Indian tribes in America. Indians (all tribes of North America)

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 the indigenous population. North America, however, Alaska and Hawaiian Natives may refer to themselves differently, such as Native Hawaiians or Alaska Natives, such as the Inuit, Yup'ik, and Aleuts, 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. Indians have a high birth rate, average age Indian - 29.7 years, the average American 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.

The Indians of America began to forget their languages, only 21% of them speak their native language, 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 can 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.

All films about Indians
Tribes of North America
The Indian Tribes of North America are the indigenous peoples (inhabitants) of the United States.
Some of them were completely exterminated by the colonialists,
and the remaining small part still lives on reservations!

Subarctic zone:
kuchins, koyukons, ingalics, tanayna, tanana, celestial, atna, slaves, dogrib (dog ribs), chipewyan, part of the Cree, innu and many more. others
Northeastern forests:
Hurons, Iroquois, Ojibwe, Ottawa, Miami, Mohicans, Delaware, Shawnee, and more. others
Southeastern forests:
Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw Natchez, Creek, Seminole, and more. others
Great Plains:
Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Comanche, Pawnee, Sioux, Arapaho, Kiowa, and more. others
Northwest coast:
Tlingit, Tsimshian, Haida, Nootka, Kwakiutl, Coastal Salish, etc.
Deserts of the Southwest:
Apache, Navajo, Pueblo (Hopi, Zuni, etc.), Pima, Papago, etc.
Central America:
Maya, Zapotec, Purépecha, Aztec, Totonac, Mixtec
South America:
Incas (Quechua, Aymara), Guarani, Mapuche, Chibcha (Muiski), Shipibo-Konibo, Tehuelche, Warao, Botokudo and many more. pl. others

five civilized tribes

Representatives of the Five Civilized Tribes.
The portraits were painted in the period 1775-1850.
Five civilized tribes - five Indian peoples USA: the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole - who by the early 19th century had already adopted many of the customs and achievements of the white settlers and established fairly good relations with their neighbors.
The process of cultural transformation of these tribes was initiated by George Washington and Henry Knox; while the Cherokee and Choctaw successfully adopted European-American culture.
Washington believed that the Indians had equal rights with the whites, but a more primitive social organization. He formulated the principles of a policy that encouraged "civilization," which was later followed up by Thomas Jefferson.

Cherokee

The Cherokee are an Indian people in North America.
Once the Cherokee lived on both slopes of the southern Appalachians in the region of the present states of Tennessee and North Carolina.
The first Europeans that the Cherokee saw were the Spaniards. This happened in 1540, the famous conquistador Hernando de Soto participated in the Spanish expedition.

In 1566, the Spaniards again visited the Cherokee lands. They maintained small mines and smelters in the area until 1690. Convinced of the absence of precious metals in the lands of the Cherokee, the Spaniards lost interest in them.

To early XIX Christianity became the dominant religion of the Cherokee. At the end of the 18th - 19th centuries, the Cherokee made significant cultural progress, changed their nomadic lifestyle to a settled one, lived in modern houses for their time, were engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding and handicrafts. In 1825-1826, the leader of the Cherokee tribe - Sequoyah (George Hess) approved the Cherokee syllabary alphabet, which he created in 1821, at the tribal council, and in 1828 began publishing the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper in the Cherokee language.

Wealthy Indians owned plantations, led an aristocratic lifestyle, owned hundreds of black slaves. The Cherokee and other civilized tribes created the first network in the United States free schools. In Cherokee Territory mid-nineteenth century there were about 30 free schools, almost all the teachers in the school were Cherokee. Overall, the Cherokee Territories had one of the highest levels of education among the Territories of North America.

Following the example of the United States, the Cherokee created their own constitution, code of laws, an elected government and a president, traditionally called the "Great Leader". By 1850, about 22,000 people lived in Cherokee Territory, of which 4,000 were citizens with the right to vote (Cherokee men). Women and children, whites (about 1 thousand people) and black slaves (about 4 thousand people) did not have the right to vote.

In the early 30s of the XIX century, the authorities of the southern states, with the support of the US federal government, decided to eliminate the Indian enclaves, and the Indians themselves to be evicted to empty lands west of the Mississippi River. During the forced deportation in 1838 - 1839, called the "Road of Tears", more than 4 thousand Indians died.

In 1889, immigration was allowed in one part of their area (Oklahoma Territory); in 1891 another part was opened for immigration. They are part of the Five Civilized Tribes.

Origin
In the 1880s, H. Hale, "Indian migrations, as evidenced by language" in American Antiquarian, 1883, suggested that the Cherokee were related to the Iroquois. The Cherokee call themselves the Tsalaga. They are probably the descendants of the Alligevi or Talligevy, of which information has been preserved in the sagas of the Iroquois and Algonquians. In 1826, Cherokee chief Sequoyah (or George Hess) invented an 85-character syllabary for the Cherokee language, which became widespread among the tribe and is still in use today.

population
The Cherokee numbered approximately 50,000 in 1674. Smallpox epidemics cut the Cherokee in half. Relocation to Oklahoma and Civil War in the United States again greatly reduced the number of people. The 1990 census showed 308,132 Cherokees, of which 15,000 were purebreds.
Registered members of the Cherokee Tribe make up approx. 250,000.

