, were forced to migrate. Nevertheless, the meaning of these places lives in the stories and beliefs, as well as the identities of these people. However, all of these peoples have adopted ideas from the Europeans such as Handsomelake’s adoption of various aspects of Christian doctrine from the Quakers and Jesuits, or Sequoya’s Cherokee “alphabet,” or the Navajo’s sheepherding.
Preparation
In order to contextualize your learning, read Sutton (Chapters 3-12) and review web links in the Online Resources that you will use for your Blog entry. Combining the regional settlement patterns of tribes, described in Sutton, with historic and contemporary resources (i.e. maps and culture links) should give you a good framework for understanding some of the experiences of native peoples and their changes over time and space.
Reflect
Taking the points described above into account, develop your understanding of Sutton’s text:
1. In your first posting (Week 5): Amongst Chapters 3-12, focus on the chapter in Sutton that describes the land and cultural area in the pre-contact period that was home to the Voice you selected for your Reflexive Scholarly Project. Create a sense of context for the Voice you selected to study:
• What adaptations in lifeways (material culture, migration, socio-cultural practices) occurred due to their surroundings prior to contact with Europeans?
• What patterns (spiritual, cultural, economic, political) are indicative of a traditional lifeway for this group?
Then, amongst Chapters 3-12, read the chapter/s in Sutton that describe the land and cultural area in the post-contact period (which will likely differ since most tribes migrated, willingly or forced) that was home to the Voice you selected for your Reflexive Scholarly Project. Continue to broaden the context for the Voice you selected to study:
• After contact with Euro Americans what changes did this group make to their lifeways?
• What aspects of culture have Euro-Americans adopted from the societies in this land/culture area?<
2. In your second posting (Week 6): Focus on two chapters about land/culture areas that border the area/s you discussed in Week 5. If you selected a group that underwent a long migration, you may choose post-contact areas to which they relocated.
• How did relationships among these neighbors affect each group?
• How did colonial incursions affect those relationships?
Respond to two posts in your geographic area or neighboring territories. If not enough students have included your selected area, respond to two posts as desired.
In Sutton’s text you have been introduced to the diversity in cultures and vastly different geographies of the territories occupied by the First People of North America. Some First People groups may be more familiar to you because of where you live.
Far from the “uninhabited wilderness” Europeans thought they saw on this continent, North America was populated by millions of people with complex cultures, different languages and civilizations as sophisticated as those in the Old World. Perhaps the greatest chasm between Western thought and the worldview of the First People of North America exists between their different ideas about the land itself. In Western thought, there is a division between “man” and “nature.” For the indigenous peoples of North America, there can be no such separation. By definition, indigenous peoples are communities whose relationship to their “homeland” defines their worldview. Our Western ideas about civilization, in fact, have everything to do with controlling the natural world. The development of the controlling technologies is seen as progressive advancement. In contrast, First People’s tended to see humans and nature as co-existing in a balanced relationship.
This integral relationship of land and peoples is apparent in language and naming. A case in point are the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) who have occupied the regions including New York State for more than 10,000 years. Loosely translated to English, Haudenosaunee means People of (or Builders of) the Longhouse. The Iroquois League was seen as a living longhouse comprised of people and nations stretching across their lands, with the Western Door at the Niagara river and the Eastern Door at the Hudson river. Another image from the natural world that defines the people is the Tree of Peace, the symbolic representation of the Iroquois League.
Many of the world’s indigenous peoples have creation stories telling of their emergence from the land itself. These places, as well as burial grounds and places where significant religious and/or supernatural events have occurred are considered sacred. Forced separation from sacred places has occurred over the centuries from the first contacts in North America, to the present. The historic dislocation, and “scientific” studies of the 19th century, combined with economic development in the 20th century have forever separated most American Indians from the sacred places of their ancestors. Both the peoples of the Iroquois Confederacy, and the Navajo peoples are primary groupings comprised of peoples that have persisted in their homelands. The Cherokee, on the other hand, were forced to migrate. Nevertheless, the meaning of these places lives in the stories and beliefs, as well as the identities of these people. However, all of these peoples have adopted ideas from the Europeans such as Handsomelake’s adoption of various aspects of Christian doctrine from the Quakers and Jesuits, or Sequoya’s Cherokee “alphabet,” or the Navajo’s sheepherding.
Preparation
In order to contextualize your learning, read Sutton (Chapters 3-12) and review web links in the Online Resources that you will use for your Blog entry. Combining the regional settlement patterns of tribes, described in Sutton, with historic and contemporary resources (i.e. maps and culture links) should give you a good framework for understanding some of the experiences of native peoples and their changes over time and space.
Reflect
Taking the points described above into account, develop your understanding of Sutton’s text:
1. In your first posting (Week 5): Amongst Chapters 3-12, focus on the chapter in Sutton that describes the land and cultural area in the pre-contact period that was home to the Voice you selected for your Reflexive Scholarly Project. Create a sense of context for the Voice you selected to study:
• What adaptations in lifeways (material culture, migration, socio-cultural practices) occurred due to their surroundings prior to contact with Europeans?
• What patterns (spiritual, cultural, economic, political) are indicative of a traditional lifeway for this group?
Then, amongst Chapters 3-12, read the chapter/s in Sutton that describe the land and cultural area in the post-contact period (which will likely differ since most tribes migrated, willingly or forced) that was home to the Voice you selected for your Reflexive Scholarly Project. Continue to broaden the context for the Voice you selected to study:
• After contact with Euro Americans what changes did this group make to their lifeways?
• What aspects of culture have Euro-Americans adopted from the societies in this land/culture area?<
2. In your second posting (Week 6): Focus on two chapters about land/culture areas that border the area/s you discussed in Week 5. If you selected a group that underwent a long migration, you may choose post-contact areas to which they relocated.
• How did relationships among these neighbors affect each group?
• How did colonial incursions affect those relationships?
Respond to two posts in your geographic area or neighboring territories. If not enough students have included your selected area, respond to two posts as desired.
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