MailBag Archive: How can Maashkinoozhe mean 'Ugly Pike' when Maash means 'flower'?
Posted on Thursday, December 04 @ 02:01:18 CST (28 reads)

QUESTION:
I am doing some research on the Muskellunge. Every web site I go to says the word was based on the Ojibwe word Maashkinoozhe and they say Maashkinoozhe means Ugly Pike. That does not make sense because Maash means flower in Ojibwe. I was wondering if you can tell me what the aborigional word for Muskellunge is?
~Submitted by Gary

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MailBag Archive: What is the meaning of Indian jewelry?
Posted on Thursday, October 02 @ 20:43:50 CDT (873 reads)

QUESTION:
I have been searching for information on the significance of Lakota jewelry in the past. I am a teacher and during watching a film on Lewis & Clark, which included some references to the Lakota, some students were very interested in the pictures of the beautiful bear claw necklaces, etc. They wanted to know what the jewelry really meant. So far, I've had no luck with internet searches. Can you help?
~Submitted by Jewell S.

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MailBag Archive: How do I know if 'Indian Jewelry' is authentic and made by a real indian?
Posted on Saturday, July 26 @ 21:26:58 CDT (3379 reads)

QUESTION:
My sister taught school on the reservation in Pine Ridge (Porcupine) about 20 years ago. She will be 50 this year. I am looking to buy her turquoise jewelry. I'd like to know it's authentic and made by the Indians. She would hold this as being very special. I understand that some jewelry has tribes' names inscribed on the back. Can you give some reputable stores or web sites that I can look at and buy. I would be particularly interested in Lakota, Sioux.
~Submitted by Kathy C.

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MailBag Archive: When did native americans get the right to vote and drink alcohol?
Posted on Wednesday, July 02 @ 05:25:26 CDT (2670 reads)

QUESTION:
When did it become legal in Arizona for Native Americans to buy alcohol and to vote?
~Submitted by Mel H.

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MailBag Archive: Did the Apache and Sioux intermarry?
Posted on Friday, May 16 @ 18:26:52 CDT (3070 reads)

QUESTION:
I know this may be a strange question and i am sorry if it seems not right to ask, but i was wondering if there had been any sioux - apache weddings? Meaning the girl was apache and the boy sioux? There is a very valid reason for this question but I am not allowed to talk about it. Only to ask. Please can you go back as to 14-15 hundred years. Or after.
~Submitted by Kerry S.

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MailBag Archive: Do indian reservations need summer volunteers?
Posted on Thursday, May 08 @ 17:59:39 CDT (3664 reads)

QUESTION: Do indian reservations need summer volunteers? I am a 17 year old junior in high school and would like to do some volunteer work this summer with another culture.
~Submitted by Cindy T.

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MailBag Archive: I'm related to Pocahontas. Can I enroll in her tribe?
Posted on Sunday, May 04 @ 03:30:42 CDT (3185 reads)

QUESTION:
We have recently traced my husband's roots to Pocahontas. His Grandmother had always told him there was a relation, but he never had any proof. He is now interested in joining a tribe. Is this something that is completed in the state we reside? We have found that there is a Accohannock Tribe in Maryland, but we reside in North Carolina. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
~Submitted by Connie C.

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MailBag Archive: Were the Arickaree tribe from the Kansas City, Kansas area?
Posted on Tuesday, April 08 @ 01:21:06 CDT (3480 reads)

QUESTION:

Were the Arickaree Indians ever in Kansas City, Kansas in Wyandotte County? We live in a housing addition called Arickaree Addition on the papers from when we purchased the house. A woman said the Arickarees were never in Kansas.
~Submitted by Frances W.

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MailBag Archive: How do I go about researching my Algonquin genealogy?
Posted on Friday, February 29 @ 09:58:42 CST (3610 reads)

QUESTION:

My family is descended from the Algonquin's. If I were to try to get in touch with a member of the tribe to learn more about where my family comes from how would I go about it?
~Submitted by Grace K.