Cherokee (language)
Cherokee is one of the Iroquoian languages ​​spoken by the Cherokee Indians. The only Southern Iroquoian language still in use, using the unique Cherokee syllabary invented by Sequoyah.

Notable Representatives
Sequoyah (George Hess), inventor of the Cherokee script
Stand Waitey - General of the Confederate Army
John Ross - tribal leader 1828-1860

Do you know that:
Ancestors of famous actors: Johnny Depp, Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Costner, Cameron Diaz, Tommy Lee Jones, Tory Amos and Chuck Norris - Cherokee Indians?

Apaches

Apaches is the collective name for several culturally related tribes of North American Indians who speak the Apache languages ​​of the Athabaskan branch of the Na-Dene family.
Apache tribes now live on reservations in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma.
Population Total: 56,060 (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma)
Language - Apache languages, English
Religion - Native American Church, Shamanism, Christianity
Racial type - Americanoids
Related peoples - Navajo
Ethnic groups - Western Apache, Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Kiowa Apache, Lipans, Mescalero
Apache and Navajo historical area in the 18th century: Navajo, Western Apache, Chiricahua, Mescalero, Jicaria, Lipans, Kiowa Apaches.
Languages. Apache languages ​​include:
Western: Navajo, Western Apache, Mescalero-Chiricahua Apache
eastern: hicariya apache, lipan apache
plains (kiowa) apache
The Navajo language is the most widely spoken Indian language in the United States (178,000 speakers in 2000), followed by Western Apache (about 12,000 speakers).
Modern Apache groups.
Apaches were divided into six peoples:
Western Apache
Chiricahua
Mescalero
jicarilla
Lipany
Kiowa Apaches
Famous representatives of the Apaches:
Geronimo. Chiricahua name Guyahle (Guyaale)
Chiricahua Apache military leader who for 25 years led the fight against US encroachment on his tribe's land. In 1886 he was forced to surrender to the American army.
Date of birth: June 16, 1829
Place of birth: Arizona
Date of death: February 17, 1909 (aged 79)
Location of death: Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Biography of Geronimo: on this page
Kochis
Kochis (1805 – June 8, 1874) was the leader of the Chokonen, a group of Chiricahua Apaches and leader of the rebellion that broke out in 1861. Kochis was the most significant figure in the history of the American Southwest in the 19th century and one of the greatest leaders among the North American Indians. Cochis County in Arizona is named after him.
Occupation: Chief of the Chokonen
Date of birth: 1805
Birthplace: New Mexico
Date of death: June 8, 1874
place of death: New Mexico Territory
Biography of Geronimo: on this page
Collection of all feature filmsabout Apache Indians


Photo of California Indians 1916

Tribal affiliation (graphical representation)

Everything is clear here:Indian tribes - at the very top, their silhouettes - below them, decoding - on the right.
This is what the Indian tribes of North America looked like.
Indian way of life, history, wars with sustained historical accuracy shown in the film collection - Indians (Tribes)

Finally: who was Chingachgook?

Chingachgook, the Great (Big) Serpent - the hero of the works of Fenimore Cooper, belongs to the literary type "noble savage".
Comes from a tribe of North American Mohican Indians. Chingachguk is a wise and brave warrior. He is kind and just, he is respected by friends and feared by enemies.
Here is what the book The Last of the Mohicans says about the origin of his name:
“Of course, the name Chingachgook, which means “Great Serpent”, does not mean that he is really a snake; no, his name says that he knows all the twists and turns, all the nooks and crannies human nature that he is silent and knows how to inflict blows on his enemies at such moments when they do not expect it at all "
In The Last of the Mohicans, his only son, Uncas, dies. And it is Chingachguk who becomes the last of the Mohicans, the last leader and the last representative of the once powerful, but now extinct tribe.
Films about Chingachkuk and other films about Indians
starring Gojko Mitic -

Today, South America is a continent with a population of more than three hundred million people, the number of which is constantly increasing. Due to the difficult circumstances of the history of the "conquest" of America, there is a complex and multinational ethnic composition, in which racial characteristics are significantly mixed.

The tribes of the ancient Indians came to the South American continent more than 20 thousand years ago from North America, gradually settling throughout the mainland. Then, in the 16th century, the era of European colonialism began, first the Portuguese and Spaniards came here, a little later, settlers from other European countries- Germans, British, French, etc. The indigenous population of the country - the South American tribes of Indians were brutally exterminated, their ancient culture was destroyed, ancient cities, temples and sanctuaries were destroyed. In subsequent years, after most of the Indian people were thoughtlessly destroyed, a large number of blacks from the African continent. The result of such a rapid and rather bloody settlement South America- motley ethnic composition of the mainland.

Indigenous people in the pre-Columbian era

At a time when the Europeans "inspired" for themselves New World, the indigenous population of both continents was at different stages of development, and if in the north of America the tribes gathered mushrooms and berries, and lived in a primitive communal system, then in Central and South America, the Indian tribes already created states and entire civilizations, built class relations and created unique monuments of culture, science and architecture, which later became real phenomena and mysteries for all the scientific minds of the world

The tribes living to the east of the Andes hunted and collected the gifts of nature, were at a rather low level of development, and practiced the basics of the primitive communal system.

