American Women and Indian Women Comparison

The cultural changes that the American Indian Women were faced with during the late nineteenth century were viewed as difficult and yet some what inspiring. They suffered at the palefaces hand for many years. They would often sell their bodies to feed their families (Dubois, Dumenil, 2009). The values that they had were very different from white women. They were basically the head of house hold.

Native American women completed and were heavily involved in the building of their homes (Denver Public Library, 2009). Plains women were the sole designers, makers and erectors of Tee Pees, originally crafted from buffalo hides, and canvas (Native Languages, 2009). Women organized the camp moves, which meant they would do the packing and pulling the animal pulled sled (Native Languages, 2009). Pueblos were divided into many parts. Men and women jointly built the Tee Pees, with the women applying the brick surfaces to the housing that men raised. Upon completion of the Tee Pees, women were the owners. Coincidently, Indian men were the primary farmers growing the maize, beans and squash, but women owned the harvest (Native Languages, 2009). Native American women centered their lives on food, clothing and shelter. They pitched and tore down housing, got water daily, they planted and harvested, prepped and cooked food, made pots, tools and baskets, processed animal hides, herded and sheared sheep, spun and wove wool, raised children. Native women performed so many duties that to the settlers, they appeared to be slaves. Anglo culture did not comprehend the honor, status, and wealth accorded Native American women for their industry and expertise (Native Languages, 2009). They were able to recognize the less visible powers that women held, those of arranging marriages, consulting on peace and war, leading special ceremonies and directing tribe movements. Women of the buffalo-hunting tribes made full use of animals hunted. They skinned and scraped a hide while it was still warm, then stripped the meat and set it out to dry. A proficient woman could process three buffalo a day totaling 300 pounds of dried meat and pemmican. The tanning process that women performed could take from three to 10 days, depending on the use of the hide. Native American women are well-known for their weavings, baskets and pottery arts. Originally these items were simple tools of everyday life Dancing was important to Native Americans. Some dances were purely social; others were enactments of tribal rituals and Indian spirituality. Visiting was a form of relaxation and entertainment.

The school system for Native American Women was less then pleasant. While the educational piece was justified and they enjoyed it, the ridicule they received was horrendous and often made them feel less then adequate

To leave the culture of what they had been raised on was a tremendous stress that many could not overcome. They would often rebel against