How Did The Indian Culture Affect The Lives Of Native Americans?

Imagine you're surrounded by a hot and dusty land. No matter where you look all you see is desert. Your resources are limited. Where will your next meal come from? How will you make a shelter when all you see for miles are dead trees and cacti? This is what it may have been like to live as a Native American nomadic tribe member living in the Southwest. The Apache and Navajo people had to be incredibly resourceful and resilient to live in a region that didn't have as many resources as other regions. Since the Apache and Navajo were mostly nomadic tribes, their homes needed to be easily packed up and moved. Because of this, their shelters were often made of less sturdy materials such as brush and animal hides instead of bricks or clay.
There are two main shelters that the Apache created. Brush shelters were the main dwelling. A brush shelter consists of just a simple wooden frame covered with lots of brush. They are as small as a camping tent we would use today, and as a result only used for sleeping in. Many Native American tribes used brush shelters as temporary dwellings when they were camping out in the wilderness. But, the Apache used them on a regular basis because they can be made from materials that they find in their environment. They are also very easy to construct and take apart which is key when you are moving so often in search of food. The Apache also lived in wickiups. They are dome shaped dwellings that were made of animal hide and wood. Large sticks were bent into the dome shape and the animal hides were put on top to protect from cold weather. Wickiups could also be built in a cone shape with one side left open like a door. The wickiups were often maintained and furnished by the women. The Navajo mostly lived in hogans. Hogans are dome shaped dwellings made of bark, poles and mud. The mud acted as insulation to protect against strong weather. Hogans are typically one room houses with a door facing the east. This is because it is the direction in which the sun rises. This would bring in the morning sun and they believed that this would bring them good blessings. Hogans tend to be dark since they did not have any windows, only a hole at the top to let out smoke. Hogans with holes were the family homes because there was often a fire pit in the middle of the room and there needed to be a way to let out smoke. Hogans are more than just a home. They are also used as sweat rooms for men and for religious ceremonies. Hogans are even used today for these ceremonies, not as family homes. They are still considered sacred places by many Navajo people. Hunting and gathering were very important to the Apache since they did not grow their own food.
The men and boys are the ones who hunted and the women gathered. The Southwest is a very hot and dry place so there wasn't much big game to hunt. Instead, the men hunted small game such as rabbits and wild turkeys. Though fish were plentiful, the Apache believed that eating them was taboo. They would not eat bugs, anything with scales, or any animal that ate anything other than plants or seeds. They used bow and arrows to hunt as well as spears. These tools were commonly made from wood and sharpened rock but could also be constructed from bones and other parts of large animals such as buffalo. The Apache also traded for food. They would trade meat for corn with farming tribes including the Navajo and Pueblo tribes. The Apache are known for being fierce warriors. They would often raid other tribes for food as
well. Women would gather many things but cactus and prickly pears were a staple because they lived in dry, hot places in which cactus is very common. They also gathered nuts, berries and other fruits and vegetables. The Apache were constantly moving in search of food. Food was often pounded into cakes and dried or mixed in with jerky. Because there are not very many animals in the southwest, making meat into jerky was a very good way of preserving it. Many people think that the Europeans brought beer and alcohol with them but that is not true. The Apache made an alcoholic beverage before the Europeans called tiswin. It is a light beer brewed from fermented corn. The Navajo ate similar things to the Apache.
The women gathered nuts, herbs and berries while the men hunted small game, some deer and antelope. The main difference between the Navajo and Apache was that the Navajo were farming people. A main staple crop was corn. They also grew beans and squash. These crops are known as the three sisters. The three sisters were essential to the diet of the Navajo and many other Native American tribes. The three sisters came to be because of how much the crops rely on each other to thrive. The beans need a strong stalk to climb up which is why they were planted next to the corn. In turn, the bean roots capture nitrogen and enrich the soil helping a large crop like corn to grow. Lastly, the squash acts as a ground cover to keep away weeds and its large leaves protect and shade the weak roots of the corn. The Navajo often traded with tribes such as the Apache and the Pueblo people. They traded not only food and other goods but they also treated aspects of their culture with the Pueblo tribe. The Navajo actually learned their crop-farming techniques from the Pueblo
people.
The Navajo and Apache were particularly resourceful and resilient tribes. The Apache and Navajo were constantly moving in search of food. They used everything they could find around them to make shelter and maintain a healthy diet. Living in the southwest wasn't easy. Their shelter, food and way of living reflect this.