(An ancient vanishing tribe)

Highly developed Indian tribes who lived in the mountainous regions of the Andes and on the Pacific coast (modern territory of Colombia, Peru, Chile), they created the first states here with developed agriculture and livestock breeding, crafts, various applied arts and scientific knowledge developed here. These are the ancient civilizations of the Incas, Maya, the cultures of Chavin, Mochica, etc.

The inhabitants of the extreme southern part of the South American continent, who lived on the archipelago of the islands of Tierra del Fuego (the modern province of Argentina and part of Chile) are Fuegians, these are the tribes of she, alakalufs, yagans, by the time of European expansion were at a low level of development, walked in animal skins, had stone and bone weapons, hunted guanacos (the ancestor of the domestic llama) and fished in the ocean on fragile birch bark boats.

(Men of the Amazon Valley Tribe)

A step higher in development were Indian tribes that lived in the valley of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers in the center and north of the continent (tribes of the Arawak, Carib, Tupi-Guarani language groups), who were engaged in hunting, weapons - bows and pipes with poisoned arrows (the famous poison curare), cultivated corn, cassava, tobacco, cotton, form social organization- tribal community.

In the north of the Andes (modern Colombia) in the valley of the Bogota River, the Chibcha people organized the Indian state of the Chibcha-Muisca peoples with a fairly developed culture, within the boundaries of modern Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador there was a culture of the Quechua Indian tribe.

Culture and life of the ancient Indians

(Iroquois tribe)

The most famous and studied in detail is the culture ancient empire The Incas or Tauntinsuyu (“four connected cardinal directions”), which was formed in the second century AD through wars of conquest, when one of the mountain tribes conquered the vast neighboring lands where such tribes as the Aymara, Keuar, Huallacan, etc. lived and united them all into one powerful Inca state. In the 14-15th century, which was the era of the aggressive European colonization, The Inca Empire occupied the vast territories of today's Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, parts of Argentina, Colombia and Chile. The specially built capital of the state is Cusco, the language is Quechua, the first ruler (Supreme Inca) is Manco Capacu.

(Iroquois Warriors)

Like the Roman Empire main force this power was the army, the entire people was engaged in its provision, regularly paying taxes to the treasury for its maintenance. The conquered peoples were allowed to believe in their deities, but it was obligatory to worship the supreme god of the Sun of the Incas - Inti. The population lived in stone houses built from such rocks like limestone, basalt, diorite, etc. The houses of ordinary residents were plain and modest, but the houses of the nobility, priests and rulers were decorated with gold and silver plates. The architecture of the ancient Incas is distinguished by its severity and asceticism, palaces and temples are overwhelming with their power and grandeur; for their construction, huge monolithic blocks were used, tightly fitted in size and not fastened with any mortar. The ensemble of temples Coricancha ("Golden Temple") in the Inca capital of Cusco is the pinnacle of Inca architecture. It contained a golden altar and a golden disk of the sun god Inti, it was destroyed and plundered by the Spaniards. Now on its ruins is the Cathedral of Santa Domingo.

(Machu Picchu - the ancient city of the Incas on top of a mountain overlooking the valley of the Urubamba River)

The ancient Incas were skilled artisans, they mined ores of mountain metals and were able to process gold, bronze, they made jewelry of amazing beauty, which were later melted down into gold bars and taken to Spain by conquering conquistadors. The Incas did not have a written language as such; it is believed that they transmitted and stored information using a special nodular letter “quipu”.

The entire population of the empire was divided into social classes and professions, the basis of the social pyramid of the Incas was the concept of Aileu, consisting of family clans that lived on the same land and worked it together, engaged in common livestock breeding and divided the harvest for everyone. The head of state was the Only Inca - the supreme ruler and chief priest of the sun god.

At the beginning of the 16th century, when spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro came to the lands of the Empire, in connection with a sharp internecine struggle for power, it was already on the verge of collapse, was quickly conquered and plundered, the ancient civilization of the Incas ceased to exist. Today only ruins remain. ancient city Machu Picchu in the mountains of Peru.

Also, the Mayan and Aztec cultures are considered the oldest civilizations on the territory of modern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, the states of Latin America.

(Ancient Maya)

The Maya is the clearest example of the Indian pre-Colombian civilization, which today remains a mystery to everyone and scientific phenomenon. It began its existence at the beginning of our era, and by the time the conquistadors arrived, it was already in deep decline. This is a unique people, existing in the conditions of the Stone Age and not knowing how to mine and process metal, having no means of transportation and animals for transporting goods, they developed a surprisingly accurate solar calendar, had complex hieroglyphic writing, predicted eclipses of the Moon and the Sun, calculated the movement of the planets. It was the Maya who created the unique masterpieces of building art, which are known all over the world today (Mayan pyramids in the ancient cities of Teotihuacan, Cholula and Chechen Itza). The Mayan civilization died in the 11th century, even before the arrival of the conquistadors, who already found the remnants of their former power, why this happened is still unknown.

(Temple of the Inscriptions ancient civilization Maya - visualization)

The Aztec civilization existed in what is now Mexico between the 14th and 16th centuries AD. capital ancient state Aztecs was Tenochtitlan on Lake Texcoco, which was large city, located on several islands in the middle of lakes, interconnected by dams. Everywhere were laid excellent stone roads, its streets were crossed by canals, stone palaces and temples were in the greenery of gardens. The Aztecs were excellent wood carvers, sculptors, artisans and jewelers. Unfortunately, the legacy of this ancient civilization has not been preserved to this day, only a few masterpieces, miraculously escaping destruction at the hands of the Spanish conquistadors, ended up in Europe and became public property.

