Indian name. Indians of North America

In the adventure novels of Fenimore Cooper and Mine Reed, which most of us read in childhood, the Indians appear as bloodthirsty, uneducated savages. However, in total, more than 2000 nationalities settled on the mainland with their own culture, language and customs. And the differences between the tribes were often cardinal!

Where did the Indians come from

There are many hypotheses about where the first settlers came from in North America. Some scientists suggest that these are the descendants of the Egyptians, who knows what by sea reached the neighboring continent. Others put forward an extravagant version that the Indians are the descendants of soldiers who survived the Trojan War. Researchers of the disappeared tribes of Israel insist on Jewish roots. There is an option that people settled New World from 50 to 20 thousand years ago, having come from Siberia along the so-called Beringian bridge - the isthmus between Asia and America that disappeared later. As for the name ... Everyone knows the story of how Columbus, who accidentally discovered America, thought that he had arrived in India.

The Europeans who arrived in the New World recognized the Iroquois as the most developed tribe. They were engaged in agriculture, mastered crafts, periodically sluggishly clashed with their neighbors. But the main difference was that they, in a sense, created a prototype contemporary politics USA: Their confederation was democratic and developed system of government. The ladies dominated the council: it was they who decided the fate of the tribe. Later, matriarchy outlived its usefulness - fighting for supremacy in the extraction of fur, the Iroquois attacked their neighbors, using cruel torture. By the way, they didn’t get their name because of their hairstyles: in the language of the Algonquian tribe, this word means “vipers” - pacifism has clearly gone out of fashion. But the Iroquois gave modern name contiguous state - "Canada" in translation from their language means "village".

The main enemies of the Iroquois are the Hurons. They also competed for a monopoly in the fur trade, so skirmishes were regular. Against the background of the neighbors, they looked quite peaceful: the vegetarian diet consisted mainly of maize and beans, only on holidays they allowed themselves a ritually prepared dog. The Hurons did not survive the missionary activity of the French - they brought plague and famine to their villages.

The Cherokee resisted the Europeans longer than others, but in the end they were forced to surrender and accept Christianity, adopt a culture and customs alien to them. Government new country forcibly evicted the Cherokee to badlands, where they died. This tribe was quite civilized: the leader of the Sequoia, for example, developed his own letter, so the Indians knew how to read and write, however, in their own way, and even published newspapers. Cherokee blood flows in the veins of Barack Obama, Johnny Depp, Quentin Tarantino.

Apaches are a symbol of Indian resistance to Europeans. Their leader Geronimo gained worldwide fame: he led guerrilla war for quite a long time, in the end he was caught, but not executed - he was taken to exhibitions and replicated photographs of this peculiar brand of a fading culture. The famous wigwam ("house") was the main dwelling of the Apaches - the rest of the inhabitants North America sheltered in conical tents.

Beothuks

Thereby Indian tribe all Indians received the impartial nickname "Redskins". They were among the first to meet Europeans on the continent, and the guests, seeing the faces painted with ocher, called them that out of fright. By the way, the natural skin color of the Indians is white or swarthy. Very popular in Canada tragic story a woman from this tribe named Demasduit, who died in captivity. It was she who left information about the grammar and features of the Beotuk language.

The fall of civilization

Having received horses and weapons from the colonialists, Indian tribes began to explore the prairie. Since the Europeans gradually drove the natives out of the fertile lands, they had to leave for the steppes. The main source of food for them was the bison, from the skin of which they also sewed clothes and shoes. The classic image of an Indian with an eagle feather headdress, leather boots, a tomahawk and an Indian bow appeared there. But life on the reservations was not sweet: they were forbidden to practice their own religion and their children were taken away. Gradually, from hopelessness, people began to drink too much - their enzyme system could not stand the fight against alcohol, and civilization began to fade.

Modern Indian tribes- Cherokee, Navajo, Sioux and Chippewa - live below the poverty line, despite tourism, casinos and tax-free tobacco trade. Disease, alcoholism and unemployment are a real scourge on the reservations. It seems that the great nation is on the verge of final extinction. And today, August 9, on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, I would like to wish not to repeat the mistakes of the European colonialists, but to preserve the culture and customs of people, no matter what nationality they belong to.

Animation program "Pathfinder's Path"

ETNOMIR, Kaluga region, Borovsky district, Petrovo village

All year round ETHNOMIR is visited by schoolchildren and students from all over the country. The Center successfully cooperates with leading educational institutions Russia and the world. We have youth gatherings, shifts of children's summer camps, we accept school groups, offering ready programs with a set of thematic excursions and master classes.

Coming to the ethnographic park with a group of schoolchildren or students, you can additionally choose an animation program for any educational tour. ETHNOMIR presents to your attention games for strength, speed and ingenuity, traditional entertainments of different peoples of the world, exciting quests, gatherings by the fire, ethnic dances and adventures in an Indian tribe. While playing, children expand their understanding of the world around them, experience a natural desire and need to learn new things, develop communication skills, and form a personality.

street game is an interactive adventure during which participants will get acquainted with the culture of the North American Indians!

