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| So Exactly Where Did Native Americans Originate? |
According to the 2000 US Census, approximately 43% of Native American
Indians live in the West, 31% in the South, 17% lived in the Midwest, and 9%
lived in the Northeast. The ten states with the largest Native American Indian
populations are the following:
Indians live in the West, 31% in the South, 17% lived in the Midwest, and 9%
lived in the Northeast. The ten states with the largest Native American Indian
populations are the following:
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| Modern Challenges Facing Native Americans |
As with any organized culture, religion, ethnic, or racial group, there is a desire to
continue their community traditions and pass the inheritance of knowledge and
pride to their descendants, thus keeping it alive into perpetuity.
Native American Indians are no different in this case. Currently, they fear a loss of
language and culture due to federal and state education policies along with the
overall “Americanization” of their youth.
Teachers are challenged to reach Native American students but are lacking the
crucial instructional methods and tools which would be culturally relevant to the
language and history of their students.
Other contemporary challenges impacting the Native American community include
poverty, alcoholism, heart disease, and diabetes, all a result of generational cultural
pressures to assimilate, to conform, and to learn new languages, diets, and
practices.
Political equality is another pressing issue for Native Americans as well. Back in
1944, The National Congress of American Indians was founded in response to the
termination and assimilation policies that the United States forced upon the tribal
governments in contradiction to their treaty rights and status as sovereigns.
Today the NCAI stresses the need for unity and cooperation among tribal
governments for the protection of their treaty and sovereign rights. And since its
inception, the organization has been working to inform the public and Congress on
the governmental rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
continue their community traditions and pass the inheritance of knowledge and
pride to their descendants, thus keeping it alive into perpetuity.
Native American Indians are no different in this case. Currently, they fear a loss of
language and culture due to federal and state education policies along with the
overall “Americanization” of their youth.
Teachers are challenged to reach Native American students but are lacking the
crucial instructional methods and tools which would be culturally relevant to the
language and history of their students.
Other contemporary challenges impacting the Native American community include
poverty, alcoholism, heart disease, and diabetes, all a result of generational cultural
pressures to assimilate, to conform, and to learn new languages, diets, and
practices.
Political equality is another pressing issue for Native Americans as well. Back in
1944, The National Congress of American Indians was founded in response to the
termination and assimilation policies that the United States forced upon the tribal
governments in contradiction to their treaty rights and status as sovereigns.
Today the NCAI stresses the need for unity and cooperation among tribal
governments for the protection of their treaty and sovereign rights. And since its
inception, the organization has been working to inform the public and Congress on
the governmental rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Gambling has become a leading industry with casinos operating on the property of
and by many Native American governments. This industry is creating a fresh new
stream of revenue that some communities are now beginning to utilize by creating,
building, and maintaining diversified communities and economies. But most
importantly, Native American communities have been able to wage and to win
crucial legal battles to assure recognition of their rights to self-determination and to
the use of their natural resources.
and by many Native American governments. This industry is creating a fresh new
stream of revenue that some communities are now beginning to utilize by creating,
building, and maintaining diversified communities and economies. But most
importantly, Native American communities have been able to wage and to win
crucial legal battles to assure recognition of their rights to self-determination and to
the use of their natural resources.
| Copyrighted 2006 Herndon Davis is an author, lecturer, and TV/Radio Host of The Herndon Davis Reports. He can be reached directly at http://herndondavis.com |
| Empowering The World's Diversity |
| Understanding Native American Culture by: Herndon L. Davis |
They are considered to be the First Americans although they existed long before there
was even an America. In fact they roamed North and South America for at least 10 to
20 thousand years before Christopher Columbus stumbled upon the landmass. As
indigenous aboriginals to the Americas, they flourished in small but thriving civilizations
long before their initial encounters with European nations.
But suddenly, one day it finally happened. The New World was “discovered” by
European nations which brought colonization, displacement, disease, enslavement, and
bloodshed that led to the near extinction of these indigenous people. Today, Native
Americans comprise just under 1% of the country’s total population.
Only 2.4 million people identify exclusively as Native American and 4 million identify as
either exclusive Native American or mixed with another race. Despite the fractional
numbers, there are actually 563 federally recognized tribal governments in the United
States, each with its own unique culture along with 200 surviving languages.
Through a series of treaties signed with a very young United States government, the
Native American tribes are recognized with the right to self-govern and the responsibility
to support their tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
In fact these tribes possess the right to form their own government, to enforce laws
(both civil and criminal), to tax, to establish membership, to license and regulate
activities, to zone and to exclude persons from tribal territories. However, there are
limitations as tribes do not have the power to engage in war, foreign relations or print
and exchange money.
was even an America. In fact they roamed North and South America for at least 10 to
20 thousand years before Christopher Columbus stumbled upon the landmass. As
indigenous aboriginals to the Americas, they flourished in small but thriving civilizations
long before their initial encounters with European nations.