Traditions and customs

Customs and traditions played huge role in the life of almost every Indian nation that lived on the territory of the South American continent in antiquity.

(The life of the ancient Mayan tribes)

For example, the Maya believed that the birth of a child was a sign of the special disposition of the gods, especially the goddess of the moon, the priests chose the name of the child, calculated his horoscope and predicted the future. Mayan cross-eyedness was a sign of beauty, so that the child would become cross-eyed, a bead was attached to his forehead, hanging over his eyes, which the child should look at more often. Also, with the help of a plank tied in front, the forehead was lengthened and the head became flatter, this was required by the canons of Mayan beauty, and also obligated high position in society.

The ball game was very popular, it was of a religious nature, carried out with great ceremonies and careful preparation.

One of the terrible and bloody rites of this people was the rite of sacrifice, when a human sacrifice was made to please some god, tearing out the heart and throwing the body from a high pyramid.

(Warrior of the ancient Inca tribe)

In the religion of the Incas, there was a whole pantheon of gods: the creator of the world and all living things, Kon Tisci Viracocha, after him came the god of the Sun Inti, Ilyapa - the god of weather, the goddess of the moon - Mama Kilja and others. The Incas performed a great many religious and ritual ceremonies that obeyed the agricultural calendar or dates dedicated to the life of the ruling royal family. Holidays and celebrations were held in the central square of the city of Cusco, which was called Huyacapata (“Sacred Terrace”), the palace of the ruler was also located there, after his death it turned into a sanctuary where the embalmed mummy of the deceased was located. The new Supreme Inca lived in another palace built for him personally.

Modern life of the peoples of the South American continent

(Puno city in Peru)

The current population of South America is 387.5 million. It is characterized by the predominance of mixed ethnic groups: mestizos (the result of mixed barques of Europeans and Indians), mulattoes (marriage of Europeans with a Negroid race), Sambo (marriage of Indians with a Negroid race).

Colombia, Paraguay, Ecuador and Venezuela are dominated by mestizos, descendants of mixed marriages of indigenous people (Indians) and Spanish settlers. In Peru and Bolivia, the majority are Indians. In the states of the central part of South America in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, the majority of citizens are of African descent, the minority are the descendants of the inhabitants of the European continent. But most of them, especially immigrants from Spain and Italy, live in Argentina and Uruguay. Chile has many immigrants from such European countries as Germany, England, France, Austria, Greece, Scandinavia, etc. Official language Most countries on the mainland speak Spanish, in Brazil Portuguese, in Peru the Quechua Indian language is official on a par with Spanish.

Indians- These are the indigenous inhabitants of the territory of America, living before the arrival of Europeans and after them. The discoverer of these lands, Christopher Columbus at the end of the 15th century, made an erroneous idea about the Indians, imagining them to be the inhabitants of India. The migration of the Americanoid race began 70 thousand years ago BC. from northeastern Asia. The northern part of America accrued 400 thousand species of Indians.
Each tribe had its own language of speech, and for some types of people it consisted of the pronunciation of gestures and signals. The writing was pictograms- information printed on objects in the form of drawings and symbols.
The main attribute of the Indians was wampum- a cylindrical decoration worn on tied cords. Such an unusual object simultaneously served as an ornament, a monetary unit and a source of information. For reporting important information, a messenger delivered a wampum over long distances, on which symbols were applied in the form of pictograms. Wise leaders and elders could decipher them well.
The clothes of the Indians were unimaginably beautiful outfits of brightly colored clothes and jewelry. Graceful feathers served as the main difference and the Native American people could not be confused with anyone else. A large number of such intertwined multi-colored white stripes had the right to wear only wise leaders and elders. For combat sorties and hunting, warriors painted their faces with red and white paint. In combination with headdresses and unusual hairstyles, the Indian people acquired a uniquely impressive, appearance.
The main occupation of the Indians was hunting, farming, Agriculture and collecting. Thanks to Native Americans, valuable for cooking crops of potatoes, corn and other grain, squash and legumes were born among Europeans.
The main weapons of the Indians were the bow and the tomahawk. After the arrival of Europeans to new lands, firearms and horses appeared in the arsenal of the Indians. This greatly facilitated and accelerated the hunt for prey, especially for bison.
The girls were engaged in embroidery of various materials with unimaginably elegant patterns and drawings. Men made various devices and figures from wood. Looking at such art, one could endlessly admire the created craft.
The most common dish was pemmican, which was a type of porridge. Only women knew how to cook it and it contained a lot of substances useful for the body.
Religion among the Indians was associated with spirits. Shamans served as priests. They could dance for a long time with tambourines around the fires, driving away evil and other negative negativity.

Indian smoking pipe

The history of the smoking pipe is about 3000 years. Its founders are American Indians. Its inhabitants deeply substantiated the culture of growing tobacco and making pipes. Clay, stone, and later wood served as the material of manufacture. The design and shape of the pipes is a work of art, where their exquisite craftsmanship stands out. In ancient times, they were made in a long form, which required even more complex engineering from the master. Needlework design, could be done in various forms figures of people, animals and fantastic creatures. The design of the pipes could be complemented by a variety of decorations, which included wax, dyes and a red stone called catlinite.

