Indians (all tribes of North America). Indians - celebrities, leaders, chiefs

East Indians lived in the territory between the Great Lakes in the north, the Mississippi in the west, Gulf of Mexico in the south and Atlantic Ocean in the east. The northern part of this territory belonged during the period of the arrival of Europeans to various tribes of the Algonquian language group.

On the Atlantic coast, the Algonquian Indians were engaged in fishing, in other places they cultivated corn or beans. For the Algonquian Indians, the main source of livelihood was rice growing wild in the water. One of these Algonquian tribes, living near Lake Superior, wrote its name in gold letters in the history of the national liberation struggle of the Indians of North America. The Algonquian tribes included and. An important role in the Indian wars also belonged to representatives of other Algonquian-speaking tribes that united in the 17th century in the Powhattan confederation. It was these Indians that the first British settlers encountered and fought.

In the wooded northern part of the east of the current USA, we meet with another group of warlike Indian tribes - the Iroquois. These Indians were engaged in agriculture (they grew corn, sunflowers, watermelons, peas and beans), hunting forest animals (moose, beavers, and especially deer). The Iroquois-speaking tribes (Oneida, Seneca, Mohawks, Cayuga, Onondaga) created in the second half of the 16th century the strongest association in the history of North America - the Iroquois League, which in 1722 was joined by another sixth, living to the south, the tribe of the Iroquois language group Tuscarora .

The Iroquois League, surprisingly, did not actively participate in the main anti-colonial battles of the North American Indians. The merit in this, of course, belongs to the leader of moderate views, Tayendanege (the whites called him Joseph Brant), a Mohawk by origin.

Thanks to this circumstance, the Iroquois still live in their original homeland.

And many Iroquois, especially numerous Senecas, live today in America's largest city, New York.

In the south of eastern North America, at the time of the arrival of the whites, there lived less warlike tribes, to whom fate was cruel. Almost all the local Indians, with the exception of the remnants, were forced to go into exile across the Mississippi in the first half of the 19th century or were completely destroyed.

Most of the southeastern tribes belonged to the Muscons. language group(Chickasaws, Creeks, Choctaws, Alabama, and others). These Indians were excellent farmers, lived in rebuilt large villages, maintained trade relations with remote areas of North America and Mexico.

Of the non-Musconian tribes of the southeast, it is necessary to recall at least those who lived in Georgia and the Carolinas " cousins» The Iroquois are a tribe of the Cherokees. These Indians created their first written language in the 19th century, printed Indian books and newspapers, created a parliament, etc. However, they were also expelled across the Mississippi in the first half of the 19th century.

Prairie Indians

Prairie Indians who the best side showed themselves in the Indian wars, during the period when the first Europeans came to North America, in fact, they did not yet live on their so famous prairies. First we must say what these prairies are.

These are endless, slightly hilly steppes, overgrown with buffalo grass. This buffalo grass was the main food for numerous herds of bison, and the bison, in turn, later became the main source of food, as well as the "clothes" and "shoes" of the Prairie Indians.

This infinitely vast territory, located approximately between the northern border of the present United States, the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, was inaccessible to the Indian on foot in the pre-Columbian period. But as soon as - somewhere in the seventeenth century - the Indians, who until that time lived on the edge of the North American prairies and were engaged in primitive agriculture (for example, the Cheyenne), or hunting (like the Kiows or popular Comanches), received horses, they were able to begin to settle down on their prairies. , roam, hunt bison.

So in the seventeenth century, the youngest Indian culture of North America, the prairie culture, was born here, and with it a new inhabitant of these endless steppes, the prairie Indian, was formed. Gradually, the North American prairies are divided among themselves by members of a number of tribes. These are, first of all, representatives of the large family of Sioux languages. In addition to the Sioux tribes proper, this language group also includes the Assiniboins, the Mandans, the well-known Ponca, Omaha, and Osaga. Of the Algonquian-speaking tribes, the Cheyenne, Atsin, and Wyoming Arapagians lived on the prairies.

The Indians of the Prairie are the creators of most of the objects whose invention we unknowingly attribute to all North American Indians.

It was they who created and wore luxurious decorations from feathers on their foreheads, built their dwellings from buffalo skin, they invented the famous horse cart - travots, wore the famous leggings - leather boots; it was they who dressed in the famous chain mail and festive, decorated with drawings, cloaks, also made of buffalo skin.

It was they who came up with a special Indian bow, reinforced with veins, used tomahawks - military axes.

Close to them in cultural traditions are representatives of most of today's few tribes living beyond the western borders of the prairies, primarily on the high plains in today's Utah and Nevada, then in the Colorado basin and, finally, in dense, covered coniferous forest areas adjacent to the prairies on their northwestern borders (today's US states of Idaho, Montana, East End Oregon and Washington State).

