Native American Assimilation Essay - 1602 Words

For almost as long as European settlers have interacted with the native peoples of the Americas, they have had a notion: what many call ‘assimilation’. To Europeans, assimilation of native peoples meant for their culture, which they believed to be superior, to be accepted over time by the natives. And as they grew more and more European in language, religion, customs, organization, morals, and behavior, they would slowly shed off all of their old culture which the European culture would be replacing. The Europeans believed this process was for the best for the natives and that they would be happier living ‘civilized’ lives as opposed to practicing their own traditions. Assimilation, a replacing of native traditions with European-American†¦show more content†¦He makes predictions about the weather and what the future holds. (3) Not long into the novel, Horse is assimilated to quite an extent, and he is living the good life. Golden teeth in his mouth, he drives to church in his expensive, golden car. (11) And he is quite pleased with the ways his life have changed from his time as a more traditional foreteller who lived life like his ancestors had, before European influence. Still, in spite of this, Horse still holds fast to some of his old ways. He is the only member of the Osage to still live in a teepee. In addition, he tends to a fire. â€Å"It was an important fire. It had descended from the coals of his ancestors. Their lives still turned in the eternal flames.† (32) The flame is a symbol for native tradition. The firekeeper is a role passed down for generations, and his dedication to fulfilling his duty as firekeeper shows his resistance to complete assimilation to the European ways of life. The fire continues to burn, and its flame serves as proof of his heritage. And yet, in spite of his determination to hold true to his roots, he parks his car right next to this flame. This car is a symbol of the economic wealth that came from the allotted lands given by the European-Americans and from trading the oil on it to European-Americans. It is a symbol of what the European-Americans valued, and it itself is a European-American invention. And this symbol of white America, the very thing that threatens toShow MoreRelatedNative American Assimilation Essay1782 Words   |  8 Pagesmost difficult issues that arises when two cultures collide is how to address the concept of assimilation. One of the questions that has been asked throughout our nation’s history is whether or not the Native Americans would do well to assimilate into the â€Å"American mainstream. Quite frankly, I don’t think we, as non-Native Americans, have the right to propose an answer to this question. The Native Americans themselves are only ones who should be able to decide the future of their people’s traditionRead MoreNative American Cultural Assimilation Essay3830 Words   |  16 PagesNative American Cultu ral Assimilation from the Colonial Period to the Progressive October 2, 2011 Introduction Although the first European settlers in America could not have survived without their assistance, it was not long before the Native Americans were viewed as a problem population. They were an obstacle to the expansion plans of the colonial government and the same to the newly formed United States. The Native Americans were dealt with in various ways. During expansion someRead MoreNative Americans and Cultural Assimilation Essays1934 Words   |  8 PagesNative Americans have had a long history of resistance to the social and cultural assimilation into white culture. By employing various creative strategies, Native Americans have attempted to cope with the changes stemming from the European colonial movement into the Americas. There are fundamental differences in world views and cultural and social orders between Indians and Europeans, which contributed to conservatism in Native American cultures. In this paper, two aspects of such cultural and institutionalRead MoreAssimil ating to Fukuyamas Immigrants and Falmily Values Essay882 Words   |  4 Pages In the essay â€Å"Immigrants and Family Values†, the author Francis Fukuyama argued that immigrants, are not a threat for American family values, but rather American culture can become a threat for â€Å"newcomers†. On the other hand, Fukuyama expressed that as long as first generation immigrants want to keep their culture and language intact in school that will keep them from really assimilating the new culture. Before explaining why immigrants are not a threat for United States family values, FukuyamaRead MoreThe Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker Summary Essay867 Words   |  4 PagesPivka October 20, 2011 English 101 P2 â€Å"Notes of a Native Speaker† Summary In 1998, Eric Liu wrote a book about his struggle with acculturation titled â€Å"The Accidental Asian†. A chapter within the book called â€Å"Notes of a Native Speaker† depicts an essay written by Liu which fully describes his struggles with race and how he overcame them. Eric Liu is an American born Taiwanese Asian. His parents immigrated to the United States before he was born and in so, gave him a mixed cultural backgroundRead MoreTextual Analysis of Alexie’s â€Å"Because my Father Always Said...†1683 Words   |  7 PagesAnalysis Essay Textual Analysis of Alexie’s â€Å"Because my Father Always Said...† America truly is the salad bowl of cultures from around the whole world. However, there is often times a dominating cultural structure that makes it difficult to attain peace among the diverse cultural groups of America. Sherman Alexie’s short story, Because my Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ at Woodstock, displays the difficulty of the Native AmericanRead MoreAmerican Indian Liberation : American Indians And The Boarding School Experience852 Words   |  4 Pageshad a curiosity in the Native American culture, yet my previous studies led me away from any cultural academics over the years. I am pleased that I am now delving into these resources after attending a pow wow on the White Earth Reservation to increase my understanding of the Native American culture. There are four books in particular that have sparked my curiosity: American Indian Liberation: A Theology of Sovereignty by George E. Tinker; Education for Extinction: American Indians and the BoardingRead MoreAlbert Kinsey Helped Change The American Public s Preconceptions On Sexuality935 Words   |  4 PagesEssay Question #2 Albert Kinsey helped change the American Public’s preconceptions on sexuality by publishing two bestselling books from 1947 to 1953 on the topic. Titled â€Å"American Sexual Behavior† and â€Å"Sexual Behavior in the Human Female†, these books both confirmed and challenged the generally held beliefs dealing with marriage, sexual gratification, and sexual orientation. Sex was deemed important for a healthy marriage, adultery was frequent and homosexuals weren’t weird anomalies. Hugh HefnerRead MoreNative Americans History1879 Words   |  7 PagesWhen asking a child, educated or not, what they ideas are when they hear the term Native American where does they mind venture to? More than likely do they not consider the former House of Representative, Charles D. Curtis or professor pitcher Joba Chamberlain. But they also do not think of a Native American as being an average person, a boy/girl like themselves. What children believe to be Native American are descriptions such as, feather headdresses, tomahawks, and long braided hair or scalpedRead MoreWesternization And Its Effects On Globalization And Westernization1134 Words   |  5 Pagesand culture. Various examples of this can be seen throughout history - assimilation of conquered lands into the Roman Empire, of native South Americans and Africans into Christianity and European culture during colonization, and the assimilation of Native Americans into the culture of the United States. Assimilation can al so create things, such as the religion of Vodun. However, this does not negate the fact that assimilation and its effects - globalization and westernization - are any less harmful