Comments on: Amerindian Civilization http://www.cynicsunlimited.com/2008/01/15/amerindian-civilization/ Dissecting What You Choose to Ignore Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:54:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Mac http://www.cynicsunlimited.com/2008/01/15/amerindian-civilization/#comment-32884 Mac Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:15:31 +0000 http://www.cynicsunlimited.com/2008/01/15/amerindian-civilization/#comment-32884 Both of the groups you've mentioned are from Central American. Perhaps you missed my first sentence? I'd never heard of the Inuit's tribal system being used as a model for the US Constitution. I suspect you're mistaken. I've lived among the Coast Salish and the Haida for almost 20 years and I have Mi'kmaq ancestry. Perhaps you should take your own advice. Good luck in your studies. Both of the groups you’ve mentioned are from Central American. Perhaps you missed my first sentence?

I’d never heard of the Inuit’s tribal system being used as a model for the US Constitution. I suspect you’re mistaken.

I’ve lived among the Coast Salish and the Haida for almost 20 years and I have Mi’kmaq ancestry. Perhaps you should take your own advice. Good luck in your studies.

]]> By: omar vega http://www.cynicsunlimited.com/2008/01/15/amerindian-civilization/#comment-32835 omar vega Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:59:09 +0000 http://www.cynicsunlimited.com/2008/01/15/amerindian-civilization/#comment-32835 I dissagree. North American natives are famous as the generators of two major civilizations: the Anasazis and Kahokia, which have architecture, metalurgy, astronomy and every thing one associates with an advanced culture. Besides, North American natives plus Inuits are also well known because the inventions that passed to the mankind: parkas, kayaks, canoes, snow rackets, siringes and many more. Besides, developing the federal systema that served as a model for the U.S. constitution. I bet it is just a matter to study them more to know theirs worth. Go for it, study them more, please. I dissagree.
North American natives are famous as the generators of two major civilizations: the Anasazis and Kahokia, which have architecture, metalurgy, astronomy and every thing one associates with an advanced culture.

Besides, North American natives plus Inuits are also well known because the inventions that passed to the mankind: parkas, kayaks, canoes, snow rackets, siringes and many more. Besides, developing the federal systema that served as a model for the U.S. constitution.

I bet it is just a matter to study them more to know theirs worth. Go for it, study them more, please.

]]> By: Mac http://www.cynicsunlimited.com/2008/01/15/amerindian-civilization/#comment-32774 Mac Mon, 21 Jan 2008 07:09:05 +0000 http://www.cynicsunlimited.com/2008/01/15/amerindian-civilization/#comment-32774 Such was the case for some of the southern aboriginals but the northern tribes weren't so industrious. They did not work the land; they were hunter/gatherers. They did not domesticate a single animal, not even dogs. They had no metallurgical skills. They had no written language. They had no concept of mathematics. They did not follow the patterns of the stars. They never conquered the concept of cause and effect. They disposed of their dead in the easiest manner possible, often throwing them into middens or swamps, as their belief was the spirit escaped the body upon death and what was left behind was irrelevant. The concept of "sacred burial grounds" did not exist until Jesuit missionaries taught it to them. They were transient because they stripped the land barren and hunted it clean until starvation forced them into moving on. They kept slaves. They fought tribal wars over territory and domination. They indulged in cannibalism although it wasn't a common practice. These concepts appear negative when judged by today's standards but keep this in mind the next time someone conjures up the image of the noble native who lived in harmony with the land. That noble native never existed except in the fevered minds of authors. There were admirable qualities to their society as well, especially if you take the time to understand how a matriarchal society works. I couldn't come up with quite so extensive of a list of positive attributes (especially if weighed by today's standards) but imagine a society where sexuality wasn't neither suppressed nor imposed... where possessions weren't coveted except, perhaps, to taunt a foe... Such was the case for some of the southern aboriginals but the northern tribes weren’t so industrious.

They did not work the land; they were hunter/gatherers. They did not domesticate a single animal, not even dogs. They had no metallurgical skills. They had no written language. They had no concept of mathematics. They did not follow the patterns of the stars. They never conquered the concept of cause and effect.

They disposed of their dead in the easiest manner possible, often throwing them into middens or swamps, as their belief was the spirit escaped the body upon death and what was left behind was irrelevant. The concept of “sacred burial grounds” did not exist until Jesuit missionaries taught it to them.

They were transient because they stripped the land barren and hunted it clean until starvation forced them into moving on. They kept slaves. They fought tribal wars over territory and domination. They indulged in cannibalism although it wasn’t a common practice.

These concepts appear negative when judged by today’s standards but keep this in mind the next time someone conjures up the image of the noble native who lived in harmony with the land. That noble native never existed except in the fevered minds of authors.

There were admirable qualities to their society as well, especially if you take the time to understand how a matriarchal society works. I couldn’t come up with quite so extensive of a list of positive attributes (especially if weighed by today’s standards) but imagine a society where sexuality wasn’t neither suppressed nor imposed… where possessions weren’t coveted except, perhaps, to taunt a foe…

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