Culture, Language and Land: Three American Indian Tribes

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You probably remember the classic Thanksgiving story of American Indians and Pilgrims sharing a meal of corn, turkey and potatoes. But, did you know that those same American Indians are called Wampanoags, a tribe that lived for thousands of years in what is today coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island?

Today, hundreds of other Native American cultures stretch from coast-to-coast. Each has its own tribal language and dialect that is unique to their people.

Because November is Native American Heritage Month, learn about three of the country’s most prominent Native American tribes.

Cherokee Nation
How do you say it?“CHAIR-uh-kee”
The Cherokee Nation once lived on land that is now Georgia, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. While most Cherokee descendents speak English, about 20,000 still speak their native language. This language has a special writing system called syllabary, where one character represents each syllable of a word.

Cherokee tribes often settled in villages, usually located near a river. Their homes were made of rivercane and plaster with thatched roofs, but they were often as strong and warm as log cabins! As farming people, Cherokee women harvested crops and the men hunted using bows and arrows, or blow guns to shoot deer and other wild game. Some of their traditional art included pipe carving, gourd art (similar to the ones you make in school) and pottery.

Today, the Cherokee Nation remains one of the largest American Indian tribes in the country with a population of more than 300,000, although many of them no longer live on their native land.

Can you say it? Share a few easy Cherokee words with your friends.

 

 

 

• “Osiyo” (pronounced oh-see-yoh) is a friendly greeting, like hello.
• “Wado” (pronounced wah-doh) means thank you!

Navajo Nation
How do you say it? “NAH-vuh-ho”
The Navajo’s name has Spanish origins, derived from the Pueblo Indian word for “planted fields” or “farm land.” Today all 275,000-plus members of the Navajo Nation live in the tribe’s original territory of the Four Corners region: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. The tribe lives on a reservation, or a piece of land they own and control. The Navajo Nation abides by its own government, laws, police and services, but they are also considered U.S. citizens and must obey laws like other American citizens.

While almost all Navajo people speak English, nearly 150,000 speak their native language, which is so complex, it was used as a secret code to help the United States win World War II !

When it came to their homes, Navajo people of the past once lived in hogans, which are earth houses made of clay resembling small domes. Traditional Navajo people wore deerskin ponchos, cloaks, rabbit furs and moccasins to protect them from the nighttime desert chill.

Today, the Navajo continue their traditions of making colorful, woven artwork, silver jewelry and sharing their folklore with younger generations. Want to hear a Navajo folklore? Learn more by visiting your local library and checking out these books, videos and CDs about the Navajo.

Can you say it? Share a few easy Navajo words with your friends.

 

 

 

• “Ashkii” (pronounced ash-key) means boy
• “Gah” (pronounced gaa) is rabbit.

Lakota and Dakota Sioux
How do you say it? “Sue”
The great Sioux nation can be divided into three sub tribes: the Eastern Dakota, Western Dakota and Lakota. They lived on land that is now Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota.

Like the Navajo and some Cherokee tribes, each Lakota/Dakota community lives on its own reservation. The Sioux of yesterday built their reputation as master hunters of the Great Plains and moved frequently to follow buffalo herds, which migrated with the changing seasons. Often, they used the buffalo for food and warmth. The animal’s hide made for a fine robe during bad weather. When going to war, they would pair animal’s hide with their signature feather headpieces.

As of 2000, more than 113,000 Sioux natives still reside in the Plains region and beyond. Their culture lives on through popular artwork such as beading and quill work, along with their elaborate buffalo-hide paintings.

Can you say it? Share a few easy Sioux words with your friends.

 

 

 

• “Hau” (pronounced similar to “how”) is a friendly greeting in both the Lakota and Dakota dialects.
• “Wašte” (pronounced wash-tay) means good .

Want to learn more about American Indians this Thanksgiving holiday season? Visit your local library for more resources about the Sioux.