Indians of the Southwest

In this area, which is the current US states of Arizona and New Mexico, live the famous Apache warriors, who today inhabit four reservations in the amount of 12,000 people (Jicarilla Apache, Mescalero Apache, Fort Apache and San Carlos).

At the time of the arrival of Europeans, Apaches were predominantly semi-nomadic hunters. The closest relatives of the Apaches are - also belonging to the Athabas language family - their neighbors the Navajos, who today far outnumber other Indian peoples of North America (more than 100,000 people) and live again in the largest Indian reservation in the United States.

Navajos are, above all, good pastoralists. They keep sheep and cattle. In America, their beautiful turquoise jewelry is highly valued.

In the south of Arizona, in a semi-desert region on the border with Mexico, there are about 20,000 Indians from the Papago and Pima tribes belonging to the Pama language group; in the west of this region, along the course of the Colorado River, there are several small Indian tribes of the Yuma language group. Finally, in the southwest, in a number of villages, there are famous pueblos - sedentary farmers who grow corn, watermelons and other crops, often in irrigated fields arranged in terraces.

In a pueblo village, there is only one house with several floors, built of mud and stone. Separate families live in different rooms. This is the New Mexican dwelling - "pueblo".

The well-known pueblo of Zugni is occupied by almost three thousand people belonging to the same language group. Linguistically, most Pueblos belong to the Tano and Keres group. The Hopi Indians, who have three castles in the rocks - "Meses" - in Arizona, belong to the Shoshone language group, that is, they are close to the famous Comanches.

Indians of California and the Northwest Coast

California was inhabited by many small Indian tribes of various language groups. California and Northwest Coast Indian Culture Pacific Ocean(the current North American states of Oregon and Washington) was much more primitive than the culture of all other Native American groups in North America.

The local Indians earned their livelihood by collecting the fruits and seeds of wild plants, lived in semi-underground dugout huts. The tribes living directly on the coast were also engaged in catching fish and sea mollusks. Numerous tribes of the Pacific coast in the XVII-XIX centuries completely died out.

Today, about thirty Indian tribes and small groups remain here, of which only the Diegen, belonging to the Yuma language group, number 9,000 people. Other local tribes have only a few families.

The natives of America are the Indians. They have a unique and tragic fate. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that this people managed to survive the period of settlement of the mainland by Europeans. The tragedy is connected with the conflict between the Indians and the white race. Where do Indians live today? How is their life going? Let's consider in more detail.

Excursion into history

In order to plunge into the life of the Indians, you must first realize who they are. For the first time in Europe, they heard about them only at the turn of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, even from the school history course, many remember the famous journey of Christopher Columbus, when, in search of India, he reached the coast of America.

Sailors immediately dubbed the local population redskins, and by the name of the area - Indians. Although it was a completely different continent, different from the one they wanted to find. So the name was fixed and became common for a huge number of peoples inhabiting two continents. Then, to the question of where the Indians live, any educated European would answer that in India.

For the inhabitants of Europe, of course, the found mainland was a valuable find, the road to the New World. However, for many Indian tribes living on these lands for about forty thousand years, such an acquaintance was not necessary at all. The arriving Europeans did not want to consolidate relations or bring something new to the life of the indigenous population - they only treacherously took away the lands, thereby pushing the legitimate inhabitants far into the interior of the state, occupying and equipping territories suitable for European life.

Over time, the Indian tribes were completely pushed beyond the edge of their original habitat, and their territories were settled by Europeans who arrived from across the ocean in search of India.

Nineteenth century Indian history

To mid-nineteenth centuries, the New Lands were so colonized by Europeans that there were practically no free lands suitable for the habitation of the Redskins. Where did the Indians live during this period of time? It was then that the concept of land reservation appeared. Reserved lands were areas ill-suited for agriculture. Europeans did not need such lands, so they were given to local tribes.

Conflicts have always arisen between two different cultures and mentalities, which sometimes escalate into open clashes with victims and the wounded. According to an oral agreement between the Europeans and the Indian tribes, it was decided that the Indians have every right to live on the reservation and can receive food and everything they need from the whites. But such charity was extremely rare.

The agreement also included a division of the land so that each Indian would be given 180 acres. It is worth recalling that this land was very bad for agriculture. The nineteenth century was a turning point in the fate of the Indians - they lost their rights and almost half of their mainland.

New history: a changed attitude towards the Indians

In the first half of the twentieth century, United States legislation made North American Indians citizens of the state. A few decades later, such an action on the part of the authorities was a huge step towards reconciliation between the warring peoples. The attitude towards this people was radically revised.

The places where the American Redskins live, like themselves, began to interest Americans not on the basis of convictions of profit, but because this is part of cultural heritage own country. In the United States, a spirit of pride in resilient natives emerged. Most citizens began to have ideas of encouraging the Indians for their tolerance, the Americans were eager to correct the unfair treatment that their ancestors bestowed on the indigenous population of America.

