The Sioux and the Navajo - Coursework Example

Discussing the Gender Roles and Division of Labor: The Sioux and the Navajo Due INTRODUCTION Long before this land took the name the United States of America it was a vast open expanse of unspoiled lands, from deserts to seashores and from mountains to woods. The Native American peoples stretched and spanned the continent developing differing traditions, attitudes, and ideologies across the nation. They all lived in general peace with the natural world until the Caucasian Europeans arrived in the “New World.” At this point the Native Americans became a nuisance, inconvenience, and a roadblock to the European settler’s arrogance and manifest destiny. Native Americans were the victims of genocide; many were killed, abused, and, ultimately, pushed off all of the lands they once called their home and forced into reservations. Most average Americans today know very little about the cultures or racial group displaced by their ancestor’s arrival. The image of the Native Americans in much of literature, television, and film presents a characterization of native peoples based on stereotypes and misrepresentation. The idea of a heathen, savage, which viciously killed and scalped their unsuspecting victims like uncivilized animals, is entirely a creation of centuries of negative racial bias and ignorance. Most Native American societies were quite peaceful, not eager war-mongers. In fact, a large number of native societies were peaceful hunter and gatherers. This means there is an inevitable division of labor among these groups, much of which was determined by gender. It is true that the status of men and women in native societies were directly linked to by gender to the labors they were be assigned. HISTORY Again, the Native Americans populated the majority of this North American continent for many, many years. Anthropologists believe that the origins of the Native American peoples can be traced back to immigration from Eastern Asia up to 30,000 years ago. They likely made this journey following the migratory patterns of prey animals across land bridges, which existed at the time, allowing them to cross the Behring Strait to Alaska. The fertile land and bountiful game made this the ideal environment. Although there were tribes throughout the years, however, their populations as a whole remained quite modest; only 1,023,000 Native Americans were living North of Mexico when the first of the “white men” came (The International History Project). Although all Native Americans do share much in common, as mentioned, different tribes did develop differing ideologies, rituals, and cultural specifics. They are, also, were known to have differing perspectives on gender; the place of men and women and division of labor would often be reflected in that. Some difference is more extreme, while others are quiet subtle. :All the same, each is worthy of deeper reflection and consideration In order to do justice to that difference it is best to discuss, compare, and contrast tribes individually; in this case the Sioux and the Navajo. DISCUSSION Although the Native Americans have very specific gender roles within their societal structure those roles were not designed to be demeaning to one gender and beneficial to another. However, the perception of women would have seemed quite different from the gender roles among European immigrants reflect the patriarchal and sexist ideologies established by Christian beliefs and male control factors. Women were relegated to a secondary existence, motherhood, home-making, and obedience to their male superiors was quite common. Among Native American the perception of women was quite different. Women were more than mothers and wives, quite often they were, also, gatherers, farmers, builders, property holders, and, on rare occasion, warriors. Men understood that women are the source of life and are deserving of a certain amount of respect (The American Indian Heritage Foundation, 2014). Of course this manifested itself in different ways among different tribes. The Sioux There are three major Sioux Nations, the Lakota being the most commonly discussed. The Lakota Sioux are the subdivided into 7 different groups including the Ogolala, which means “Dust Scatterers” and the Sihasapa, which means” Blackfeet.” The Lakota dominated the lands of the Northern Plains. Today their lands would have spread from western Minnesota, Montana to the east, and stretching further north into Alberta, Canada. Originally the epicenter of the Sioux, also, called the Teton, was the Great Lakes regions. Unfortunately, as white settlers moved deeper and deeper into their lands they were forced into migrations and leaving the Great Lakes behind. It was not until the horse was introduced in the 1700s that the Sioux became dedicated to the hunting of Buffalo (Ashraf, 2014). The Sioux were primarily hunters. The Buffalo was the life-blood of the Sioux nation and they lived as nomads in constant pursuit of this necessary beast. The Buffalo was used as meat, shelter, and clothing, along with elk and deer, they had mastered bow hunting and then replaced it with firearms in the late 1800s. Essentially Sioux life centered on family and the hunt. For this reason, growing food in stationary locales was