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North American Indians (view source)
Revision as of 20:39, February 24, 2010
, 20:39, February 24, 2010→War and Social Issues: more on praying natives
In addition to vast decimation by the hands of European groups, in contrast to those who worked to covert Indians to faith in Christ, armed conflict and ritual violence between Indians themselves are of considerable antiquity in North America. In ''North American Indigenous Warfare and Ritual Violence'', it is evidenced that in contrast to revisionist history that tribal warfare was more like football games, recent findings provide more evidence that from antiquity Indians fought each other, that internecine "warfare was ubiquitous; every major culture area of native North America reviewed herein has produced archaeological, ethnohistorical, osteological, or ethnographic evidence of armed conflict and ritual violence." This could involve the taking of human trophies being encouraged before contact with Europeans, and hostilities that at least among some areas resulted in "the massacre and mutilation of men, women, and children."
In addition to vast decimation by the hands of European groups, in contrast to those who worked to covert Indians to faith in Christ, armed conflict and ritual violence between Indians themselves are of considerable antiquity in North America. In ''North American Indigenous Warfare and Ritual Violence'', it is evidenced that in contrast to revisionist history that tribal warfare was more like football games, recent findings provide more evidence that from antiquity Indians fought each other, that internecine "warfare was ubiquitous; every major culture area of native North America reviewed herein has produced archaeological, ethnohistorical, osteological, or ethnographic evidence of armed conflict and ritual violence." This could involve the taking of human trophies being encouraged before contact with Europeans, and hostilities that at least among some areas resulted in "the massacre and mutilation of men, women, and children."
While the devastating effects of wars by European against Indians are not to be minimized, trade with Europeans could reduce traditional forms of intergroup conflict during the early contact period. However, as unjust warring is the usually the result of lust (Ja, 4:2) tribal warfare also could shift from "raiding each other based on revenge, and a desire to acquire prestige goods and status, to an extremely violent pattern of engagements arising from unequal access to foreign trade goods and the quest for war booty, revenge killings, status intensification, and slaves", as it did among Northwest Coast Indians.<ref>[http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/catalogs/dlg_show_excerpt.php?id=1872&title=North+American+Indigenous+Warfare+and+Ritual+Violence&subtitle=&author=Edited+by+Richard+J.+Chacon%3B+Rub%E9n+G.+Mendoza ''North American Indigenous Warfare and Ritual Violence'', summary]</ref> A class of Christian Indians known as "praying Indians" helped the Europeans, but were treated shamefully due distrust by some of the Colonialists. <ref>http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/praying.html</ref>
While the devastating effects of wars by European against Indians are not to be minimized, trade with Europeans could reduce traditional forms of intergroup conflict during the early contact period. However, as unjust warring is the usually the result of lust (Ja, 4:2) tribal warfare also could shift from "raiding each other based on revenge, and a desire to acquire prestige goods and status, to an extremely violent pattern of engagements arising from unequal access to foreign trade goods and the quest for war booty, revenge killings, status intensification, and slaves", as it did among Northwest Coast Indians.<ref>[http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/catalogs/dlg_show_excerpt.php?id=1872&title=North+American+Indigenous+Warfare+and+Ritual+Violence&subtitle=&author=Edited+by+Richard+J.+Chacon%3B+Rub%E9n+G.+Mendoza ''North American Indigenous Warfare and Ritual Violence'', summary]</ref>
Later, after the American Indian Peoples were rounded up onto reservations, the sudden dependence on the government created situations that are often associated with welfare situations. Both because of biology (Indian people like many Asian people do not break down alcohol the same way Europeans do) and the lack of being a "bread winner" that men throughout history find critical to identity as head of the family, alcohol and drug abuse became very common both among reservation and urban Indians, as is the case today.<ref>12% of Indian deaths are related to alcohol, several times the national average. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Aug28/0,4670,IndianDeathsAlcohol,00.html</ref> A strong rise in child and spousal abuse occurred after the "welfare state" like existence for the men came into being. Without the need to provide for the family, depression sets in, and is a common problem on the reservation.
