America is now concidered as the land of wealth, white and black people, with great moniuments of modern world. We have in our minds the Indians but this view is very thick. We only know Indians who were beasts. They killed white people who just wanted to settle down on nowbody's land. The films made about Wild West are the most popular source of knowledge about red faces. And we should know that Americans are the indigenous inhabitatnts of America. They settled down in that land just after the ice - age. During the centuries their life was changing very much. They had their own tribes, languages, beliefs, culture. They were spread all around the country and they were more hunters than warriors.
In our minds, we have got deep - rooted picture of Indians in their tepees. Well, that is true, but only in a part. There were some tribes which were moving from one place to another. So houses made from animal skin was very good solution for them. They could pitch their tepees wherever they wanted. This were the trbes which were moving along the buffalo trail. Newertheless, there were also some tribes which stayed in one place. They were building houses made of clay, wood with thached roofs. Their shapes were mostly rectangular. Some of the houses could be even one or two - storied. Some of the houses were very long. Very often in one house there were few families living. The new flats in apartment were build on if the new family was started. Indians had also houses which were something like shepherds huts. They were built for hunters. These were not houses for families but usual shelters for men who went out for hunting. Such hunting could take more than weeks, so they needed a place to stay in for that time. This huts were usually sesonal so they were just makeshift.
The family was the most important thing in Indians' lifes. All duties were revolved around the family. Usually, the tribe was a tie of few families which were connected by one ancestor. Everybody in a tribe had his own responsibilities. In most cases, the man were hunting and taking care of food and safety while woman were looking after children and taking care of houses. As Inadians often changed their locations they were joining with other families. It was easer to get food than and to watch the village. They had also a festivities which were the great reunion of families. It was usually the time when they were having their crops. The whole family was subordinated to the councils of elder. But the most important person in the family was chief. Mostly it was a man who was a chief but this was not a rule. Sometimes it were women who were the leaders. Moreover, there were some nobel families in which children were prepared from the beginning to be a chief or a high rank soldier or member of a council.
Native Americans were very beliving people. They had their own religion which was the part of their culture. They belived that there were many gods who took care of people, animals and agriculture. There was very strong cult of dead people and spirits among Indians. The most important god was that who created Earth. they also believed that his brother created human beings from clay and he gave them a new lease of life. One of the most important holidays was called "VIIKITA" and it was celebrated every four years.
The Viikita was the festivity to pray about fortune and prosperity. It was a night of spirits and ghosts. In different tribes it looked different but usually there was one person who was a medium between world of dead and living. It was a shaman. He was the leader of all prayers. During this festivity the spirits were often given a sacrifices, it were animals, crops, friuts, etc. In all tribes man were wearing special kind of clothes. Their body was all painted on different colours and they were dressed in a colourful masks. They were also wearing the headdresses. During prayers the man were usually dancing around the fire. Of course this is just one example of the holidays of Indians. Like other civilizations they had many gods and festivities.
To sum up, Indians or maybe rather Native Americans were people who lived in America long before the white people came there. They were organized in a tribes and families with very clear hierarchy. They had their religion and beliefs. Their ceremonies were complex and mysterious. They were mostly hunters and farmers but they also had breave warriors. The worst thing was that after so many years and centures of peaceful live the white people came to destroy their culture. It was white people who were the murderers and rubbers, not the Indians. They were just defending against bad spirits. Nowadays we can only admire poor remnants of their rich and complex culture.