Where do Indians live today?

Currently, the red-skinned population of America lives in two main geographical areas of the mainland - these are North and Latin America. It should be noted here that Latin America does not represent only South America - it also includes Mexico and a number of islands.

It is worth analyzing the geographical features of the settlement of the Indians separately.

North American Indians

Where do the Indians of North America live today? Recall that this territorial region consists of two large-scale states, namely the United States and Canada.

Indian habitats:

  • subtropics in the presented territory;
  • coastal regions of the northwestern part of the mainland;
  • California is a famous Indian state;
  • southeastern United States;
  • territory of the Great Plains.

The main activities of the Indians are hunting, fishing, gathering and harvesting of valuable fur. More than 60% of modern Indians live in major states and countryside throughout the US. The rest, as a rule, live on the territories of the state reservation.

California is a famous Indian area

Western cinema and popular fiction very often they paint a picture of the Indians living here - in California. This does not mean that country music and films are deceiving: the same facts are provided by statistics.

American censuses over the past decades confirm that the majority of modern Indians live in California. It is worth noting that the representatives of this race in this metropolis have long been mixed with the rest of the population. Over the years, most of them have lost the knowledge of their native language. For example, more than 68% of Indians today do not know any language other than English. Only 20% speak perfectly the dialect of their own people, as well as the state language.

It should be noted that the Californian Redskins have certain benefits, for example, for education and admission to higher educational institutions. But the majority of Indians do not use the benefits provided. Today, about 65% of children from Indian families receive secondary education, and only 10% receive a bachelor's degree.

Indian settlements in Latin America

There are Indian settlements in South America:

  1. The area of ​​almost all Latin America inhabited by the heirs of the Mayan tribes, the Aztecs and those who lived in the geographical area of ​​​​Central America before the European invasion.
  2. A separate unity is represented by the Indians of the Amazon basin, the main difference of which lies in their peculiar behavior, the preservation of traditions and indigenous laws.
  3. Such communities as the Indians of Patagonia and the Pampas also live in this territory.
  4. Indigenous inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego.

Peruvian Indians

Peru is one of the Latin American countries located on the Pacific Northwest coast of South America. Why is this area important to the Indians? It was on the territory of the state that the capital of one of the most influential countries of the indigenous Indians, the Inca Empire, was located. Indians South America still consider the country their homeland.

That is why enchanting festivities are held annually in Peru in honor of the day of the Peruvian Indians. This day is a date for the memory and preservation of the cultural traditions of bygone days. Indian Memorial Day is one of the most colorful and significant holidays for city residents. Guests and the local population are waiting for a big fair, a demonstration national cuisine, an interesting festival and live music in every corner of Peru.

In our time, it is quite difficult to single out certain geographical areas where the Indians live. Most of the representatives of the people live together on their pushed back lands, preserving cultural traditions, religion and valuable life guidelines. Others have firmly assimilated with the European population, began to fully adhere to American traditions and legislation, and live in megacities. Most of the latter have forgotten their native language and the history of the great people.

American Indians have a unique and tragic history. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that they were able to survive the period of settlement of the continent by Europeans. The tragedy is connected with the conflict between the Indians and the white population. Despite all this, the history of the Indian people is full of optimism, because, having lost the lion's share of their original lands, they survived and retained their identity. Today they are full citizens of the United States.

The main question of the article: where do the Indians live? Traces of this population can be traced on two continents. Many names in the US are associated with this people. For example, Massachusetts, Michigan, Kansas and the like.

A bit of history, or who are called Indians

In order to understand where the Indians live, you need to decide who they are. For the first time, Europeans learned about them at the end of the 15th century, when, in search of the cherished India, they reached the shores of America. The sailor immediately called local residents Indians, although it was a completely different continent. So the name was fixed and became common for many peoples who inhabited two continents.

If for Europeans the open continent was the New World, then hundreds lived here for about 30 thousand years. Newly arriving Europeans began to push the natives into the interior of the country, occupying habitable territories. Gradually, the tribes were driven closer to the mountains.

Reservation system

By the end of the 19th century, America was so populated by Europeans that there were no free lands for the Indians. In order to understand where the Indians live, you should know what reservations are. These are lands poorly suited for agriculture, where the Indians were forced out. Living in this territory under agreements with white people, they had to receive supplies. However, this was often only verbal.

Things got even worse when the government allocated 160 acres of land to each indigenous person. The Indians were not ready to farm, moreover, on land unsuitable for this. All this led to the fact that by 1934 the Indians had lost a third of their lands.

New Deal

In the first half of the last century, the US Congress made the Indians citizens of the country. This was a great push forward regarding reconciliation between peoples, although rather belated.

