Native Indians' way of life

Native Indians' way of life

1. Family and marriage

   • Band consisted of 10-50 members
   • Men's duties
     • Looking after horses
     • Protecting the band
     • Judged by...
       • Skill as hunters
       • Skill as warriors
       • Skill as horsemen
   • Women's duties
     • Judged by...
       • Craft skills
       • Homemaking
     • The tipi
     • Preparing food
     • Fetching water
     • Making clothes and other items
   • Arranged marriages in some nations
   • Rich men had serval wives (POLYGAMY)
     • To ensure all woman were cared for
     • So there was enough childern

2. Childern

   • Highly valued
   • Didn't go to school- learnt skills from parents
   • Taught how to survive on plains

3. Old people

   • Gave advice in council
   • Passed on history
   • Involved in bringing up childern
   • IF TOO WEAK/ OLD LEFT BEHIND

4. Custom and tradition

   • If someone broke rules
     • Would be shamed/ humiliated
       • An effective punishment
     • In extreme cases: would be banished

5. Decision making by council and chiefs

   • Cheifs
     • Were chosen because of...
       • Wisdom
       • Spiritual power
       • Hunting/ warrior skills
     • Great chiefs
       • Red cloud, sitting bull
   • Council
     • Important decisions made by council
     • Took advice from...
       • Medicine man
       • Chiefs
       • Elders
     • Smoked ceremonial pipe so spirits would help them make good decidions

6. Buffalo

   • Clothing
     • Buffalo parts: Fur, tanned hide, rawhide and sinews
     • Uses: Belts, bags, masks, clothes, snow shoes, jewwllery
   • Homes
     • Buffalo parts: intenstines, horns, fat, dung, bones
     • Uses: buckets, cooking vessels, soap, knives, paint brushes, cups
   • Religion
     • Buffalo parts: dung, skull, gall, heart
     • Uses: smoked in special ceremonies, yellow paint, sacrifical
   • Warfare
     • Buffalo parts: heart, rawhide, bones, tail
     • Uses: to give warriors strength+ power of buffalo, shields, whips, arrowheads