Native American

Native Americans are indigenous people who are Native to American territory. Tribes include, Choctaw, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Cheyenne, Blackfoot, Chesapeake, Dakota, Eskimo(Inuit), Iroquois, Powhatan, Taino, and many more.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Natoma(Choctaw), Matoaka(Powhatan), Sacagawea, Nahatima, Aiyana(Cherokee), Fala, Chenoa, Cheyenne, Dyani, Adsila(Cherokee), Awinita(Cherokee), Nita(Choctaw)

Masculine names

Santos, Nashoba(Choctaw) Talako(Choctaw) Oki(Inuit) Siluk(Inuit)

Unisex names

Dakota, Kai, Isi(Choctaw) Shikoba,(Choctaw) Aklaq(Inuit) Amaruq(Inuit) Yuka(inuit)

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Choctaw, Cherokee, Taino

Common Dress code

Most clothing was made with deerskin and rawhide. Men were shirtless and wore a belt and breechcloth. During winter they would wear leggings. The women wore dresses, shirts/tunics, leggings, skirts. Shoes were moccasins.

Art & Architecture

Most Native Americans were nomads and had houses like Teepees which were easy to set up as it is like the modern day tent. The outside was covered in buffalo hide. Other tribes had houses made of wood or clay. Native American art includes beading, decorating clothing, painting, drawing, weaving blankets, rugs, baskets and totem poles.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

Children would have to go through a rite of passage ceremony to be considered an adult and were expected to act and behave like an adult from that day forward.

Common Myths and Legends

Wendigo. The creation myth(Powhatan)

Historical figures

Pocahontas/Matoaka. Santos

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Long dark hair

Gender Ideals

Women were in charge of the home and sometimes the field while men were in charge of the tribes activity away from home. Women did cooking, crafts, harvesting, raising children and gathering firewood. Men where in charge of hunting, fighting, planting crops and leading the tribe.

Encompassed species

• Human