Later, after the American Indian Peoples were rounded up onto reservations, the sudden dependence on the government created situations that are often associated with welfare situations. Both because of biology (Indian people like many Asian people do not break down alcohol the same way Europeans do) and the lack of being a "bread winner" that men throughout history find critical to identity as head of the family, alcohol and drug abuse became very common both among reservation and urban Indians, as is the case today.<ref>12% of Indian deaths are related to alcohol, several times the national average. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Aug28/0,4670,IndianDeathsAlcohol,00.html</ref> A strong rise in child and spousal abuse occurred after the "welfare state" like existence for the men came into being. Without the need to provide for the family, depression sets in, and is a common problem on the reservation.
Indian People have many problems to solve, but new social services, generally run and funded by the tribes themselves, along with new recognition of Indian People's contributions to society are ways that tribes and individuals are trying to change things.
Indian People have many problems to solve, but new social services, generally run and funded by the tribes themselves, along with new recognition of Indian People's contributions to society are ways that tribes and individuals are trying to change things.
==Praying Indians==
A class of Christian Indians known as "praying Indians" helped the Europeans, but were treated shamefully due to distrust by most of the Colonialists. Missionary John Eliot arrived in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] from England in 1631, and learned the language of the local Native Americans. Eliot preached to the Massachusett Tribal Sachem Waban at Nonantum (Wellesley, MA) on October 28, 1646, and Waban immediately turned to the Lord [[Jesus Christ]] and his people then also became Christians.
Twenty years after the arrival of Eliot, the Massachusetts General Court established Natick (meaning “Place of Searching”) as the first praying Indian village/town in 1651, helping them to be able to to worship in peace. This was the first formally "Christian town" in America, and consisted at first of 51 inhabitants in seven villages, with seven more being later established. The beloved (by the Indians at least) Eliot became known as the “Apostle to the Indians.”
In 1663 Eliot, with help from Christian Indians, completed the first Bible printed in America, a [[Bible]] written in the Massachusett-Natick Indian language, which was a difficult task, as this language was completely oral.
Other praying Indian Towns also were established, including Ponkapoag (Stoughton, MA) and Nashoba (Littleton, MA), and by 1675, it is estimated that 20 percent of the Native Indians in New England lives in praying Towns.
However, it was in the winter of 1675 that an intense trial in the wilderness began. The colonists, being largely distrustful of the Praying Indians, and being fearful that they might join "[[King Phillip]]" (Metacom), the mighty Wampanoag Indian Chief in an ongoing war, they removed the approximately 200 Natick Praying Indians to Deer Island at midnight on October 30. The Indians made no opposition, and were left unprotected on the frigid Island, being forbidden to light fires, hunt game, build shelters, and so suffered from hunger and little clothing, though they may have been able to dig clams and fish. A month later this crime was multiplied as the praying Indian Villages of Ponkapoag and Nashoba were sent to suffer interment on the Island, which lasted until into 1676. An attempt by the now elderly Eliot going by boat to bring supplies to the Natives is said to have ended when the boat was capsized by some angry colonists. Most of the 500 Indians died of cold and starvation, while some of the Praying Indians worked as spies for the colonists and fought for them.
After the death of King Phillip Pastor Eliot and Daniel Gookin secured the Indians release, personally removing the Indians from the Island and bearing the financial cost to do so. They returned to face the loss of homes and property, and means of survival. A remnant lived on however, as a testimony of enduring faith.
Deer Island today exists mainly as a sewage treatment plant, but with a park with an open walk which remembers the plight of the Natives that were once imprisoned there.<ref>[http://natickprayingindians.org/history.html Praying Indians of Natick and Ponkapoag]</ref> <ref>[http://www.helloboston.com/BookFiles/Pg_303-382.pdf The Memorial History of Boston 1630-1880 Vol. I, p. 321]</ref><ref>Blackwell Reference Online; A Dictionary of American Reference; Purvis, Thomas L. 1997</ref>
== References ==
== References ==