As well as the territory of Hawaii and Alaska, they are the remnants of tribes and ethnic groups, some of which live on their sovereign territories, reservations, where their own laws apply. Indians or Native Americans often refer to themselves simply as Indians or Indians, and the younger generation often uses the word native or Natives. The term Indians was adopted among the white colonists, the term was the same for the press and scientific groups that studied indigenous people North America, but Alaskan and Hawaiian Natives may refer to themselves differently, such as Native Hawaiians or Alaska Natives, such as the Inuit, Yup'ik, and Aleut, natives of Canada are called First Nations.

Story

The migration of Europeans to the territory of the modern United States began in the 15th century, from that time a conflict of interest began between the colonialists and the indigenous people, who were gatherers-hunters and preserved their traditions in oral, from that time the first written evidence of the existence of the American Indians began to appear. The Indians were the complete opposite of European newcomers with their Christian, cultural, social and industrial traditions.

A third of all Indians in the United States now live on reservations, and the area of such territories reaches 2% of the territory of the United States.

Nevertheless, Indians are the poorest and most unfortunate part of the American ethnic group, unemployment among Indians is five times higher than the national average, compare unemployment among African Americans is twice the average. A quarter of all US Indians live below the poverty line, they suffer from diseases and social vices many times more often than the average US resident. Among the Indians, there is a high birth rate, the average age of an Indian is 29.7 years, the average American is 36.8 years. The Indians enjoy special benefits from the government, for example, secondary and higher education is always free for them, but the Indians themselves do not want to study, the number of people with higher education among them is much lower than the national average.

American Indians began to forget their languages, only 21% of them speak their own mother tongue, which is really not surprising for a country like the United States, when immigrants in the second generation cannot speak a word in the language of their parents.

Nevertheless, now the Indians can be seen in all sectors of society and the economy, among them there are prominent politicians, journalists, economists, scientists, programmers, film actors, doctors and the like.

Today Indians continue to migrate to urban areas, 70% of Native Americans live in cities and suburbs, especially in Minneapolis, Denver, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Tucson, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Houston, New York and Rapid City. Problems such as racism, unemployment, drugs and gangs have not bypassed the Indians.

Music and art

Native American music is quite primitive, it may include drumming, various rattles, flutes and whistles made of wood or reeds, although there are some Native Americans who have appeared in popular pop music in the USA, including Rita Coolidge, Wayne Newton, Jean Clark, Buffy Saint -Marie, Blackfoot, Tori Amos, it can be noted that Elvis Presley had Indian roots. Every year in New Mexico and Albuquerque festivals of Indian music are held, usually drum music.

Indian tribes are very skilled in ceramics, paintings, jewelry, weaving, sculpture and wood carving.

In 1990, a law was passed according to which in the United States it is forbidden to identify works of art with Indian culture if the author is not an Indian, which received a mixed reaction in society and even difficulties for Indian artists and craftsmen.

Territory	Tribes
North America Subarctic zone	Algonquin, Cree, Ojibwa, Ottawa
northeastern forests	Huron, Iroquois, Miami, Mohican, Shawnee (Tecumseh)
southeastern forests	Cherokee, Choctaw, Lement, Knoopwell, Natchezie, Seminole
great plains	Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Comanche, Pawnee, Sioux, Lakota
Northwest coast	Chinook, Tlingit, Tsimshian
Deserts of the Southwest	Apache, Navajo, Pueblo, Hopi, Mojave, Shoshone
Central America	Maya, Toltec, Olmec, Aztec, Quiche
South America	Inca (Quechua, Aymara), Guarani, Mapuche, Shipibo, Conibo

Tomahawk from the horn of a deer throughout the history of the Indians served as a symbol of the valor of a male warrior. This is a hatchet with a long handle. The design of the tomahawk has evolved. The most ancient form of this melee weapon was the caribou antler tomahawk. A flint point was inserted into a short cut off process of such a horn, and later a metal blade. The long shoot served as a handle. Its lower part was decorated with suede fringe. Later, the handle was made of wood, traditionally decorated with fringe, and a metal blade was inserted into the upper end. When the Indians of the Prairie met the Europeans, they began to present tomahawks, combined with a peace pipe, as a gift to the leaders.

Peace pipe - a sacred object adorned with eagle feathers, which symbolized prosperity and well-being. The most ancient rituals in which the peace pipe was used were dedicated to the cult of fertility. The Indians gathered together and sat in a circle. The most revered person - a military leader, leader or elder - lit a sacred pipe, took a few puffs and passed it to a warrior sitting next to him. He took a few puffs and passed it to a neighbor. So the tube went around all the participants in the ceremony in a circle, uniting them. Smoke rose to the sky, symbolizing thunderclouds. The participants in the ceremony encouraged them to pour rain. Rain, prosperity and peace were closely related concepts. Therefore, when the Indians concluded peace agreements, stopped hostilities, they performed a ritual similar to the ritual of making rain. The Europeans, who fought with the Indians and more than once observed the rituals during the ceremonies of the conclusion of a truce, called the sacred pipe - the pipe of peace.