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MailBag Archive: What indian tribes originated in Kansas?
Posted on Saturday, February 09 @ 15:26:10 CST (3854 reads)

QUESTION:
Greetings ~

I am interested in learning about the nation(s) that inhabited a particular area - specifically what is now known as the counties of Leavenworth and Jefferson in the NE corner of the state of Kansas (map: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/).

Is there such a resource that documents, even roughly, what nations might have occupied this area over the span of the last several centuries? I understand that geographical occupation can be influenced by nomadic behavior, unmapped/ancient boundaries, and historical events.

After visiting several books, maps, and websites, I've narrowed it down to a few possibilities: Kiowa, Pawnee, Osage, Cheyenne, and possible Missouri. I am by no means a scholar on this subject, and I desire to learn for my own personal curiosity. I've found contradictions in the resources I have, so I am coming to you for guidance.
~Submitted by: Jenesa S.

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MailBag Archive: .Where is Geronimo buried?
Posted on Thursday, December 27 @ 09:34:39 CST (2987 reads)

QUESTION:
Is GERONIMO buried at Fort Sill or was he moved to another place? Is it posible to get in contact with some of his ancestors?
~Submitted by Ronny W.

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MailBag Archive: Is it possible to find native american genealogy information online without paying for it?
Posted on Sunday, December 16 @ 18:20:37 CST (3109 reads)

QUESTION:
Is it possible to find native american genealogy information online without paying for it? Where do I start?

~Submitted by Craig G.

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MailBag Archive: When is the creation story told?
Posted on Monday, December 03 @ 02:22:42 CST (2905 reads)

Question:

I am writing a paper for college on how two different native american tribes traditionally explain creation or how life came about. I have found some information but would like to know if anyone could tell me when this would be typically told to someone? As a yound child? In a Ceremony? Does it depend on the individuals family and how much they believe in the passing of legends?
~Submitted by Sarah

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MailBag Archive: Cherokee and Sioux courtship and wedding customs
Posted on Wednesday, November 21 @ 18:42:51 CST (6190 reads)

Mailbag Question:

In the very near future, I am planning on asking a woman of mixed Sioux and Cherokee descent to marry me. Her family history is obscure but I would like to recognize her partial native american heritage by making a traditional request for her hand, if such a tradition exists. If you could point me in the proper direction, I would be apppreciative.
~Submitted by Jim M.

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MailBag Archive: How many native americans have played major league baseball?
Posted on Thursday, November 01 @ 12:50:01 CDT (4467 reads)

QUESTION:

My son asked me if Jacoby Ellsbury is the first Native American in the majors. I could think of Chief Bender, Louis Sokalexis, Jim Thorpe, and Allie Reynolds, but I wondered where I could find a comprehensive list. And perhaps someone has written a book on the topic. Please help. Thank you.

~Submitted by Oz McConathy

Answer:

In all, only forty-seven full blood Indians have played in the baseball major leagues since 1897.

Jacoby Ellsbury was the first Navajo to play in the major leagues and is one of the most recent baseball players with Indian ancestry. This Native American star in the making spent Spring Training in Red Sox Nation. Ellsbury, signed by Boston in the first round of the draft in 2005 as the 23rd overall pick, is a left-handed outfielder who competed for Oregon State University where he was the 2005 Pac-10 Conference Co-Player of the year and an All Academic Honorable Mention. Ellsbury was ranked as the fastest base runner and 3rd best defensive outfielder of eligible college players in Baseball America's Best Tools Survey for 2005.

Ellsbury's speed coupled with power to all fields, according to the Red Sox, most closely resembles Johnny Damon's playing style and the hope is that he will at least spend part of the 2008 season at the major league level while becoming a regular starter in 2009.

While Ellsbury is only one-half Navajo, he is one of several players of native American descent now making a mark in the big leagues – another being Joba Chamberlain (Winnebago), a rookie reliever for the Yankees.

