The American Indian and the Problem of Culture Essay

The Native Americans be perhaps the most culturally storied and richly diversified burnish in the America. Indeed, the historical narrations of the Indian culture, way of life and lifestyle are narrated as rich in strife, struggle as come up as triumph. In fact, a majority of the modern ways of life and lifestyle in the linked States are directly or indirectly inherited or borrowed from the ancient Indian cultures of centuries ago. Yet, most Americans get down for granted the many familiar symbols that trace their origin from the Native Indian Americans. The purpose of this paper is to pull in the culture of the American Indians.The American Indians used various symbols that interwove the tapestry of their lifestyle. Integral symbols such as the totem pole, the teepee, the moccasins and the pink of my John pipe formed a special cultural trait of the American Indians life (Barrett, 2004). Native animals and plants as houses and weather had a special cultural relationship with t he American Indians. For instance, the American Indians revered animals for spiritual believes and ties in spite of their hunting practices. Animal hides and skins made drums and clothes while the meat was preserved and never purposeless to nourish the community. The American Indians believed that the spirit of the animals killed briskd through the community by inhabiting the tribes minds.The American Indians well-bred and later harvest timeed various plants for different reasons and seasons such as making blankets and dyes (Biolsi & Martin, 1989). Weather elements bore cultural meanings, attachments and endearments to the community, as well. For instance, the American Indians believed that the sun and the rain were super born(p) powers and represented a change in the Indians seasons.Totem poles formed a special part of the America Indians culture (Hallowell, 1957). For instance, they believed that every soulfulnesss spirit in the community was attached to particular animals sp irit. Therefore, the community believed that, at death, a persons spirit was absorbed by his or her attached animal to live on or regenerate as another person at birth. As a noble and large wooden carving, the totem pole was framed to represent various animals with a certain animal representing a cherished but deceased member of the family.Today, it is easy to observe a dangling dream backstop hanged from rearview mirrors on cars driving in the United States roads. However, people rarely know or acknowledge the importee of the dream catchers. Indeed, this symbol traces back to the Lakota tribes legendary stories (Hallowell, 1957). It is a symbol of holding onto dearest things in a persons life. In addition, the perforated holes in a dream catcher serve to filter ill feelings and thoughts. Another Interesting aspect of the American Indians culture is smoke signaling. The American Indians used smoke signals to send and relay messages over long distances and bore a proud heritage a mongst the American Indians.The American Indians also believed in spirits and depended on them for the well macrocosm and nourishment of the society (Barrett, 2004). Spirits were tied to various outcomes in the society such as bumper harvest, natural disasters and tragedies and community health. As a result, the spirits were kept pleased to see to the survival and good harvest in the tribe. Sacrifices and offerings were made at sacred places to the spirits. For instance, the Pueblo tribes regarded various plants as sacred while the Aztecs offered human sacrifices to temper the spirits.ReferencesBarrett, C. A. (2004). American Indian culture. Pasadena, Calif. Salem Press.Biolsi, T., & Martin, C. (1989). The American Indian and the Problem of Culture. American Indian Quarterly, 13(3), 261.Hallowell, A. I. (1957). The Impact of the American Indian on American Culture. American Anthropologist, 59(2), 201-217.Source document