The types of Indian dwellings are diverse: sheds, barriers, domed huts (wigwams of Canadian forest hunters), conical tents (teepee of prairie Indians) made of poles covered with branches, leaves, mats, skins; clay or stone huts in the highlands of South America; communal dwellings - plank houses in the northwest of North America; bark-framed "longhouses" in the Great Lakes region; stone or adobe houses-villages (pueblo) in the southwest of North America.

Athapaski- the collective name of the Indians of this vast area, who belong to various tribes: Kuchins, Tanayna Koyukons, Inaliks and many others. Hunters and fishermen. The fauna of the region is diverse: deer, caribou, elk, etc., therefore hunting prevailed over fishing. The entrance to the houses, as a rule, was facing the river, and the settlements stretched along the coast. Houses were cut from logs. The winter dwelling had a domed vault deepened into the ground and was covered with animal skins; there was a hearth in the center, along the edges of the bunks. The floor was covered with branches, and the entrance led through a short tunnel. The dishes were made of wood, horn, grass and birch bark. The Athabaskans wore well-dressed suede, made from deerskin without fur. Suede shirts were decorated with suede fringes and reindeer hair embroidery. The cut of men's and women's shirts was the same. The hem often had a pointed outline, its edge was decorated with a fringe, the edges of the clothes were ornamented, fur or fringe was left there: these were amulets. The costume was complemented by suede pants and special shoes - moccasins.

Tlingit- residents of the northwestern coast from Yakutat in the north to the Columbia River in the south, led a lifestyle of hunters and fishermen. In addition to the Tlingit, the Chugach, Kwakiutl, Tsishman and other Indian tribes lived on the coast. Their villages were located along the shores of lagoons, lakes or rivers. The houses, like those of the Algonquins, faced the entrances to the water and lined up. The Tlingit were skilled warriors and even had wooden armor. Hunting tools and weapons were made of stone, bone, shells. The Tlingit were known for the cold forging of native copper. From copper they made mainly jewelry and daggers. They hunted with harpoons, arrows, spears. Masterfully mastered the technique of woodworking. They had drills, adzes, axes made of stone, woodworking and other tools.

They knew how to saw boards, cut curly sculptures. They made houses, canoes, working tools, and totem poles from wood. The art of the Tlingit is distinguished by two more features: multi-figure - a mechanical connection of different images in one object, and poly-eiconic - a flow, sometimes encrypted, hidden by the master, a smooth transition from one image to another. Living in the rainy and foggy climate of the sea coast, the Tlingit made special capes from grass fibers and cedar bast, which resembled a poncho. They served as a reliable shelter from the rain. Religious ideas were based on ideas about helper spirits. They believed in the existence of patron spirits of crafts, hunters, and personal spirit assistants of shamans. The Indians believed that after death the soul of the deceased moves into the body of an animal, which was revered as a totem. Totem is an Indian concept that comes from the Ojibwe Indian word "oto-te-man" recorded by European missionaries.

Prairie Indians(from the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan to Texas). Teton-Dakota, Sioux, Comanche, Kiowa, Mandan - American traders and hunters in the Great Plains were the first to meet with representatives of these Indian tribes. All tribes spoke different languages and did not understand each other. To communicate, they invented sign language and pictorial writing, the signs of which were understood by all Prairie Indians. Hunting was mainly a male occupation. The men hunted down deer and elk, hiding in the bushes or in the undergrowth. Most often it was an individual hunt. Collective hunting for bison in summer time. The camp of hunters consisted of several groups, the members of which were related to each other. Marriages were between members of distant groups. The tribe united several camps.

Their portable dwellings - tips - the inhabitants of such camps installed in a circle. Each family placed a tipi in a certain place in this ring, which was determined by the degree of participation in public life. Tipi - a conical structure made of poles, covered with 8-12 bison skins. The skins are skillfully dressed and sewn. Outer side tipi covers were usually decorated with paintings. This is special form mnemonic letter. The drawings that covered the lower edge of the tipi were made by women. This art form was passed down from mother to daughter and was very ancient. The drawings are archaic, planar, there is no perspective in the compositions, the most significant images were distinguished by large sizes.

The figures of horsemen with spears, dressed in magnificent feather headdresses, images of foot soldiers, dogs, animals are so generalized that they resemble signs-symbols. In the center of the tipi is a hearth, the smoke from which exits through the smoke hole. The hole can be closed with a skin in case of bad weather. The lower edge of the tire was piled with stones or pinned to the ground with bone or wooden pegs. In the summer it was raised to check the room. The tipi is cozy and warm in winter, sometimes a little stuffy from the smoke. During the migrations, the stakes of the tipia folded a V-shaped drag, which was dragged by a dog or horse.