Iroquois

Iroquois- These are the Indian tribes of North America and Canada, who lived in the Middle Ages and the New Age. These tribes were hostile to everyone else and led an independent lifestyle more. Nearby similar neighbors, such as: cayuga, mohawks, oneida, onondaga and Seneca, with their close-knit association formed League (Confederation) of the Iroquois in 1570.
The dwellings were large, elongated houses, similar to buildings intertwined with long branches. They were made from elm bark, tree trunks and ropes. The settlements were reliably protected by protective barriers in the form of palisades and palisades in length. 4.5 meters .
The main occupation of the Iroquois was fishing, hunting and agriculture. planted in fertile fields corn, maize, beans and pumpkin. The Indians were skilled woodworkers. Talented craftsmen designed various wooden attributes and wove baskets.
Iroquois clothing was made from deer skins and tanned skins. Thick material perfectly warmed in the cold weather of a changing climate. On their feet they wore their own made shoes called moccasins. After contacts with Europeans, clothing began to change slightly to Western European. It was imported by merchants and merchants who successfully exchanged with Indian tribes. Soon, cloth and chintz were included in the clothing, and later silk and velvet. The last two materials were used as decorations and were worn most often on holidays.
The Iroquois arsenal consisted of bows, darts, arrow, knives, tomahawks and metal axes. The handles were decorated with carvings and other painted patterns. In the early historical period, the tribes wore wooden armor and shields. The need for such armor disappeared when firearms appeared. The Iroquois were the first of all American tribes to realize the advantage of musket guns and cannons. Therefore, they successfully adopted this replenishment of these formidable guns into their armament.
The Iroquois tribes were good dancers. At solemn ceremonies, for dancing, it was going great amount of people. Various instruments were used for musical rhythm. They were rattles, sticks, flageolets, pipes, whistles and drums. All of them were made from shells, hooves and feathers of animals, as well as from various fruits of plants.
An incredible difference between the Iroquois was their hairstyle. The collected tuft of hair in the center of the head was ruffled and decorated with various bright feathers. Characteristic image in more late period could change and long hair.
The first Europeans to come into contact with the Iroquois were the British and French in the 16th century, who conducted land surveys. But the best trade relations between the tribes developed with the Dutch in the 17th century. Beaver skins were in great demand in Europe, thereby instructing the Iroquois to go to war with other territories to replenish the supply of this prey. The Dutch supplied the Iroquois with good firearms, thanks to which they acquired a powerful force as part of the commonwealth.

The Iroquois were very well oriented in the forest areas, they could camouflage themselves well and move silently. In any skirmish with the enemy, where there was a forest, they won. Quiet retreat and surprise attack was the most common tactic for combat. Many historians describe the Iroquois as the most vicious and aggressive warriors who know no mercy for their enemies.

In the 8th century these Indian tribes drove the French out of the New World, taking the side of the British. This is one of the reasons why France lost in the struggle for colonies in North America. In the war for independence, the Iroquois also sided with England, but lost it, giving way to a new nation of pale-faced Americans.

Huron

Tribes Huron lived in the Middle Ages in the territory North America. Them distinctive feature, represented the appearance of a tousled tuft of hair at the back of the head. The initial number was 40,000 people until the Indian tribe was swept by wars and epidemics of disease. A significant number of inhabitants were reduced as a result of fierce wars against the Iroquois. Ultimately, this tribe was so exterminated that by the end 19th century their number was only 240 people.
The main occupation of the Hurons was cattle breeding, hunting, agriculture, fishing, and the manufacture of leather products. This tribe participated in successful trade with other narrow-minded settlers.
The dwellings of the Hurons were quite spacious buildings with a width 12 meters and height 8 m. The structure of the building included material from coniferous trees, elm and ash bark. The walls of the buildings were intertwined with horizontal and vertical partitions, connecting the ends of various materials that were part of the architecture. The shape was in the form of arched figures. Inside it was spacious and comfortable. Each family was provided with 1 room with a common corridor. The buildings could have separate compartments for storing supplies useful resources. They could serve as grain and firewood. The settlement could contain the most basic building big size. It housed a council of leaders, in which important issues of resolving various situations were resolved.
During the downsizing in 19th century, the Huron tribes began to move from North America to Russian Siberia, and later to Belarus. Therefore, some peoples of this nation have the roots of this Indian tribe.

Mohicans

Mohicans were one of the largest tribes that were part of a confederation called Algonquians . The tribes inhabited large villages in what is now New York City.
Mohicans engaged hunting, agriculture, fishing and gathering. These were the only tribes with a democratic form of government. Management was carried out by leaders, which was passed on as a legacy to the next generation. Sometimes the elders were appointed by a special, universal council.
In the first half XVII centuries, the Mohicans, like many Indian tribes, were embroiled in beaver wars with the Mohawks. This prompted a significant pushback of the tribes at the beginning 1600s., but later the Mohicans returned to their former lands again. Long-term wars and smallpox disease claimed the lives of many Indians. Therefore, the number of Mohicans was significantly reduced and led to decline.
During the colonial wars, the Mohicans were on the side of the French and the British, but during the struggle for the independence of America, they sided with the latter. eminent leader Hendrik Opomut instructed the Indian people to fight on the side of the pale-faced rebels. But after the end of the war, white Americans settled in large numbers on the lands that belonged to the Mohicans. Therefore, the red-skinned people had to move to the northern lands of Wisconsin, where they were invited by friendly mohawk oneida.