never possible, so gathering was the only option. Gender roles were clearly defined among the Sioux. Men were responsible for the hunt, for providing for his family, and protecting their family. Each man was responsible to live by four “cardinal” rules, bravery, fortitude, generosity, and wisdom. Women were responsible for the home, which included erecting the tipi and raising children; however, along with responsibilities of gathering the wild fruits, vegetables, and edible plants they can find growing. It should be known that women “own” the home. It belongs to her, which helps to validate that the gender roles and division of labor was not formed to oppress or demean women. Women, also, were held to a “cardinal” code, which differs slightly for the men’s, each women must practice bravery, truthfulness, generosity, and childbearing (Ashraf, 2014). Typically men are the physically stronger of the genders therefore put to labors like hunting, fighting, and combat, while women, who bear children, need to care for those children. But the context of these gender roles greatly differs to what we are familiar with. Women are only good for making babies and cooking meals; they are too weak to be of any real purpose, while men are strong and intelligent and therefore superior. This is simply not the mentality among the Sioux. Sioux women held a rather high level of respect and equality of value within society, which can be attributed in part to their mythology. The Sioux believed that the “Father” was the sun and the “Mother” was the Earth. There is, also, a spiritual figure called the “White Buffalo Calf Women” who has sacred and remarked on the importance of women. For this reason the division of labor among the Sioux, specifically, the Lakota, was cooperative not oppressive. Women were not banned from other work when needed. Many women developed bountiful skills. They, also, could become “Medicine Women” and be equally respected as a healer and spiritualist as any “Medicine Man.” There were rare occassions when women shattered gender roles and became warriors (Collins). The Navajo The earliest evidence of the Navajo people appears at around 12,000 to 6,000 BCE, where ice age artifacts were discovered in and throughout New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. It is very likely, say anthropologists that the Navajo may be descendants of the Anasazi Indians, although their cultures differed. The Anasazi “disappeared” as the Navajo culture began to emerge, around 1100 CE. The Navajo were not unfamiliar with thievery, especially after their lands became populated with white and Mexican-born settlers. They were known to primarily raid homesteads for livestock, but were not above taking human prisoners. This would, ultimately, lead too long lasting and deep disdain and resentment for the other throughout the ages. Much like the Sioux, there myths of origins of man and women, their status, purpose, and responsibilities were important as the tribe worked to survive as they were being pushed of their lands (Cavallari, 2014). The Navajo culture was based upon a complex mythology. They believe this world is just one of a number of different worlds that exist. The Navajo emerged into this one. Unlike other native nations the Navajo did not have a designated chief or structured military. The Navajo were simply not very war-like. They gained much through raiding and plundering of others. However, despite thievery and hunting the Navajo preferred a pastoral lifestyle. Some might say they are less a hunter-gatherer society and more of a semi-nomadic, hunter-farming society. The Navajo who referred to themselves as the “Dine,” pronounced Di-Nay, gender roles were incredibly unique, a modern mind might even say progressive. The Navajo acknowledged a total of 5 genders. Of course, male and female, but, also, recognized the “nadleeh,” which refers to someone born of neither gender, a hermaphrodite. Additionally, they acknowledge the existence of masculine-females, and feminine-males. The homosexual and transgendered within the Navajo society had place within it. They would be expected only to participate in the labors and chores that reflect the gender they most identify with (Gontarc, 2010). So visually speaking the Navajo division of labor would include different genders participating in different aspects of daily needs and tasks. Despite their progressive perspectives on gender, gender roles still existed and were expected to be adhered to. Men were still expected to hunt when necessary, steal livestock, preferably sheep, and to provide for and protect the camp. Women, again, live in many tribes, are responsible for the home and children. However, they, also, built the homes, called “hogans,” which are constructed of clay Earth shaped into small domes (Danko, 2012). Again, as with the Sioux, the women “own” the home. Women here, also, expected to tend the crops that these farmers would grow, like squash (Gontarc, 2010). Compare & Contrast Both the Sioux and the Navajo are known for producing clothing, blankets, jewelry, and other forms of woven artwork. The majority of these arts and crafts that provided needs of the tribe, like moccasins and others are goods for sale and trade, were provided by women. Both, the Sioux and