Gender Roles In The Native American Tribe

The Role of Women in Seneca (Iroquois) Society Full Circle Anthropologic studies of culture are about observation through a lens that is defined by the observer. In order for it to be free of bias, the observer needs to remove any and all preconceived notions and their own ’world’ references while functioning ‘emically’(Kottak 2013). Part of the observer’s job is to look into the past and present, reconciling roles within that culture (Kottak 2013). Gender roles are an important area of study (Kottak 2013).

The idea of gender roles is a very controversial topic in our world today. From positions in the workplace, to the roles people possess in the household, these actions are what form today’s society. The responsibility men and women carry in our world has been a concept that stems from thousands of years of evolution. The great playwright Shakespeare showcases gender roles in a complex manner that many people had never seen before. His play Macbeth, though fictional, brings up very prevalent topics to our world today.

In the Cherokee culture women and men are considered equal. The role of the Cherokee woman in the past is very different than the role of an American woman today. Men would cut down the trees and clear land so they could plant, they would use the wood to build news homes in fences around the villages, they may traps nets and other tools they hunted and fished and fix stuff when needed. Sometimes men move in with her wife 's family and sometimes he might build a home for his wife and family. In the Cherokee nation women where badass.

Although Native Americans are characterized as both civilized and uncivilized in module one readings, their lifestyles and culture are observed to be civilized more often than not. The separate and distinct duties of men and women (Sigard, 1632) reveal a society that has defined roles and expectations based on gender. There are customs related to courtship (Le Clercq, 1691) that are similar to European cultures. Marriage was a recognized union amongst Native Americans, although not necessarily viewed as a serious, lifelong commitment like the Europeans (Heckewelder, 1819). Related to gender roles in Native American culture, Sigard writes of the Huron people that “Just as the men have their special occupation and understand wherein a man’s duty consists, so also the women and girls keep their place and perform quietly their little tasks and functions of service”.

Joseph 1 Steven Joseph Professor Lucia Hodgson English 227 8 Sep 2015 The Implications of Opposite Gender Roles The contrasting gender roles present within both creation narratives show differences in the patriarchal structure within each culture. In the Iroquois narrative, the creator of mankind is a “woman conceived” whose value exceeds Eve’s because the former’s role as the mother of mankind is revered instead of disparaged(9: 23). Rather than honoring women’s ability to procreate, God condemns procreation and punishes Eve for eating the forbidden fruit, stating, “in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children,” (King James Bible, Gen. 3.16).

The Pawnee native americans have different roles or jobs in their tribe for men and women. The women are more fieldworkers and men do the more dangerous stuff. They both have stuff they do together too. The women have many different jobs not just one or two.

Women of the Iroquois have a lot of roles in the society such as voting who will be the chief/leader of them; they keep their culture alive, and cook. There are other things women had to do in the Iroquois society. Women in the Iroquois society have to stay in the long houses to cook, take care of children, prepare the food, and making the clothes for their families. Women also have a lot of authority and power in the society because of their high value to the natives.

It is not a new idea that women can function well in positions of authority? There have been many women who played crucial roles in leadership positions throughout history. The history of the Cherokee Indians contains several examples of women who have risen to positions of influence in their society! Such women were named “Beloved Women” by the tribe. A Cherokee woman could, “take her husband’s place in war.” and be given the name “War Woman” as a result.

One of the most fundamental needs a person must obtain is a sense of identity. In an American Indian context, many factors are relevant when considering their identity. For them, identity can exist in many forms and varies from small traits to powerful ethnic behaviors and practices. However, Native Americans are not merely defined by self-determination but by federal, state, and tribal laws. The dignity of Native Americans’ identity has long been subjected to controversy because of how it is socially and politically constructed.

The Native Americans are the indigenous tribes of American. Prior to Columbus visit America was already inhabited by the Native Americans. The Native Americans have long established their society, lived as hunter gatherer and practice matrilineal sytem. But with the arrivals of the Whites things started to change drastically and thereby penetrating into the Native Americans matriarchal cycle of life. Their long silences have given the Whites the opportunity to paint the Native women according to their imagination.

Amanda Potter HIST 263-603 April 5, 2017 Mountain Wolf Woman Paper This paper will prove how an American Indian Woman’s life is different than what we thought. The American Indian way of life placed women in a lower social class in the society than a white woman. Women did not have rights to choose their marriage partner or make important decisions concerning the family or the society.