Right handed starting pitcher, Joba Chamberlain, was landed by the Yankees in the 2006 draft, signed as a supplemental first-round pick and 41st overall. Chamberlain is a member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. After competing for two years for the University of Nebraska, having only started to play baseball as a senior in high school in Lincoln, Nebraska, Chamberlain led his team to the 2005 College World Series going 10-2 for the season with a 2.81 ERA.

Now 21, Chamberlain has been clocked with a 98-mph fastball and has been favorably compared by physique, delivery and his portfolio of pitches to Cleveland Indians pitcher, C.C. Sabathia.

Another recent former major leaguer, Bobby Madritsch (Lakota Sioux), pitched for the Seattle Mariners in 2004 and 2005 and was traded to the Kansas City Royals for the 2006 season. Madritsch was recovering at age 28 from reconstructive shoulder surgery when the Mariners signed him. Unfortunately, he re-injured his shoulder and tore his labrum in 2005 and the Royals eventually released him. He is now looking for a contract in the minor leagues.

The first American Indian who is believed to have competed in the major leagues was James Madison Toy, (1/2 Lakota Sioux), who played in the American Association League in 1887 as well as in 1890. Toy preceded Louis Sockalexis, the first officially acknowledged full-blood American Indian to play major league baseball.

Louis Sockalexis is usually credited with having been the first full-blood native american to play major league baseball.

He played for Cleveland from 1897-99, when they were the Cleveland Spiders.

Jim Thorpe (Sac and Fox),is perhaps the best-known Native American player of the 20th century as he excelled in multiple sports. Jim Thorpe was an amazing athlete who won both the decathlon and the pentathlon in the 1912 Olympic Games by wide margins in Stockholm, but in 1913 an investigation by the Amateur Athletic Union showed that he had played semi-professional baseball in 1909 and 1910, which should have disqualified him from Olympic competition. He was subsequently deprived of his gold medals, which were reinstated after his death and given to his family in the 1980s. Thorpe later became a major league baseball player and then a pro football player.

From 1913 through 1919, Thorpe was an outfielder for the New York, Cincinnati (Ohio), and Boston baseball teams in the National League. He was more successful as one of the early stars of American professional football from 1919 through 1926. He spent two seasons (1922–23) with the Oorang Indians, whose owner attracted crowds by having Thorpe and his teammates dress up and perform “Indian” tricks before games and at halftime.

Jim Thorpe once hit three home runs into three different states in the same game.

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MailBag Archive: Who were the Wakashan Kwakiutl?
Posted on Tuesday, October 23 @ 06:45:37 CDT (2709 reads)

QUESTION:
I am a descendant of Adrienne Lucier-Lachapelle. She is my fourth great grandmother. Her parents are Etienne Lucier, a French Canadian fur trapper who worked with the Hudson Bay Company.

He was part of the Astorians of 1881. He married Josephte. I have seen her surname as Nouite and Noutie. The work Nation has always followed. I recently came upon a photo of Adrienne and the caption states that her mother was Josephte Noutie "Wakashan Kwakiutl" by nation. What does this mean?

Josephte has also been referred to as a Princess. Since all of this took place in the 1800's, I am sure that I will never know the whole story. Josephte was the mother of six children and died in St. Paul, Oregon.

My main goal is to know the name of the Tribe that my family is from so that I may research this group of people for my family history book.
~~Submitted by Deborah G.~~

ANSWER:

There are no princesses in indian societies

As far as I know, none of the Indian tribes of North America had or have "Princesses," except the modern kind that represent pow wows and talent contests. Some tribes, like the Kwakiutl, did have a caste system, but they did not call the people at the top of their class system royalty or kings or princesses.

This is probably a misnomer perpetuated by early Europeans whose own class system included such positions. In early conversations with indigenous tribes, so much of the nuances and meanings of their words were lost in translation when sign language was misunderstood or translators used similar words from their own vocabularies to replace phrases they didn't quite understand or couldn't pronounce. The Wakashan languages are especially hard for non-native speakers to pronounce because long strings of consonants often occur in complex clusters.

Kwakiutl society was divided into three main castes based on heredity: slaves, commoners, and nobles.

