Analyze Native American Societies
Soc 161
04-19-11
This essay will analyze Native American societies for world view and cultural and institutional differentiation. In so doing, we will discuss the possibilities or the lack of endogenously generated social change within American Indian societies and cultures. Mainly this essay will concentrate on two important aspects of world view that contribute to conservatism in Native American cultures. The two aspects are as follows, holistic Native American beliefs versus dualistic world views, and in so discussing we will illuminate the reader’s knowledge about the differences in views of purity and salvation. The second important aspect is that of the economic ethic: American Capitalism versus Native American subsistence labor ethic. The reasons why these two aspects are so important in explaining change or the lack of change in Native American communities is because everything is linked to religion and the ceremonies that ensue and the kinships within each community. As one author put it, Native American tribes are like apples and America is like an orange. This is meant as an analogy of how American society is compartmentalized and divided into many parts and Native American society is interlinked.
In northern America there are hundreds of Native American tribes and all have distinct religions with their own distinct creation stories, and each tribe has its own rituals, each with unique ways of giving thanks and honoring the sacred. The one distingsion they all have in common is the idea of this-worldliness and a sense of conservatism. For the Native American community, the world is a gift given by the Creator and should not be changed or altered, it should be conserved and respected with a sense of balance. “To change the order of the given world would challenge the wisdom of the Creator and upset the sacred balance and order of the universe. A people who renounced the sacred ceremonies that give thanks to the creator for health, harmony,
04-19-11
This essay will analyze Native American societies for world view and cultural and institutional differentiation. In so doing, we will discuss the possibilities or the lack of endogenously generated social change within American Indian societies and cultures. Mainly this essay will concentrate on two important aspects of world view that contribute to conservatism in Native American cultures. The two aspects are as follows, holistic Native American beliefs versus dualistic world views, and in so discussing we will illuminate the reader’s knowledge about the differences in views of purity and salvation. The second important aspect is that of the economic ethic: American Capitalism versus Native American subsistence labor ethic. The reasons why these two aspects are so important in explaining change or the lack of change in Native American communities is because everything is linked to religion and the ceremonies that ensue and the kinships within each community. As one author put it, Native American tribes are like apples and America is like an orange. This is meant as an analogy of how American society is compartmentalized and divided into many parts and Native American society is interlinked.
In northern America there are hundreds of Native American tribes and all have distinct religions with their own distinct creation stories, and each tribe has its own rituals, each with unique ways of giving thanks and honoring the sacred. The one distingsion they all have in common is the idea of this-worldliness and a sense of conservatism. For the Native American community, the world is a gift given by the Creator and should not be changed or altered, it should be conserved and respected with a sense of balance. “To change the order of the given world would challenge the wisdom of the Creator and upset the sacred balance and order of the universe. A people who renounced the sacred ceremonies that give thanks to the creator for health, harmony,
Cited: 1. Champagne, D. (2007). Social change and cultural continuity among native nations . Lanham, MD: ALTAMIRA PRESS. PG 35 2. Champagne, D. (2007). Social change and cultural continuity among native nations . Lanham, MD: ALTAMIRA PRESS. PG 34 3. Champagne, D. (2007). Social change and cultural continuity among native nations . Lanham, MD: ALTAMIRA PRESS. PG 29 4. Champagne, D. (2007). Social change and cultural continuity among native nations . Lanham, MD: ALTAMIRA PRESS. PG 41