Power was exercised by the leaders of the lower and higher levels. Decision making was determined by agreement among the top leaders. Leaders and honored warriors formed communities, which were called men's unions, where they accepted, taking into account the military merits of the candidate. Military prowess and generosity were highly valued. The Prairie Indians were excellent warriors. After the arrival of Europeans, the Prairie Indians quickly mastered horseback riding. The horse has become an integral part of military equipment.

The warlike disposition and mastery of horses made the Dakota tribe an aggressive people. The warriors were armed with bows and arrows. Mobility and the speed of movement associated with it were the most important features of their culture, as it was mobility that determined their opportunity in the vast expanses of the Great Plains. The exploits of men were considered especially prestigious. The Indian could accumulate military "bonuses". It was considered prestigious to boldly look into the eyes of the enemy to pick up a rifle from an enemy who had fallen out of the saddle, to steal the enemy’s horse, quietly sneaking into his village, to scalp the head of a defeated enemy.

Pottery was too heavy for nomadic life, so animal skins were used for cooking. The skin was stretched on sticks, water was poured and red-hot stones were thrown inside. Pieces of fresh meat were placed in boiling water, which did not need to be boiled for a long time.

The art of dressing the skin of which clothes were made was inherited through the female line. The fresh skin of a bison was stretched on the ground with the fur down. With the help of scrapers made of elk horn, with a blade made of iron or stone, women cleaned the surface of the mezra. If the skin was intended for making clothes, the fur was removed. The skin was then soaked or buried in damp earth. After that, it was softened with oil or the treated surface was smeared with the brain of a bison. Then they cleaned off the remains of the mezdra and smoked over the smoke. Smoked skins took on a brown hue. The Indians knew how to make and delightfully white skins. Softer elk skins were used for sewing clothes.

The male costume of the Indians consisted of a leather turban, sleeveless jacket, suede leggings, moccasins and a bison skin shirt. It was complemented by a breastplate made of falcon wing bones, fastened with pieces of bison skin - a ceremonial decoration. Women wore straight cut shirts to the knee, leggings, moccasins. Shirts were sewn by folding two bison skins with their tails down. Therefore, a characteristic cape formed in the lower part of women's shirts. The lower part of such shirts and seams were decorated with suede fringe, which symbolized bison fur.

The leader could easily be recognized by the buffalo skin draped over his shoulders with magnificent winter wool, decorated with owl feathers and noisy pendants. On the neck is a decoration made from the claws of a grizzly bear. The leader's hair was smoothed and covered with ocher (like his face), and cartridge cases from rifle cartridges were woven into them. Outstanding warriors and leaders wore high feather headdresses, which were often decorated with bison horns - a symbol of power. The eagle feather was considered endowed magic power and considered as an amulet. In the headdress of the leader, the length of the feathers of which reached 68 cm, there were several dozens of such feathers.

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Long before the foot of a native of Europe set foot on the American continent, people lived on this land. wild tribes Indians dominated the steppes and forests of a vast region. There were quite a few of them - some remained only in the annals, the descendants of others still live on the land of their ancestors. Who inhabited the huge continents before they were discovered?

Photo: Tribalpictures.org

One of the largest tribes living on the North American continent. There is a legend among the Cherokee that they once lived in a beautiful place in the Valley of the Lakes, but were expelled from there by warlike neighbors - the Iroquois. The latter deny given fact– there are no such legends in their history.

However, when Europeans entered the continent, the Cherokee lived in the mountains. At first, the two peoples fought among themselves, but later the Indians made peace with the colonialists and even adopted their faith and some traditions.

Photo: Community.adlandpro.com

The most famous representative of the Cherokee is Chief Sequoyah, who developed his own kind of writing, which served as an impetus for the rapid development of the tribe. One of the plants, outwardly resembling a cypress, is named in his honor.

Currently, the number of descendants of the Cherokee Indians, who used to inhabit the slopes of the Appalachians, reaches 310 thousand people. Modern redskins are quite big businessmen, they own six large gambling houses, and every year they increase their fortune.

Representatives of this nationality have always had an entrepreneurial vein. In the 19th century, some representatives of the tribe owned their own plantations and were even the largest slave owners. They got their wealth in a rather interesting way - the Cherokee sold part of the land that belonged to the tribe to the US government.

Photo: Invasionealiena.com

Until the middle of the 19th century, relations between the indigenous population and emigrants from the Old World were fairly even. But the rich lands owned by the Indians became more and more attractive to the new authorities. In the end, the US government decided to remove the Cherokee from their lands and send them to live on the Great Plains.

The hike to the destination was long and difficult, according to official figures, about 6-15 thousand representatives of the tribe died during the transition. The path along which the Cherokee passed, received the telling name "Road of Tears".

