Enhancing the Awareness of Navajo Indians Michele Amoroso, Holly Bulian, and Tara Smallidge Loyola University Enhancing the Awareness of Navajo Indians Native Americans are composed of numerous, distant tribes, bands and ethnic groups, many of which survive as intact, sovereign nations. Once a self-governing, self-sufficient people, America Indians were forced to give up their homes and their land, and to subordinate themselves to an alien culture. From the origin of their tribes in the 1500’s to the early nineteenth century, American Indians have experienced oppression. Today, American Indians are more numerous than they have been for several centuries (Andersen & Collins, 2012). Today, Native Americans have a unique …show more content…
Life expectancy on the reservation is 48 years old for men and 52 years for women. These statistics are far from the 77.5 years of age life expectancy in Chicago, Illinois. The USDA Rural development documents state that Navajo (Lakota) have the lowest life expectancy of any group in America. Teenage suicide rates are roughly 150% higher than they are for the rest of the country, 15.8% for attempted suicide in Chicago, IL (Chicago List, 2012). In addition infant mortality rate is the highest on this continent and is about 300% higher than the U.S national average. More than half of the reservation’s adults battle addiction and disease, such as alcoholism, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and malnutrition. There is a federal commodity food program but it supplies mostly inappropriate foods such as high sugar and carbohydrates. Lastly, U.S Government and Indian Nations agreed to provide adequate medical care for Indians in return for vast quantities of land. However, the appropriation is very small compared to what is needed. Most families live in isolated rural areas, and there are few paved roads to access health care. Weather is also an obstacle on the reservation such as severe winds and temperatures reaching over 110 degrees, which makes it difficult to travel. (Keshena, 2010). Culturally speaking, Navajo’s do not have to live in villages. Their family structure consists of banding together in small groups, often near a
From its birth, America was a place of inequality and privilege. Since Columbus 's arrival and up until present day, Native American tribes have been victim of white men 's persecution and tyranny. This was first expressed in the 1800’s, when Native Americans were driven off their land and forced to embark on the Trail of Tears, and again during the Western American- Indian War where white Americans massacred millions of Native Americans in hatred. Today, much of the Indian Territory that was once a refuge for Native Americans has since been taken over by white men, and the major tribes that once called these reservations home are all but gone. These events show the discrimination and oppression the Native Americans faced. They were, and continue to be, pushed onto reservations,
The Native Americans lived on millions of acres of land in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida, they inherited all of these lands from their ancestors who cultivated for generations. According to Elias Boudinot the natives considered themselves to be just as equal as the Whites, he states, “What is an Indian? Is he not formed of the same materials with yourself?” (Boudinot, 1826) The natives saw themselves to be no different from the Whites, in fact they cared for one another as a whole, they lived in kinships, where there was never an Indian left alone without a family. They followed a society based off of the concept of interdependence, they had in their mind that everything is dependent of something. The Indians were very advanced, and were able to prosper in their society, although the Whites believed otherwise, and believed that the natives were uncivilized.
By 1940, Native Americans had experienced many changes and counter-changes in their legal status in the United States. Over the course of the nineteenth century, most tribes lost part or all of their ancestral lands and were forced to live on reservations. Following the American Civil War, the federal government abrogated most of the tribes’ remaining sovereignty and required communal lands to be allotted to individuals. The twentieth century also saw great changes for Native Americans, such as the Citizenship Act and the Indian New Deal. Alison R. Bernstein examines how the Second World War affected the status and lives of Native Americans in American Indians and World War II: Toward a New Era in Indian Affairs. Bernstein argues
The Navajo Indian is the largest tribe in North America, how did their culture develop over time and where are they today in regards to modern times?
Since the arrival of the Europeans in 1492 the Native American has systematically been dehumanized, decivilized and redefined into terms that typify a subordinate or minority role, restricted life opportunities persist today as a result.
The Navajo Nation is the largest Native American group in America today, and is the biggest Indian reservation in the United States. Situated in the northeastern part of Arizona and in the northwestern part of New Mexico, it is comprised of nearly ten million acres, or roughly fifteen thousand square miles. In this research paper the author will discuss at least three aspects of the Navajo culture that will include the kinship that the Navajo have with each other, the social structure within Navajo society, the economic organization that sustains the culture and their beliefs and values that
American culture is made up of many different people, and many of those people come from Indian tribes. The United States Governments Federal Register lists 566 tribes recognized as of August 2012. One of those tribes is the Navajo which can be found primarily in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Navajo culture is one that many people associate with by what is portrayed in movies. People view the culture as land raiding individuals that pillaged and wreaked havoc with anyone and anything they came in contact with.