the Navajo, indeed have a lot in common. However, their ideologies are definitely differing in many ways. While the Sioux gender roles may be seem more traditional than the progressive attitudes of the Navajo, they still provided a level of respect that changes the view of men and women work and its importance to the society. The Navajo’s view on gender and on gender roles allow for more diversified laborers; one would see feminine-males doing women’s work and masculine- females might be gathered among the men. However, the Sioux’s mythology is, in many ways, more progressive than much of the European traditions brought to this country. The role of women in immigrant European settler society was much more, tremendously and intentionally, repressive, oppressive, and dismissive. Instead, there is level of respect and dignity offered to the Navajo and Sioux women not necessarily always present in other cultures. Ultimately, both the Sioux and the Navajo would be forced their lands and eventually left with little option but to live on the reservations offered by the American government. The relocation process came only after decades of genocide, displacement, murders, starvation, and sickness. However, the hunting-farming and hunting-gathering societies have survived. The majority of Lakota, since in 1890, were relocated to a reservation after the final defeat at the Battle of Wounded Knee. Today more than half of the “registered” Sioux reside at one of the two reservations in South Dakota. The Navajo were not as resistant as the Sioux. After American forces killed all of the Navajo sheep, the Navajo were forced to leave their land behind. This began a trek called “The Long Walk,” a 300 mile journey to Fort Sumner which cost many Navajo their lives. They were ultimately given 30,000 sheep on reservation in 1869. Today this region is called the Navajo Nation, which spans 26,000 miles through parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is so large that the Navajo reservation contains a Hopi reservation within it (Cavallari, 2014). In many ways the Native Americans had little choice but to become hunter-gatherers when they were constantly being pushed aside buy European settlers persistant on expansion they were continually forced to adapt, change, and learn. It was this persistent struggle that will likely lead to the need of structured gender roles was the only way to meet the needs of society. In truth, that is the purpose of gender roles to begin with, however, those roles have greater meaning and value when the statuses of all society’s members are recognized and equal. It is the presence of that respect, cultural relevance, and societal status that allowed, both, men and women to fill their need goals of life and survival with equal responsibility, accountability, and credibility among the Sioux and the Navajo. CONCLUSION Today we know so little about the rich culture, ideologies and traditions of the people that lived across this land, before the white settlers came. The settlers taught others that the Indians were an enemy. Such natives were often called “savages” and “primitive,” but they were, in fact, wise, logical, progressive, and incredibly civilized. There is no doubt that many wrongs and downright atrocities were committed against the Navajo, the Sioux, and all of the Native American tribes; this cannot be undone. Understanding those realities, through studying the ideals, rituals, and beliefs can undo the amount of stereotypes and racial stigmas that have been assigned to them. Today we value diversity far more than we did when the Navajo and Sioux were fighting to survive and maintain their cultures. Learning about the concepts of gender and gender roles is worthwhile. It has proven that division of labor, men hunting and fighting and women gathering, farming and homemaking, is fairly common , however it has a different meaning when the perspectives of gender are equal not oppressive REFERENCES Ashraf, S. (2014). What are the lakota sioux. Wise Geek, 1. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-lakota-sioux.htm Cavallari, D. (2014). What is the navajo nation. Wise Geek, 1. Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-navajo-nation.htm Collins, J. (n.d.). The status of native american women: A study of the lakota sioux. Drake University, 1-14. Retrieved from http://artsci.drake.edu/dussj/2005/collins.pdf Danko, D. (2012). Culture, language and land: Three american indian tribes. American Library Association, Retrieved from http://www.atyourlibrary.org/connectwithyourkids/cultural-heritage/culture-language-and-land-three-american-indian-tribes Gontarc, K. (2010, December 17). Navajo Cultural Constructions of Gender and Sexuality. Trans Bodies Across the Globe Retrieved from http://transgenderglobe.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/navajo-cultural-constructions-of-gender-and-sexuality/ The American Indian Heritage Foundation. (2014). Native american women. Retrieved from http://www.indians.org/articles/native-american-women.html The International History Project. (n.d.). American indians or native americans. In R. Guisepi (Ed.), Destruction of Native American Cultures (p. 1). Retrieved from http://history-world.org/american_indians_or_native_ameri.htm Read More