Photo: Awesome-b4.space

A nomadic tribe that is constantly at war with its neighbors - this is how the Apache Indians can be characterized. Skillful and courageous warriors, who most often use ordinary bone or wooden weapons (they began to use metal for its manufacture only after the appearance of Europeans), instilled fear in neighboring tribes.

The Apaches were especially cruel to the captives - all members of the tribe, from young to old, including women, took part in the torture. It is better to die on the battlefield than to be captured - all their opponents thought so. It was impossible to run away or hide from the warriors of this tribe: if you do not see them, this does not mean at all that they do not see you.

Photo: Resimarama.net

The most famous leader of the tribe was Geronimo, who terrified the European colonialists. When he approached, people shouted his name and tried to run away as far as possible, sometimes even jumping out of the windows of houses. The U.S. Airborne troops still have a tradition of shouting "Geronimo!" before skydiving.

In wars with Spanish conquistadors almost all Apaches were exterminated. Only a few managed to survive - their few descendants now live in New York.

Photo: magesquotes-consciousness.rhcloud.com

"Those who are always ready to fight with me" - this is the approximate translation of the name of this tribe of Indians. And no wonder: the Comanches were indeed considered a warlike people, and they fought both with the Europeans who arrived on the continent and with representatives of neighboring nationalities.

Neighboring tribes called them "snakes". Because of what such a strange name appeared, it is not known for certain, however, there are several legends. The most famous one says that during the migration, the path of the Indians belonging to this tribe was blocked by a mountain, and instead of valiantly overcoming the obstacle, the wars cowardly turned back. For which they were criticized by their leader, who noted that they looked like "snakes crawling in their wake."

Photo: wlp.ninja

But such cowardice was rarely shown by the Comanches. On the contrary, in combat, such warriors were unmatched, especially after they learned to ride. The Comanches were a real disaster for neighboring peoples, and the Europeans were afraid to approach their territory. The Indians took only women and children into captivity, and if the latter were very small, they could be accepted into the tribe and raised in accordance with traditions.

The Comanches were also cruel to fellow tribesmen who violated the laws of the tribe. A woman convicted of treason was killed on the spot, in rare cases she remained alive, but at the same time her nose was cut off.

Photo: Stoplusjednicka.cz

The Iroquois are not one specific tribe, but an alliance of several, dubbed the "League of Five Nations". The main occupation was the war - at the expense of rich trophies, the Indians fed their families. Their other occupation, the trade in beaver fur, also brought substantial profits.

Within each tribe included in the union, several clans were distinguished. It is noteworthy that they were usually led by women. Men were warriors and advisers, but it was the fair sex that had the decisive vote.
Photo: whatculture.com

Representatives of the people who gave the name to the famous hairstyle, in fact, rarely used this method of hair styling. Moreover, almost all Indians shaved their heads, leaving only a small strand on the top of their head - “scalp”, which told the enemies that the warriors were absolutely not afraid of them and even gave them an advantage in battle. If you can grab a strand, you will defeat the Iroquois warrior. But it's not as easy as it seems at first glance.

To protect themselves from various misfortunes - primarily from diseases, the Indians wore special masks, on which the most remarkable element was a hooked nose. Who knows - maybe such a device really prevented the spread of infections. The number of Indians, at least, did not decrease due to the epidemic - the wars that the Iroquois constantly waged are to blame for this.

Photo: meetup.com

The most sworn enemy of the Iroquois was the Hurons - an Indian tribe, whose number in its heyday reached 40 thousand people. Most of them died during bloody wars, but several thousand still managed to survive. Although the Huron language was lost forever and is now considered dead.

Ceremonies occupied a special place in the life of the Indians. In addition to worshiping animals and the elements, the Hurons showed great respect to the spirits of their ancestors. They also performed various rituals: ritual torture of captive people was considered the most popular. Such a ceremony ended with not the most personal action - since the Hurons were cannibals, the exhausted captives were killed and eaten.

Photo: Lacasamorett.com

A tribe that disappeared forever from the face of the Earth and whose descendants disappeared among other Indians is a sad fate for a nation that was once considered one of the greatest civilizations of its time. The lands of this tribe were lost in the 18th century. This was the beginning of the end - the Mohicans gradually disappeared among other Indians, their language and cultural achievements were forgotten forever.

Quite a few important role in the disappearance, oddly enough, the rapid adaptation of the Mohicans to new living conditions played. A peaceful tribe that accepted the faith of the colonizers and their cultural customs quickly became part of the New World and finally lost its identity. There are practically no direct descendants of the Mohicans today - only 150 people living in Connecticut can be attributed to them.

Photo: Artchive.com

The Aztecs are not a tribe. This is a whole empire that left behind a rich architectural heritage and a well-structured mythology. On the site of the main city of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan, is now the capital of one of the most developed countries in South America - Mexico.