Botokudo

Botokudo are Indian tribes South America who lived in eastern Brazil. Their main distinguishing feature is the large rings worn in the lips and ears. A huge disk was built from a special plant called " Horisia Ventricosa ". Such a rather creepy type of botokudo greatly frightened the Europeans. In addition, their standard of living was perceived by the Portuguese as terrifying and inadequate. For them, they looked more like animal monkeys than a civilized person. This contributed to the significant destruction and displacement of the South American tribes deep into Brazil.
Botokudo had well-developed muscles, wide and flat faces and small nose with wide nostrils. The appearance of these Indians is more like Mongoloid race. In addition, the inhabitants of these tribes themselves consider some Chinese to be their kindred race.
Botokudo culture is not rich in rich culture. They wore almost no clothing and lived a nomadic lifestyle. The main occupation was hunting and gathering. The weapon was a kind of thin spears, which were made from thin tree branches. Like many tribes, there was a bow with arrows.
The dwellings were a kind of huts, assembled from branches and wood. Their height was substantially low and unimpressive. size did not exceed 1.5 meters.
Botokudo had a musical instrument in the form of a bamboo flute. According to their customs, playing on it scared away evil spirits. The southern Indians worshiped the Sun, which, according to their reflections, brought good. The moon, on the other hand, seemed to be the source of negativity and evil. During eclipses and hurricanes, the Botokud tribes fired their bows into the sky, for their own reasons, in this way to scare away the darkness.

Innu

Innu were Indians who lived in the Middle Ages on the territory of the Labrador Peninsula in the Canadian lands. Northern habitation allowed this people to show a hardened resistance to cold. The area of ​​residence was among pine and spruce forests, rocky plains, rivers and lakes. Such a strategic position allowed the Innu to maintain their safety from invaders and aggressors.

The Innu peoples were successful hunters and anglers. For six winter months they diligently hunted and led a nomadic lifestyle, and when summer came, they set up their camps, where settled peace came. They took care of the food supply for the future. The extraction was processed and sent for storage. Hunting for many types of fur-bearing animals allowed the Innu to make very beautiful fur and leather products with clothes.

gathering was also quite varied. Many types of fruits and berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, wild grapes and apples) were part of the diet. The tribe also extracted maple sap from numerous Canadian trees.

The Innu were good traders of fur material. Hunting for a large number of species of animals on the territory of Canadian lands brought excellent profits to this Indian tribe.

Cone-shaped wigwams served as dwellings for the Innu. They were covered with reindeer skins or birch bark. Everything depended on weather conditions residence in one area or another. Their height could reach 4 plus meters. The floor was covered with a spruce covering made of spruce branches and sometimes could be supplemented with another flooring made of bearskins. The lower part of the floor was located in such a way that the legs of the resting person were raised to the center of the hearth, for even more comfortable comfort. Inside the wigwam it was very warm even in severe frosts. It could fit and live up to 20 people of the tribe.

Deerskin was a versatile material. With the help of it, many useful attributes for the economy were made. Innu even made baskets, bags and shirts from it.

Dishes and vessels for liquids were made of birch and spruce. The Indians were big fans of smoking pipes. The material for the manufacture was slate, sandstone and spruce. Sometimes the pipe could be covered with beaded jewelry.

The main means of transportation for the Innu were canoes and wooden rafts made of logs. But in addition to these two modes of transport, northern people there were also snowshoes (skis) and toboggans (sleds). With their help, the Innu could easily overcome the snow barrier.

The religion of the Indians consisted of beliefs in spirits, which, according to the beliefs of the Innu, commanded over animals. Thus, the inhabitants expressed great respect for their master for the food and harvest.

Tlingit

Tlingit were inhabitants Canada and southeastern Alaska. These Indians distinguished themselves from other tribes by identifying themselves with the Northwestern culture. Their number in the Middle Ages was 10,000 people.
The main occupation of the Tlingit was fishing and hunting. For fishing, the tribes had a variety of facilities, including a variety of equipment, such as: nets, hooks, harpoons, prisons,clubs and traps for fish. During such occupations, the Indians made temporary dwellings in the form of huts. Agriculture was non-existent before the arrival of the Europeans. But the Tlingit knew how to make iron and were excellent woodworkers. The Indians carved beautiful poles, ornaments, dishes, mats from wood, made furniture, and built baskets. Trade in clothes, furs and skins was also developed.
The clothes of the Tlingit were elegant and varied. It was divided into summer and winter. Even in the summer, the Indians wore fur capes, and in the cold, pants and moccasins were added to them. The most valuable material was the skin of a beaver, marmot and wolf. Only leaders and elders had the right to wear a marten. Clothing was decorated with painted ornaments, as were masks with the heads of animals that the Tlingits were very fond of wearing. Such masks could be worn in case of combat fights and confrontations with enemies and enemies. These head capes served perhaps as the main distinguishing feature of the appearance of the southeastern Indians.
The diet of the Tlingit was rich and satiated. It contained the very beneficial nutrients of fat, bushmeat, shellfish, algae, and various fish.
The Tlingit were warlike and bold. Often on numerous canoes they went on military campaigns. The arsenal of weapons included bows with arrows, daggers and clubs. Their bodies were protected by wooden armor and helmets. At first, the tribes were hostile to the arriving European colonizers, including the Russians. Later, relations with white people improved and even trade began.
The Tlingit religion was enigmatic, mysterious and mystical. Among the Indian people there were many magicians and shamans. The most magical number was 4, since this figure was associated with 4 seasons and 4 cardinal directions.