But suddenly, one day it finally happened. The New World was “discovered” by
European nations which brought colonization, displacement, disease, enslavement, and
bloodshed that led to the near extinction of these indigenous people. Today, Native
Americans comprise just under 1% of the country’s total population.
Only 2.4 million people identify exclusively as Native American and 4 million identify as
either exclusive Native American or mixed with another race. Despite the fractional
numbers, there are actually 563 federally recognized tribal governments in the United
States, each with its own unique culture along with 200 surviving languages.
Through a series of treaties signed with a very young United States government, the
Native American tribes are recognized with the right to self-govern and the responsibility
to support their tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
In fact these tribes possess the right to form their own government, to enforce laws
(both civil and criminal), to tax, to establish membership, to license and regulate
activities, to zone and to exclude persons from tribal territories. However, there are
limitations as tribes do not have the power to engage in war, foreign relations or print
and exchange money.
Many Native Americans may take offense as racist the notion that they, too, are
immigrants to the American landmass. Some may argue that they have always
inhabited the Americas; however there is genetic and anthropological evidence that
points otherwise.
There are several theories behind the origins of Native Americans. The first states
that they actually migrated to the continent between 15,000 and 9,000 BC. In fact
the commonly held theory is that the Native Americans are actually descendants from
Siberia who wandered from Siberia into Alaska crossing continents via the Bering
Land Bridge which is now the Bering Strait. From there they supposedly took a
north to south track to what is now South America.
However, the discovery of a Chilean site which predates by at least a 1000 years a
Mexican excavation site actually contradicts this north-south migration time line. This
leads to alternate migration theories such as the Pacific Coastal Model theory which
states that by watercraft via the Pacific Ocean that South America was actually
populated first, and then a south to north migration occurred into what is now the
United States and Canada.
But even more intriguing is the suggestion that Native Americans are actually
descendants of Southeast Asia and not Siberia. This theory states that Asians actually
traveled via the Pacific Ocean and began the south to north migration.
However there is yet a third theory called the Atlantic Coastal Model which states that
by watercraft via the Atlantic Ocean that descendants of the Paleolithic or Stone Age
from what is now modern day Europe traveled by watercraft via the Atlantic Ocean
and began to populate the east coast of North America.
Could it be that all three theories are indeed correct? With there being at least 563
federally recognized tribes each with their own language and culture, and with there
being many other tribes that have yet to obtain federal recognition, there is clear
diversity among Native Americans. All Native Americans are simply not the same.
Could it be that the New World was inhabited by prehistoric ethnic groups from
around the world who somehow merged, intermingled, splintered, and then retained
their separate and distinct cultures, spiritual beliefs and languages?
immigrants to the American landmass. Some may argue that they have always
inhabited the Americas; however there is genetic and anthropological evidence that
points otherwise.
There are several theories behind the origins of Native Americans. The first states
that they actually migrated to the continent between 15,000 and 9,000 BC. In fact
the commonly held theory is that the Native Americans are actually descendants from
Siberia who wandered from Siberia into Alaska crossing continents via the Bering
Land Bridge which is now the Bering Strait. From there they supposedly took a
north to south track to what is now South America.
However, the discovery of a Chilean site which predates by at least a 1000 years a
Mexican excavation site actually contradicts this north-south migration time line. This
leads to alternate migration theories such as the Pacific Coastal Model theory which
states that by watercraft via the Pacific Ocean that South America was actually
populated first, and then a south to north migration occurred into what is now the
United States and Canada.
But even more intriguing is the suggestion that Native Americans are actually
descendants of Southeast Asia and not Siberia. This theory states that Asians actually
traveled via the Pacific Ocean and began the south to north migration.
However there is yet a third theory called the Atlantic Coastal Model which states that
by watercraft via the Atlantic Ocean that descendants of the Paleolithic or Stone Age
from what is now modern day Europe traveled by watercraft via the Atlantic Ocean
and began to populate the east coast of North America.
Could it be that all three theories are indeed correct? With there being at least 563
federally recognized tribes each with their own language and culture, and with there
being many other tribes that have yet to obtain federal recognition, there is clear
diversity among Native Americans. All Native Americans are simply not the same.
Could it be that the New World was inhabited by prehistoric ethnic groups from
around the world who somehow merged, intermingled, splintered, and then retained
their separate and distinct cultures, spiritual beliefs and languages?
| So where Do Native Americans Live Today? |
1. California
2. Oklahoma
3. Arizona
4. Texas
5. New Mexico
6. New York
7. Washington
8. North Carolina
9. Michigan
10. Alaska
| The Future of Native Americans |
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