Photo: Ruri-subs.info

The Indians left many mysteries. Among them, the most famous were:

The Sun Stone is a strange monolith that looks like a calendar. He personifies all the ideas of the Aztecs about the world order, the past and future of mankind. Some researchers suggest that this stone was also used in making sacrifices;
Pyramids of Teotihuacan. In the very ancient city, which scientists managed to discover on the territory of the Western Hemisphere, mysterious objects were built - stone pyramids. They are oriented on one side of the world, and their location completely copies the device. solar system. Moreover, the distance between objects is the same as between the planets, unless, of course, it is proportionally increased by 100 million times;
obsidian tools. The Aztecs practically did not use metal - it was replaced by obsidian. From this material weapons were made, as well as high-precision surgical instruments that made it possible to carry out complex operations. Unique properties obsidian allowed not to be afraid of infections - it is a natural antiseptic. Another question is exactly how the Indians made tools - now such a tool can only be machined using diamond cutters.

Despite all the mystery, the Aztecs left a legacy of one thing that is understandable and loved by modern people - chocolate.

Photo: Photographyblogger.net

The legendary treasures of the Incas have been pushing desperate treasure hunters to search for several centuries. But not only this tribe became famous for gold - their cultural achievements deserve much more attention.

The first thing the territory in which the Incas lived is famous for is beautiful roads. The Indians built not only wide highways of excellent quality, but also suspension bridges, so strong that they could withstand a rider in heavy armor. And no wonder - the Inca empire for the most part was located in a mountainous area, where turbulent rivers flowed, which during a flood could easily break a fragile structure. In order not to carry out construction work again, it was necessary to build for centuries.

Photo: Hanshendriksen.net

The Incas were one of the few Indian tribes that had their own written language and wrote a chronicle of the people. Unfortunately, it has not survived to this day - the Spaniards burned the canvases, seizing the Inca cities, which are cultural centers.

The Indians left behind a lot of secrets, the most famous is the fabulously beautiful mountain town of Machu Picchu, whose inhabitants seemed to have simply disappeared.

Photo: Turkcealtyazi.org

A highly developed civilization that made great discoveries in the field of astronomy, mathematics and medicine long before the Europeans built the first major city. Majestic pyramids and temples, one of the most accurate calendars, a unique counting system - these are just a few of the achievements of the Mayan empire.

But at one fine moment, the inhabitants left the cities and went ... where? Unknown. But when the Europeans reached the habitats of the Maya, a few tribes appeared to their eyes, who were clearly unable to build all the majestic structures found in the jungle.

Photo: stockfresh.com

There are many versions explaining the disappearance of one of the most developed civilizations: an epidemic, internecine wars, drought. Some scholars suggest that the Maya simply degenerated and degraded.

However, this mystery has not yet been solved, like the many mysteries that the great civilization left behind.

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It's no secret that the indigenous people of North America are the Indians, who settled here long before the appearance of the white man. The first European to meet the Indians was the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus. He also called the unfamiliar people "Indians", because he believed that his ships had reached India. European colonization, which began on these lands after the discovery of Columbus, forced the indigenous population of America to leave their native lands and flee west to the Pacific coast. However, the colonialists moved further and further inland every year. AT XIX-XX centuries the US leadership bought the lands of the indigenous population for nothing and resettled the Indians on reservations. Today, about 4 million people live on the reservations. Since the American government turns a blind eye to the unsanitary conditions, disease, poverty and crime that prevail on the reservations, the descendants of North American Indians are forced to live in the most difficult conditions, deprived of basic amenities and decent medical care.

Origin of the Indians

Until now, the remains of great apes or prehistoric people have not been found in any of the countries of North America. This fact suggests that the first people of the modern type came to America from outside. Recent studies show that the indigenous peoples of North America belong to the Mongoloid race and are genetically closest to the inhabitants of Altai, Siberia and Mongolia.

History of Indian Settlement in America

In the era of the last ice age, a wave of emigration from Eurasia to North America began. The settlers moved along the narrow isthmus, once located on the site of the Bering Strait. Most likely, two large groups of immigrants arrived in America with a difference of several hundred years. The second group came to the continent no later than 9000 BC. e., since around this time the glacier began to recede, the level of the Northern Arctic Ocean rose, and the isthmus between North America and Siberia disappeared under water. In general, researchers have not come to a consensus regarding the exact time of the settlement of America.

In ancient times, the glacier covered almost the entire territory of modern Canada, therefore, in order not to remain in the middle snowy desert, settlers from Asia had to move along the Mackenzie River for a long time. Ultimately, they went to the modern border of the United States and Canada, where the climate was much milder and more fertile.

After that, part of the settlers turned to the east - to Atlantic Ocean; part - to the west - to the Pacific Ocean; and the rest moved south to what is now Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.