Odshibwe

Odshibwe- this is an Indian people who inhabited the expanses Northeast America in the Middle Ages. The population of the tribes led a settled way of life and lived individual groups before 50 people. The Odshibwe were allied" Three lights ", which included the Potawatomi and Ottawa tribes. This trinity fought with the Iroquois and Sioux. The Odshibwe were the most powerful Indian tribes. They controlled their possessions for a long time and could conquer new lands on their own. Later, the French came and joined the Odshibwe as allies. and by showing them new firearms, the French greatly helped the tribes to finally drive the Sioux out of their possessions.
Odshibwe engaged hunting, fishing, gathering and agriculture. Harvesting corn, rice and vegetables were the most important occupations of the tribe. AT XVII century developed fur trade with Europeans. Cone-shaped wigwams served as dwellings. They were built from birch, willow and juniper wood. The Oshibwe tribes were good artists and designers. They decorated their dwellings with painted symbols of mathematical, astronomical and other geometric signs. Such carved sketches could be found even on stones.
The Oshibwe tribes developed shamanism and belief in spirits. Shamans successfully acquired the skills to treat various diseases by learning from each other.
People were buried in specially built small houses, which were marked with special symbols.

The population of the tribe were excellent farmers, skillful craftsmen in woodworking, leather processing, and carpet weaving. Ottawa could manufacture various medical preparations. An important source of dressings was birch bark, with which wigwams and water canoes were built. The cultivation of the land was given a big role. Ottawa grew sunflowers, pumpkins, beans, maize. Wild rice grew on water rivers, which was collected on horseback and eaten. After farming, the Indians were engaged in hunting and fishing.

Indians Sioux lived in the territory North America in river areas Mississippi and rocky mountains. The main occupations were hunting, fishing, gathering, agriculture, construction, trade and needlework. After mastering the horse, bison hunting improved significantly. This large animal was huge in size and brought a substantial amount of meat. Like other Indian tribes, the Sioux had a well-developed fur trade. They could build well sea ​​views locomotion such as rafts and leather boats. Experienced craftsmen applied picturesque ornaments on the skin and sewed with beads.
The Sioux knew how to fight well, war was their main hobby. Because of this, in the arsenal of cold and small arms, there was a rich variety of paraphernalia. In addition to the bow, arrows, knives and spears, the arsenal included tomahawks with different kind tips for close range attacks.
The Sioux wore the well-known leather bands on their heads. Only those warriors who accomplished a great feat could stick feathers into them. They were painted black and red. The leaders wore a whole bunch of numerous feathers, penetrating the entire length of the back of the head and back of the body. The Indians wore a variety of amulets and jewelry around their necks. In some way, they served as protection and a cure for various negativity. The clothes of the Indians consisted of shirts and trousers, decorated with fringe from numerous hanging strips.
The dwellings of the Sioux peoples were the most varied and alluring. These included round clay buildings, dugouts, huts, dwellings covered with tree bark. In the middle of the dwelling there was always a place for a fire, and a chimney was built at the top.
Like other Indian tribes, the Sioux developed shamanism and belief in spirits. Often rituals were accompanied by severe self-torture, but without human sacrifices. On holidays, global dances were held, in which guests could be invited. Symbolism in the form of the sun was placed in the center, with a round dance around it.

Indian myths about kachinas, gods and teachers.

Hopi Indians are a people living on the territory of a 12.5-kilometer reservation in northeast Arizona. Hopi culture, a tribe of Indians, traditionally belongs to a group of peoples called pueblos. According to the all-American census, held at the turn of the millennium, in 2000, the population of the reservation, which now creates Hopi tobacco, and was previously responsible for making predictions, is 7 thousand people. The largest known Hopi community, the Hopi Reservation, once lived in First Mesa, Arizona.

The ancestors of the ancient Indian peoples are the Hopi Indians.
The Hopi are supposedly descended from one of the oldest Indian cultures that once built their empires on the territory of the states of Nevada and New Mexico. The Hopi Indians are the descendants of the legendary Maya, Aztecs and Incas, whose civilizations developed in the period from the 2nd to the 15th millennium. The Hopi language belongs to the Hopi Shoshone sub-branch of the group Aztec languages. Modern residents of a settlement in Arizona, the Hopi do not stop calling themselves the descendants of ancient tribes and the keepers of their heritage. According to ancient legends belonging to the Hopi Indians, this people was originally a mixture of representatives of tribes from all over America, who later identified themselves as an independent people.

The Hopi country has been formed for more than one century. The first contact of the ancestors of modern Hopi Indians with Europeans took place back in 1540. During periods of hard conquest, a significant part of the Hopi tribe underwent forced Christianization. However, this is only part of the tribe. As the elders assure: "The Hopi Indians fought to the end, which allowed them to preserve the faith of their ancestors." In 1860, there was a pueblo uprising, the consequence of which was the formation of Spanish punitive groups. Fortunately for the local population, the Hopi Indians successfully repelled attacks from the Spanish invaders. As a result, the then Spanish government almost completely lost control over the Hopi and their friendly tribes.