The Native Americans have come across long journey of difficult times since the occupation of their land by European settlers. There are still two sides of a coin- a world of civilization and a world of underdeveloped society in this one country- USA. The paradox is that the constitution which seems to be a model of democracy to many nations of the world lacks a lot for not acting accordingly. Those organized and unorganized struggles of Native Americans were challenged by the heavily armed white majority settlers. This history is among the worst American experience because of the massacre and the violation against human right. In order to be heard, they protest, occupy land, and write books. The Native Americans have raised several
Native Americans have felt distress from societal and governmental interactions for hundreds of years. American Indian protests against these pressures date back to the colonial period. Broken treaties, removal policies, acculturation, and assimilation have scarred the indigenous societies of the United States. These policies and the continued oppression of the native communities produced an atmosphere of heightened tension. Governmental pressure for assimilation and their apparent aim to destroy cultures, communities, and identities through policies gave the native people a reason to fight. The unanticipated consequence was the subsequent creation of a pan-American Indian identity
In the nineteenth century, most Americans believed that their prosperity ultimately meant the prosperity of the Native American tribes as well, even if it meant the destruction of their culture and the committing of numerous atrocities against women and children. Hence, out of this belief came the process that was called “Americanization,” by which Native Americans were forced to relinquish their cultural identities to the government and adopt American customs and values, as dictated by various policies enacted to
The Native American ethnic groups of today, are nothing compared to their ancestors. The treatment, hostility, and silver tongues of the past damage can never be fixed no matter how many words, medals, promises, and gifts you give them. The late Native American culture and its ethnic groups have been unfairly mistreated and misrepresented with lies from propaganda, breach of treaties, and harsh antagonization from American business owners and regular people alike. These actions have put a horrendous reputation on the local native ethnic groups, from past to present, that some Americans may never understand.
The American Indians have lived in the United States since the beginning of this nation. Divided in small groups called tribes, they lived in harmony. With a great sense of spirituality, the Native Americans worshiped nature, the moon, sun, rain, earth, etc. Without exploitation, they learned how to use the natural resources to survive, having as their principal occupation hunting, fishing, and farming. However, when Europeans colonist came to America looking for freedom of religion or economic opportunity, the Indian’s peaceful life was interrupted. Natives Americans never imagine the real, painful, and bloodiest war they will face against the colonist with the only purpose to keep and defend their land.
Recently on a Saturday morning while ignoring my traditional routine, I opted to make a run to my local Albertson's bakery to acquire some donuts for a nutritional family breakfast. In doing so, I swung my car into its usual parking spot as if on auto drive. I opened my door on this unusually brisk morning to witness something that shook my comfy cozy surroundings. A mother and father were standing against a jalopy of a car the color of an Olympic gold metal gone unpolished for aeons. But what I saw, past the father's cardboard sign, was a gut wrenching sight of three children peering out of the auto's open window. Although these children had uncombed hair, dirty faces and runny noses, they bore
Native Americans have been forced out of their culture over time, forced into assimilation, lost their rights, and have lost their land due to policies and laws by the whites that can’t bear the Native American way of life. There used to be many Native American tribes all throughout North America, and now these tribes are spread across the country and are blended into the rest of the population. The native ways have changed drastically in the last two centuries due to relocation programs, Indian boarding schools, and the way to classify which tribe each person belongs to. Native Americans have endured so much pain, which results from everything they have lost over time, and they have constantly paid the price for their ethnicity.
There is only one old man sitting on a bench, his name is John. He is a very wealthy man with great success. He owns many companys that sells anything dealing with school supplies. His family consists of his wife Ana, his daughter Bella, and his son Jack. His kids moved out of his house when they were both 20, now they are both 35 and 37. His daughter is doing just fine in life, she has a husband and is starting a family with him. She also has a very good job that pays great money. His son on the other hand isn't doing so good. He is homeless and he doesn't want to ask his dad for help because he will be to embarrassed. His son finally got enough courage and asked his dad for help and this changed his life for the better. HIs dad