Classification of Indian tribes

indian village

The settlers quickly settled down in a new place and gradually began to lose the cultural and everyday habits of their Asian ancestors. Each of the groups of migrants began to acquire their own traits and characteristics that distinguished them from each other. This was due to the differences in climatic conditions in which these peoples lived. Already in the archaic period, several main groups of North American Indians stood out:

southwestern;
eastern;
inhabitants of the Great Plains and Prairies;
Californian;
northwestern.

southwestern group

Indian tribes living in the southwest of the mainland (Utah, Arizona) were distinguished by the highest level of development of culture and technology. The peoples who lived here were:

The Pueblo are one of the most advanced indigenous peoples in North America;
The Anasazi are a culture related to the Pueblo.
Apaches and Navajos who settled in the XIV-XV centuries on the lands abandoned by the pueblo.

In the archaic era, the southwest of North America was a fertile region with a mild and humid climate, which allowed the Pueblos who settled here to successfully engage in agriculture. They succeeded not only in the cultivation of various crops, but also in the construction of complex irrigation systems. Animal husbandry was limited only to the cultivation of turkeys. Also, the inhabitants of the southwest managed to tame the dog.

The Indians of the southwest borrowed many cultural achievements and inventions from their neighbors, the Maya and the Toltecs. Borrowings can be traced in architectural traditions, everyday life and religious beliefs.

The Pueblo people settled mainly on the plains, where large settlements were built. In addition to residential buildings, the pueblos erected fortresses, palaces and temples. archaeological finds talk about a very high level of crafts. Researchers have found many jewelry, inlaid precious stones mirrors, magnificent ceramics, stone and metal utensils.

The Anasazi culture, close to the Pueblo, did not live on the plains, but in the mountains. At first, the Indians settled in natural caves, and then they began to cut complex residential and religious complexes in the rocks.

Representatives of both cultures were distinguished by high artistic taste. Superbly executed images were applied to the walls of the dwellings, the clothes of the Pueblo and Anasazi people were decorated large quantity beads made of stone, metal, bone and shells. Ancient masters introduced an element of aesthetics even into the simplest things: wicker baskets, sandals, axes.

One of the main elements religious life Indians of the southwest had an ancestral cult. People of that time treated with special trepidation objects that could belong to a semi-mythical progenitor - smoking pipes, jewelry, staffs, etc. Each clan worshiped its ancestor - an animal, spirit or cultural hero. Since the transition from the maternal clan to the paternal clan took place rather quickly in the southwest, patriarchy was formed early here. Men belonging to the same clan began to create their own secret societies and unions. Such unions celebrated religious ceremonies dedicated to the ancestors.

The climate in the southwest gradually changed, becoming more and more arid and hot. Local residents had to make every effort to get water for their fields. However, even the best engineering and hydraulic solutions did not help them. AT early XIV century, the Great Drought began, affecting not only the North American continent, but also Europe. Pueblo and Anasazi began to move to regions with more favorable climate, and the Navajos and Apaches came to their lands, adopting the culture and way of life of their predecessors.

Eastern group

Tribes belonging to the eastern group lived in the Great Lakes region, as well as in a vast territory from Nebraska to Ohio. These tribes included:

Caddo peoples whose descendants now live on a reservation in Oklahoma;
Catawba, evicted to a reservation in South Carolina in the 19th century;
The Iroquois is one of the most highly developed, numerous and aggressive tribal unions in the region;
Huron, most of who now live in Canada - on the Lorette Reservation, and many others.

The highly developed Mississippian culture that existed from the 8th to the 16th centuries gave rise to these peoples. The tribes included in it built cities and fortresses, created huge burial complexes and constantly fought with their neighbors. The presence of temples and tombs indicates that this group of tribes has complex ideas about the afterlife and the structure of the Universe. People expressed their ideas in symbolism: images of spiders, eyes, warriors, falcons, skulls and palms. Special attention devoted to funeral ceremonies and the preparation of the deceased for eternal life. The results of archaeological excavations allow us to speak of a certain death cult that existed in this region. It is associated not only with the splendor of the burials of local leaders and priests, but also with bloody sacrifices, often practiced by representatives of the Mississippian culture. Of particular importance for the inhabitants of the east were fishing cults that ensure good luck in hunting and fishing.

Also, representatives of the eastern tribes worshiped their totems - ancestors from the animal world. Images of totem animals were applied to dwellings, clothes and weapons. The most revered animal in eastern North America was the bear. But some tribes could also revere other animals: birds of prey, wolves, foxes or turtles.

most famous archaeological site left behind by the Indians of the east is the barrow complex of Cahokia, one of the largest cities in the region.

City image

Apparently, the tribes that lived in the east of North America had a complex social structure. Chiefs and priests played the main role in the life of the tribe. Among the nobles there was something like vassalage, which determined the social hierarchy in Western Europe. The leaders of the richest and most developed cities subjugated the heads of smaller and poorer settlements.

The east of North America at that time was covered with dense forest, which determined the circle of the main occupations of the Indians from this group. The tribes lived mainly by hunting. In addition, agriculture began to develop here rather quickly, although not at the same pace as in the southwest.

