Interconnected, associated, linked, corresponding, comparable, equivalent: all words to describe relationships in Native American communities and how they are important. Albert White Hat exemplifies how important these relationships are in his book, Life’s Journey - Zuya. In this book, Albert White Hat talks about O’mitakuye Oyasin, which means, “we are all related” (36). Whether it be plants, birds, or trees, they consider them as relatives and they work together for gathering food, providing shelter, clothing… the list goes on. Different living things and objects were respected and sometimes honored for their responsibilities in nature. Not only does Albert White Hat illustrate these relationships in his novel, Luther Standing Bear also portrays them in his book, Land of the Spotted Eagle. …show more content…
He even dedicates a whole chapter dedicated to home and family. We can see that relationships are vital in their community by something as simple as inviting other people into their homes to eat dinner. Luther Standing Bear explained how his mother would prepare food with some relatives and would ask his father to come and invite some friends over. His father would always bring older men and they would eat, sing, and tell stories. These feasts would strengthen the ties between his father and other people within the community. Not only do they reinforce relationships among each other in the community, but they implement relationships with nature everyday in their lives as
Think of the quote, “It takes a village to raise a child", how do these reciprocal relationships enable
There are many reservations within the state of Minnesota, and most Ojibwe people who live within these reservations identify with a specific community more than the reservation that they live on. Not all Ojibwe people live on reservations. Some people do not follow the Ojibwe traditions and live normal Minnesotan life. Each reservation has multiple places with clusters of different families, traditional chiefs, history and cultures practices. “Connection to place is a critical; surviving attribute of the Ojibwe culture,” which can still be seen on reservations today with a strong sense of community shown in many ways among the Ojibwe people in Minnesota (Treuer 60).
For centuries prior to modern day civilization, men and women had stuck together in a tribe-like fashion to ward off any and all adversities that would threaten their community. In his book, Tribe, Sebastian Junger used some of these century old examples to explain man’s seemingly subconscious desire to be in a tribe-like society, the benefits of joining a tribal community, and why those who were in a tribe seemed to not want to leave. In order to demonstrate this idea clearly and directly, Junger began his book by concentrating on Native American tribes during the colonial period. He focused on men leaving white society to join a tribe and how those men were reluctant to reintegrate back into white society after spending time with the Natives, and how Europeans were getting married to Native Americans. Overall, he seemed to have no strong bias in his portrayal of the Native Americans, but it was clear he wanted to begin his book discussing Native Americans as they related directly to his concept of men being drawn to tribal life.
Indigenous groups, and their relationships to the land and the environment, are connected deeply to the core. Land and environment is a part of their identity, and is rooted in their culture and history. Innu tribe, which sometimes are called Montagnais, or Naskapi, are aboriginal peoples, who are located in areas of Quebec and Labrador. Montagnais, which is translated in French as mountain people. It relates to the people who live in forested, more southern communities.
For example, when a community works together to recycle, it helps the
Nature can unlock someone’s purpose because it lets others see what the world has become an what they want to make it. It can also bring people together as Montag recalls, “And on either side of the river was there a tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded fruit every month; And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (158). The leaves are the bonds between people that let countries heal and reconcile.
“There’s lots of traditional thinking buried deep within each story and the longer you spend thinking about it the more you learn about yourself, your people and the Indian way” (Wagamese, 1994, p.145). Reuniting with his family, discovering his heritage, connecting with community members, and learning the traditional teachings and practices have greatly impacted his sense of self, identity, and values toward community. It was foundational to his self-discovery and community connection that he had several people like his sister who were willing to share the family history and their ties to the community. To understand the nature, processes and experience of sense of community at any one time for a particular community it is necessary to have some appreciation of the community’s history (Pretty, 2006). Working closely with Keeper and reconciling the negative feelings his mother had toward losing him has likely helped solidify an aspect of community wherein members matter to one another and that their needs will be met by staying
Native Americans have many values, and to choose just one that is the most important is hard to do. The one that stands out as the most important is family, this played a huge role in the culture of the Native Americans. Discrimination has affected many kinds for many years, we have to learn from the history and the stories of Native Americans. We build common ground to connect with people through life, learning from Native American’s values. Kinship is important, who could see that in the stories of Coyote and The Buffalo Bull, World on a Turtle’s Back, and The Way to Rainy Mountain.
The bold and brash approach on life by transcendentalists was truly an ambitious lifestyle. Such individuals like Henry David Thoreau, Chris McCandless, and Jon Krakauer have renounced all of their mainstream agendas to lead a more fundamental life, but not without the criticism other have faced. The actions portrayed in their novels demonstrate how important it is to incorporate others’ ideas when one’s own choices. As the world was in the midst of transforming, Henry David Thoreau yearned to yield away from the evolving world, as he considered them corrupt opportunists who are deprived of their true nature.
Society is fooled into believing in the applied connection among people. Benedict Anderson’s idea of imagined communities emphasizes that, “… the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow-members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion” (5). Members of neighborhoods, cities, states, or countries feel a sense of unity with other members for living in the same place or maybe having the same basic values, but true unity comes from understanding the similarities among each other, considering the impact a person can have on another, and caring about lives. Recognizing the importance of lives being socially intertwined is necessary to sustain a considerate society.
They can have better communication and are able to build stronger bonds. Going back to the garden analogy, they can truly be the seeds that we need to plant the new
Their authority structure plays a role in their happiness, members of their community knows what to do without being told so, gives the people a sense of independence. They are a perfect sharing community. All food acquired is shared among the members of the community. They live in perfect harmony with their environment. The environment provides with food, water and dignity.
The symbol of care and unity has always been significant in the family in order to have a connection. A reference to this symbol is nothing more than a bear. In particular mother bears who care for their cubs until they are able to maintain themselves and live on their own. When these babies are born they are helpless and blind, unable to fend for themselves, but with the help of their mothers they gain strength to then build on the skills they were taught. Because bears care for their own they create comfort and familiarity so what better way to create this is kids then fro them to have a teddy bear, or even make their own.
Even though, we can acquire this knowledge, awareness and understanding just by surfing the internet or reading a book, we can make the effort to ask the people living in our community our questions, deepening our understanding, awareness and knowledge about them and at the same time bonding with them. Sometimes, the internet or book may not have all of the answers to our questions and
By planting a community garden, it could make the buildings look welcoming. Also, when a community garden is placed where places looked sad, it could help people who do not have any food get food, so they would not starve, and that is another big impact that a community garden can have on a person and the environment. A community garden does not have to be planted just help people. A community