The places where American Indians live, like themselves, began to interest Americans not from the point of view of profit, but from the point of view of the cultural heritage of their state. The United States has developed a spirit of pride in the diversity of its population. Many had a desire to compensate the descendants of the Indians for the unfair treatment to which their ancestors were subject.

Where do Indians live?

Indians live in two main geographical areas. These are North America and Latin America. To avoid confusion, it is worth noting that Latin America is not only South America, but Mexico and a number of islands.

Territory of settlement in North America

Where do Indians live in North America? This geographical area consists of two large states - the USA and Canada.

Indian regions:

  • subtropical regions;
  • coastal regions of the northwestern part of the mainland;
  • California is a popular Indian state;
  • southeastern United States;
  • territory

Now it’s clear where the Indians live, the photos of which are presented in the article. It remains to indicate that all of them are engaged in fishing, hunting, gathering, and making valuable fur on their lands.

Half of modern Indians live in major cities and rural areas throughout the United States. The other part lives on federal reservations.

Indians in California

When you hear the question of where cowboys and Indians live, the state of California comes to mind first. This is connected not only with westerns, but also with statistics. By at least towards the Indians.

The largest number of Indian population lives in the state of California. This was confirmed by the population census over the past decades. Of course, the descendants of the Indians of this region are of mixed origin.

How do they live on the mainland in California? Over the years, most of them have lost the knowledge of their native language. Thus, more than 70% do not speak any language other than English. Only 18% speak the language of their people well, as well as the state language.

California Indians have benefits for admission to higher education educational establishments. However, most of them do not use them. About 70% of children from Indian families receive secondary education, and only 11% receive a bachelor's degree. Most often, representatives of the indigenous population are employed in service labor or agriculture. Among them there is also a high percentage of unemployment in relation to the average.

A quarter of California Indians live below the poverty line. Their homes often lack running water and sewerage, and many are forced to live in very cramped conditions. Although more than 50% still have their own housing.

There are also Indian reservations in California. In 1998, a court in them allowed the indigenous people to engage in gambling business. This permission from the authorities was a significant victory. But it was not connected with highlighting a favorable attitude towards the Indians, but because it was impossible to engage in the usual crafts on the territory of the reservation. The government took this step to give people the opportunity to earn a living through gambling.

In addition to such concessions, reservations in California have their own self-government, courts, and law enforcement agencies. They do not obey the laws of the state of California, while receiving state subsidies and grants.

Territory of settlement in Latin America

There is a group of Indians living in Latin America. Where the Indians now live in this geographical area, read below:

  • throughout Latin America, the Aztecs and those who lived in Central America before the arrival of Europeans live;
  • a separate community are the Indians of the Amazon basin, who are distinguished by their specific thinking and foundations;
  • Indians of Patagonia and Pampas;
  • native people

After that, it is no longer a secret where they live. They were very powerful in their development and had their own state structure long before the arrival of Europeans.

It is quite difficult to answer unequivocally where the Indians live in our time. Many of them still adhere to their traditions, principles, live together. But there are also many who began to live like most Americans, forgetting even the language of their people.

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 root 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, in the arsenal of the Indians appeared firearms and horses. 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. The men were making various fixtures and wooden figures. 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 weaving 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 traders 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 tribes dressed 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, a huge number of people gathered. Used for musical rhythm various tools. 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. The characteristic image in a later 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 material included in the building coniferous trees, bark of elm and ash. The walls of the buildings were intertwined with horizontal and vertical partitions connecting the ends different material included in 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 of useful resources. They could serve as grain and firewood. The settlement could contain the most basic building of a large 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 developed muscles, wide and flat faces and a small nose with wide nostrils. The appearance of these Indians is more like a 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. 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 mined 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 this Indian tribe an excellent profit.

Cone-shaped wigwams served as dwellings for the Innu. They were covered with reindeer skins or birch bark. Everything depended on the weather conditions of living in a particular area. 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. Bottom part 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.

The deer skin was universal 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 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 transport for the Innu was the canoe. wooden rafts from logs. But in addition to these two modes of transport, the northern people still had snowshoes (skis) and toboggans (sledges). 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 included very helpful nutrients fat, meat of wild animals, 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 in separate groups until 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 healing skills 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 were good at constructing maritime forms of transportation 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 types of 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 Aztec language group. 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. Long years The Hopi Indians were in conflict not only with the 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 is not even a tribe famous for its culture or history, but the ancient Indians, who were glorified by Hopi tobacco, grown all over the world, by people of 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 lunar calendar. Nevertheless, even this people with the richest mythological basis has not escaped the influence of 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 formal jobs and Fixed salary to provide for the family. 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 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 the earth will be repainted 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. So terrible is the future of the Hopi tribe, a people with a thousand-year history. http://vk.cc/4q4XMl