A Cultural Analysis of Native American Culture of the 1800s

    Native-American culture is one that is so rich and vibrant that often times their culture becomes a symbol to represent what remains of their society. Their livelihood and existence is comprised of spiritual elements and, often, involve elements that are intangible and based off of belief and folklore. Vicki Rozema offers us true accounts from Native-Americans suffering through the Trail of Tears, and from this work we can all realize some of the horrors endured from one of the darkest times in American history. One of the Native-American voices that speaks from this time even says, “Our ancestors lived here—they enjoyed it as their own in peace—it was the gift of the Great Spirit to them and their children.” There is a certain ambiguity and mysticism in the culture that one cannot simply observe and learn; it is a way of live that must be lived and experienced to truly understand. To better understand Native-American life, David Minthorn reports about the process of creating tools for everyday life.“The old people who knew how, made what they called dirt pots and dirt bowls. To make them they took clay and formed it in the shape desired and turned these bowls over the fire and smoked them and when they were done they would hold water and were very useful.” As they view the world, in peace, love and harmony, living frugally and with humility, it is in this unique atmosphere that creative arts and cultures would come to life.

    The analysis of basket-weaving, although it may have little significance as evidence in history compared to its richness in arts, can still help identify and better understand, not only the cultures of Native-American lives, but the lives that these Native-Americans lived. “Woven from grasses and reeds, roots, tree bark, and other natural fibers, baskets served tribal societies as a way to transport and store goods and game, carry infants, and cook and serve meals. They were used in sacred rites and as gifts and heirlooms.” That statement alone, helps to understand Native-American life through the many components of their cultures. The beauty in their tools and technology is that it serves many purposes, maximizing practicality, resource utilization and implementing aesthetic features to reflect their creative expression. Basket-weaving, a tradition that began for its practical use for thousands of years, is still significant in Native-American societies today and is more commonly used as decorative pieces because of the intricate beauty and process needed to create each piece. The importance of basket-weaving, as a mode of culture, is the reflection of a tradition that has been passed on. It reflects the “traditional” way-of-life that Indians live and the importance of these traditions in everyday life. It, also, helps us to realize the life we could be living if not for early American expansion and the impact of early American-Indian relations within this nation.

Sources

David Minthorn, “Each Basket Tells a Rich and Many-Textured Story,” The Record (October 2003): 31.

Michael Morris, “Georgia and the Conversation over Indian Removal,” Georgia Historical Quarterly 91/4 (2007): 422.

Vicki Rozema, Voices from the Trail of Tears (Winston-Salem, NC: John F. Blair Publisher, 2003), 3.