The cooperation of cultures, although not voluntary, to some extent favorably affected the Hopi Indians. At the end of the 17th century, they adopted the skills of handling domestic animals: donkeys, horses and sheep. And later, the Hopi Indians mastered cattle breeding, and learned how to work with iron and gardening. In addition, unlike the Mayan and Aztec heritage, the Hopi language, their cultural and mythological heritage was not looted and burned.

However, not everything was so rosy for the ancient tribe. For many years, the Hopi Indians were in conflict not only with Europeans, but also with the neighboring Navajo tribe. Under the influence of the Atab migrations, the Hopi were forced to move to more protected mountain areas. The settlements built by the Hopi tobacco growers were named First Mesa, Second Mesa, and Third Mesa. The first Mesa was for many years the oldest active settlement belonging to the Indians on the territory of the American continent. In fact, the Hopi Indians lived for decades in villages completely surrounded by the huge Navajo reservation. The militant tribes were separated only by the Hopi River and mountain ranges, which serve as a barrier to settlements. Today, the once warring tribes are at peace and even cooperate on environmental issues.

Hopi tobacco is a true treasure of the Indian world.
Today, the Hopi are not even a tribe famous for their culture or history, but the ancient Indians, who were glorified by Hopi tobacco, grown all over the world, by people different cultures and peoples. This variety of tobacco, Hopi tobacco, as the name implies, was bred by the Hopi tribe in the distant past, and its smoking preceded rituals aimed at appeasing and communicating with ancestors. So the famous ritual dance of the Kachin Hopi was certainly accompanied by a calm and unconstrained lighting of a pipe with tobacco. It is believed that Hopi tobacco is able to open the soul of a person, it gives a person the opportunity to fully feel the events and phenomena of the surrounding reality. The variety of tobacco, called Hopi mapacho, has not spread around the world as well as its cheaper counterparts, however, even in the CIS countries it will not be possible to find amateurs and professionals involved in the cultivation, production and sale of the true heritage of the ancient Indians.

Hopi culture is a heritage of Mesoamerica.
The name of the tribe - "Hopi" is translated as "peaceful people" or " peaceful Indians". The concept of peace, order and mutual assistance is deeply rooted in religion, ritual and culture. ancient people. Hopi culture, the religion of this people, is fundamentally different from the beliefs of #Aztecs, #Incas or #Maya. Unlike ancestors who promote sacrifice, the Hopi religion, which implies respect for things and the world around, is permeated with pacifist sentiments. The labyrinths of the Hopi, their settlements and reservations, were originally built not for protection, but for pacifying rites. In the words of the Hopi themselves: "War is never an option."

In their beliefs, the Hopi worship great spirits, the kachinas. For several centuries, the Indians have been praying to them for rain or harvest. Hopi culture is founded and relies on the belief in Kaichna. They make kachin dolls, give them to their children and sell them to tourists interested in the history of #Mesoamerica. Hopi to this day practice the oldest religious rites and ceremonies, which are celebrated according to the lunar calendar. Nevertheless, even this people with the richest mythological basis did not escape the influence of the mass American culture. Photos of the Hopi, modern Indians, confirm this fact. The American dream more than once or twice encroached on the foundations of the ancient people.

Traditionally for Indian tribes, the Hopi high level farming is developed, and products are produced both for sale and for own use. Today, the Hopi are fully involved in monetary and economic relations. The Hopi culture has not lost its uniqueness and independence, it has simply become accustomed to the surrounding realities. Many members of the tribe have official jobs and a stable income to provide for their families. Others are engaged in the production and sale of multiple works of art, the most notable of which are Hopi Indian paintings, paintings painted in the same way as hundreds of years ago. The Hopi people live, and their way of life and culture develop.

The Hopi Indians are the prophets of the modern world.
Talking about the art and culture of the Indians. For many years, the attention of researchers from all over the world was riveted to stone tablets describing the history of the Hopi. Some of them contain frightening prophecies of the future. The Hopi are a peaceful tribe. But even in their religion there was a place for terrifying omens and events. The elders of the Hopi Indians and the ancient stone tablets they keep are responsible for predictions that foreshadow the death of the world and the decline of human civilization. The most famous of the Hopi prophecies is a prediction published in 1959.

According to him, the fourth world, the world in which we live, will soon come to an end. As the Hopi say: “a white brother will appear on earth, not the white brother who fights, which is evil and greedy, but the one who will return the lost text of ancient scriptures and mark the beginning of the end with his return.”

The apocalypse in Hopi predictions will be preceded by events, the so-called signs. There are nine in total. The first sign speaks of evil people who will take the land from its rightful owners. The second sign is wooden wheels that will replace horses. The third sign is the invasion of strange animals. The fourth sign is the earth wrapped in iron snakes. The fifth sign is a giant web that will envelop the earth. The sixth sign says that the earth will be repainted by evil people. In the seventh sign of the Hopi Indians, the sea will turn black and life will begin to fade. The eighth sign heralds the fusion of cultures. And the last, ninth sign speaks of dwellings high in the sky, falling to the ground. The apogee of these events will be the end of the world and the disappearance of human civilization from the face of the Earth. The future of the Hopi tribe, a people with thousand years of history. http://vk.cc/4q4XMl