Products of Native American Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Products of Native American Culture - Essay Example The text which is used as a product of Native American culture is one which shows a different identity that belongs to America and which once was the main association with the United States, as opposed to the changes which occurred after the land was conquered by the American government. Text as a Product of Native American Culture The text that is a part of culture and history is first defined as a product of Native American culture. The different types of text are able to describe the culture, history, family and the lifestyle that was a part of a given time frame. This traced the history of the Native Americans back into the ancient ways of living while showing how the dominant culture in America was lost through the war. The defining of these elements make the text as a main product of Native American culture, specifically because it is able to define and describe different parts of the culture as well as provide examples that have caused the religious, ceremonial, cultural and h istorical aspects to be engrained with those who are a part of the Native American tradition. When reading the text, there is the ability to understand the entire society. The intertwining of traditions, ranging from the societal hierarchy to the concepts of religion are in each of the text, making it all a significant basis to understanding the history, beliefs and lifestyles of Native Americans. An example of the text as a part of Native American culture is defined with â€Å"Black Elk Speaks.† This particular text is important in defining the ceremonies and cultures of the Sioux while combining this with the historical events taking place when America began to attack the Native Americans. Descriptions such as The Dog Vision, Heyoka Ceremony and the Powers of the Bison and Elk are able to describe elements of the culture and how this related to the changes in America from the past of Native Americans. â€Å"Under the tree that never bloomed I stood and cried because it had withered away. With tears on my face I asked the Great Spirit to give it life and leaves and singing birds, as in my vision† (Neihardt, 193). This is one of several examples that show the intertwining of cultures in the text. The product comes from the connection to nature, prayers that are a part of the practice of Native Americans, and as read through the â€Å"Great Spirit† and which associates with the context of the time. The particular culture is also defined as the narrator is describing the attacks of the Native Americans and how the family is lost because of the American attacks, showing how the culture known is lost because of the historical events taking place at the time. Another representation which shows the text as the Native American culture is through â€Å"Ceremony† by Leslie Silko. Similar to â€Å"Black Elk Speaks,† this book is able to combine the elements of the Native American culture with religion, ceremony and the beliefs that are upheld through generations. However, there is also an understanding of how this has changed because of the divisions which occurred in America over time. â€Å"An old sensitivity had descended in her, surviving thousands of years from the oldest times, when the people shared a single clan name and they told each other who they were†¦