When Europeans first set foot on the new continent they discovered that it had al-ready been settled. At some point ethnographers became interested in those aborigi-nal cultures. They intended to “cultivate” the “savages”. During those times hardly anyone was interested, let alone wrote about Native American women and the not unimportant part they played in this unknown culture. If women were mentioned at all, only their duties in the household were described. It is exactly this lack of interest that today makes it hard to get valid information about the life of Native American women at that time. This ignorance caused the white society to form a distorted picture, where the role of American Indian women matched the rather passive one white women had in their own society. They did not comprehend the importance the family represented as the central institution of society, nor the part women played outside the family, or the freedom they had and the rules they needed to obey. It was only in the 1920s, when the image of the “vanishing race” was created, that more material was collected about American Indian women. Stereotypes developed, because the information about America’s indigenous peo-ples was presented to us by a third person. This “medium” described the object of interest in his or her own Euro-centric terms and with a certain intention, in this case the want for the land the Natives inhabited. Then the information got generalized and eventually produced an image that mostly had nothing to do with the original object. The question therefore is: “How did and do Native women, along with others, cre-ate Native America?” (Klein & Ackerman: 3)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Concepts of Society
2.1 Egalitarian Societies
2.2 Matrilineal Societies
2.3 Women’s Societies
3. Organization of Society
3.1 Marriage and Family
3.2 Sexuality
3.3 Ownership
3.4 Hierarchy
3.5 Work and Hunt
4. Political Power
5. Spirituality and Healing
6. Cultural Domination
7. Women Activism
7.1 American Indian Movement (AIM)
7.2 Women of All Red Nations (WARN)
8. Pocahontas
8.1 Historical Facts
8.2 Images of Pocahontas
8.3 Disney’s Pocahontas
8.3.1 The Movie Itself
8.3.2 Different Opinions on “Pocahontas”
9. Final Remarks
10. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to challenge prevailing Euro-centric stereotypes regarding the social, political, and cultural roles of Native American women. By examining historical and anthropological perspectives, the study seeks to deconstruct the image of the submissive "squaw" and restore the narrative of women as powerful, autonomous, and essential contributors to their societies.
- Analysis of egalitarian and matrilineal structures in Native societies.
- Examination of women's roles in politics, spirituality, and economic life.
- Investigation into the impact of cultural domination and Western patriarchal impositions.
- Evaluation of Native women’s activism through organizations like AIM and WARN.
- Critical review of the representation of Pocahontas in history and contemporary media.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Sexuality
Among the Navajo men were supposed to pay women for their “sexual favors” (Shepardson: 168). At the same time too much sexual activity on the women’s side was not much appreciated. Therefore women who had intercourse too frequently were sometimes considered prostitutes by the members of their own tribe. Yet, there was no such thing as institutionalized prostitution.
Sexual activity was considered to have an effect as well on hunting and fishing as on warfare. In the Navajo nation, women were allowed to “join the war party. ... They fought just like the men did, but were forbidden to take scalps and must not have sexual intercourse with any members of the party.” (W.W. Hill: 8).
Similarly it was believed on the Plateau that men should refrain from having sex before the hunt (Ackerman: 95). The exceptional regulation among Plateau nations was that there also were restrictions for the sexual behavior of women: they were not supposed to engage in sexual actions before root digging (Ackerman: 95). This fact proves that either gender’s activity was considered equally important. Root digging and hunting was what sustained the tribe. If either men or women failed to produce enough, the tribe’s survival was endangered.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the historical marginalization of Native American women in ethnographic records and the resulting distorted images caused by Euro-centric biases.
Concepts of Society: Explores the egalitarian and matrilineal foundations of many Native cultures and the role of women's societies as voluntary, influential groups.
Organization of Society: Examines how indigenous societies structured marriage, sexuality, property ownership, hierarchy, and labor division, often with higher female status than in contemporary Western cultures.
Political Power: Discusses the political influence of Native women, including their involvement in decision-making and their indirect yet significant role in tribal governance.
Spirituality and Healing: Challenges the assumption that women were excluded from spiritual life, highlighting their active roles as shamans and healers.
Cultural Domination: Analyzes the destructive impact of European colonial "re-education" and patriarchal systems on the original status of Native American women.
Women Activism: Details the involvement of women in the American Indian Movement and the formation of WARN to specifically address women’s health and rights.
Pocahontas: A critical analysis of the historical figure versus the modern, romanticized, and often misrepresented media depictions.
Final Remarks: Summarizes the study’s findings, emphasizing the importance of correcting the distorted image of Native American women.
Bibliography: Provides a comprehensive list of sources used throughout the research.
Keywords
Native American Women, Matrilineal Societies, Cultural Domination, Indigenous Activism, Gender Roles, Pocahontas, Disney’s Pocahontas, Tribal Hierarchy, Shamanism, Euro-centrism, AIM, WARN, Social Autonomy, Historical Representation, Decolonization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The research explores the actual social, political, and cultural standing of Native American women, debunking myths of their supposed inferiority and passivity created by colonial viewpoints.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The work covers societal structures, political agency, spiritual and healing practices, the impact of colonial cultural domination, and contemporary Native women's activism.
What is the core research objective?
The primary goal is to provide a more accurate historical and cultural perspective on Native women that counters the "squaw drudge" stereotype prevalent in Western literature and media.
What scientific methodology is utilized?
The study relies on an interdisciplinary approach, primarily using literature reviews, anthropological analysis of historical ethnographic data, and critical media studies.
What content is discussed in the main chapters?
The main chapters analyze gender roles in marriage and work, the political influence of women in various tribes, the spiritual importance of women, and the specific historical case study of Pocahontas.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Native American Women, Matrilineal Societies, Cultural Domination, Indigenous Activism, Gender Roles, and Historical Representation.
How does the author analyze the Pocahontas myth?
The author contrasts historical facts regarding the real Pocahontas with her transformation into a romanticized "Indian Princess" figure in literature and the Disney film adaptation.
What does the book suggest about the AIM's relationship with women?
The book notes that while the American Indian Movement was sometimes criticized as male-dominated, women played a vital and often underestimated role during critical events like the occupation of Wounded Knee.
- Quote paper
- Kristina Maul (Author), 2000, The role of women in Native American societies, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/15030
