The Mandan Tribe: Native American Culture And Culture

The Mandan tribe was a Native American group that lived in what is present day North Dakota for hundreds of years before its culmination in the late 1800s. They were very unique and had minimal technologies or or formal civilizations, forcing them to live off the land. The practices of the Mandan tribe were different to those of any other peoples, either today or centuries ago. The Mandans’ way of life, religion, and culture greatly contrast other people and tribes from both when they existed and in the world today. The way of life of the Mandan people is distinctive from that of other civilizations. For example, they had very primitive tools and structures, which made life for them incredibly difficult. The Mandans lived in earth lodges,
They were known for their beautiful art and handicrafts which included, “pottery, baskets… beadwork, quillwork, and hide paintings”(Source C). They were perhaps best known for their buffalo hide paintings which depicted heroic actions of tribe members. Many of the crafts made by the Mandan were worn as jewelry, including many bracelets, necklaces, and earrings that were made with beads. Furthermore, the clothing of the Mandan was special and varied from the clothes worn by other tribes. The apparel worn by the Mandan consisted of, “breechcloths, fringed buckskin tunics and leggings. Warm buffalo robes or cloaks or blankets were also worn to protect against the rain and the cold”(Source B). While men and women wore mostly the same things, women wore dresses occasionally and much less headwear, including beaded feathered bonnets. The Mandan were known for having lots of tattoos, which covered much of their bodies. The Mandan’s rich culture attracted European and American travelers, including the famed Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. The culture of this tribe is just one thing that sets them apart from the
Their religion was based on, “Animalism that encompassed the spiritual or religious idea that the universe and all natural objects animals, plants, trees, rivers, mountains, rocks etc. have souls or spirits”(Source B). Most of the things they worshiped and believed in had to do with nature, such as buffalo. Moreover, they believed that all things, living or not, had souls and would have affects on how well their crops would grow and other such things. The Mandan held ceremonies to worship and honor the spirits of the living and dead. These rituals were held often in order to, “make the crops grow, to bring buffalo to the village, to ensure success in warfare, and