The inhabitants of the east managed to establish trade with neighboring peoples. Especially close relations were established with the inhabitants of modern Mexico. The mutual influence of the two cultures can be traced in architecture and some traditions.

Even before the arrival of Europeans, Mississippian culture began to decline. Obviously, due to the sharp increase in population, the locals began to lack land and resources. Also, the disappearance of this culture may be associated with the Great Drought. Many local residents began to leave their homes, and the rest stopped building luxurious castles and temples. The culture in this region has become much coarser and simpler.

Inhabitants of the Great Plains and Prairies

Between the arid southwest and the forested east lay a long stretch of prairie and plain. It stretched from Canada all the way to Mexico. In ancient times, the peoples living here led a predominantly nomadic lifestyle, but over time they began to master agriculture, build long-term dwellings and gradually move towards settled life. The following tribes lived on the Great Plains:

Sioux people now living in Nebraska, both Dakotas and southern Canada;
Iowa, settled in the Kansas and Oklahoma reservations in the first half of the 19th century;
The Omaha are a tribe that barely survived a smallpox epidemic that broke out in the 18th century.

For a long time the Indians settled only eastern part prairies, where several large rivers flowed, including the Rio Grande and the Red River. Here they were engaged in the cultivation of corn and legumes, and also hunted bison. After the Europeans brought horses to North America, the way of life of the local population has changed a lot. Prairie Indians partially returned to nomadism. Now they could quickly move long distances and follow herds of bison.

In addition to the leader, an important role in the life of the tribe was played by the council, which included the heads of the clans. They solved everything key questions and were responsible for conducting some religious rituals. However, the real leaders of the tribes were not leaders and elders, but sorcerers. Weather conditions, the number of bison, the results of hunting, and much more depended on them. The Prairie Indians believed that every tree, stream, or animal contained a spirit. In order to achieve good luck or not bring trouble on oneself, one had to be able to negotiate with such spirits and share prey with them.

It was the appearance of a resident of the Great Plains that formed the basis of the image of a typical North American Indian replicated in the media culture.

California band

California Indians

Part of the Asian settlers, heading southwest, decided not to stay on the plains of Arizona and Utah, but continued their journey west until they ran into the Pacific coast. The place where the nomads came seemed to be truly paradise: warm ocean full of fish and edible shellfish; abundance of fruit and game. On the one hand, the mild climate of California allowed the settlers to live without needing anything and contributed to population growth, but on the other hand, the greenhouse conditions of existence had a negative impact on the level of culture and household skills of local Indians. Unlike their neighbors, they did not become engaged in agriculture and domestication of animals, did not mine metals and limited themselves to the construction of only light huts. The mythology of the Californian Indians also cannot be called developed. Ideas about the structure of the universe and the afterlife were very vague and scarce. Also, the locals practiced primitive shamanism, mostly reduced to simple medicine.

The following tribes lived in California:

the Modocs, whose descendants have been on a reservation in Oregon since the early 20th century;
The Klamaths, who now live on one of the California reservations, and many other smaller tribes.

In the middle of the 19th century, a white man came to California, and most of the Indians living here were exterminated.

Northwest group

North of California, on the territory of modern Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Canada, Indians lived with a completely different way of life. These included:

Tsimshians now living in the United States and Canada;
The Blackfoot are a fairly large tribe whose descendants live in Montana and Alberta;
The Salish are a tribe of whalers now living in Washington and Oregon.

The climate on these lands was harsh and not suitable for Agriculture. For a long time, the northern United States and Canada were occupied by the glacier, but as it retreated, people settled these lands and adapted to new conditions.

The Lakota Indians traditional clothes and Western

Unlike their southern neighbors, the locals wisely disposed of the data given to them natural resources. Therefore, the northwest has become one of the richest and most developed regions on the mainland. The tribes living here have achieved great success in whaling, fishing, walrus hunting and animal husbandry. Archaeological finds testify to the very high cultural level of the Indians of the northwest. They skillfully dressed skins, carved wood, made boats and traded with their neighbors.

The dwellings of the Indians of the northwest were wooden log cabins made of cedar logs. These houses were richly decorated with images of totem animals and mosaics of shells and stone.

At the heart of the worldview local residents lay totemism. The social hierarchy was built depending on the person's belonging to a particular genus. Animal progenitors of the largest clans were raven, whale, wolf and beaver. In the northwest, shamanism was highly developed and there was a whole set of complex cult rites with which one could turn to the spirits, send damage to the enemy, heal the sick or get good luck in hunting. In addition, among the Indians of the northwest, ideas about the reincarnation of ancestors are common.

Since the main source of wealth and subsistence for the Indians of the northwest was the ocean, the Great Drought of the XIII-XIV centuries did not affect them in any way. Everyday life. The region continued to develop and flourish until the arrival of Europeans.

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