However, one could change their class through other means than inheriting it, and individuals usually changed their class several times throughout their lifetimes.

You could marry into another line and assume that family's class. One could give their heriditary class away. For example, a noble could give his class to a commoner as a gift, perhaps to show gratitude for saving one's life, or even because the individual was admired for some talent, thus becoming a commoner himself in the process.

Or you could gain class by having a particular skill or talent that was admired by others in the tribe, such as owning a powerful song or being a skilled warrior or hunter. You could become a noble if you had material wealth, and shared it by giving a great feast called a potlatch, where you served a lot of favored foods and gave away many gifts to people who had less than you did.

You could become a noble through inheritance, marriage, the posession of supernatural powers, acts of leadership and bravery, artistic talent, or shared wealth.

In 1800s, "Kwakiutl" included several tribes

The Indian tribes referred to as "Kwakiutl" in the 1800s are actually a whole group of First Nation Pacific Coast tribes, located primarily on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada and the northwestern corner of the Olympic Penninsula of Washington State in the United States.

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MailBag Archive: Do any american indian tribes still own their original homelands?
Posted on Monday, October 01 @ 02:49:53 CDT (2812 reads)

Question:
Do the American Indians today own land that was once their own land prior to the coming of the White man? What reservations existed prior to the defeat of Custer? and where did Sitting Bull's men go to in Canada after the battle of the Little Big Horn? --Submitted by J. McAuliffe, Australia

Answer:

Reservations in the United States

There are 561 federally recognized tribal governments in the United States, and dozens more state recognized and unrecognized american Indian tribes in the US who are currently fighting (through a lengthy legal appeal process that can take 20 or more years) for recognition.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is the US government agency responsible for the administration and management of the 55.7 million acres of land held in trust by the United States for American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives. This is approximately 2.3% of all the land in the United States.

In the United States, the BIA is responsible for developing forestlands, leasing assets on reservation lands such as oil and mineral deposits and grazing rights, directing agricultural programs, protecting water and land rights, and developing and maintaining infrastructure and economic development on all reservation lands. However, they have grossly mis-managed this responsiblity over the last 200 years, and it is alleged they have cheated the Indians out of billions of dollars owed to them for use of the resources on reservation lands.

On June 10, 1996, Elouise Campbell, a Blackfoot banker and great granddaughter of the legendary Blackfoot leader, Mountain Chief, filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of all american indians to try to recover those funds. Over the years of court litigation, the BIA has destroyed piles of documents pertaining to this matter and several times been held in contempt of court for failing to produce these records for the courts. The case is still ongoing, with no end in sight.

As part of the Cobell litigation, the BIA website was ordered off the Internet until they fix security holes that made their site, and the records and distribution of american indian funds, vulnerable to hackers. To date, they have not complied with the court order to fix their website and remain offline.

Today, there are 304 Indian reservations in the United States. In California, about half of its reservations are called Rancherias. In New Mexico, most reservations are called Pueblos. In some western states, notably Nevada, there are Native American areas called Indian Colonies, and in Alaska they are called Indian communities or indian villages.

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MailBag Archive: Will native americans be offended if I sell a catlinite fetish effigy?
Posted on Tuesday, July 24 @ 02:55:01 CDT (1809 reads)

QUESTION: I have been researching a turtle I bought at a garage sale last weekend. The label reads "Indian Made Pipestone Craft." It measures about 2 3/4 inches long and 2 inches across the shell. I do not feel right about selling it on ebay. I will if there isn't an issue. Please let me know if I should contact someone who would want this back or if it is disrespectful to sell it.
Submitted by Elizabeth G.

ANSWER:
Hi Elizabeth,
This turtle effigy is what is known in the indian arts and craft trade as a fetish. Generally, native americans aren't particularly offended if you sell fetishes, on ebay or otherwise, unless they are burial items taken from grave sites, which this one clearly isn't, or if they have been used as a ceremonial object, which I would strongly doubt with this piece because it is clearly labled for the tourist trade. Selling a fetish, in general, is not considered offensive.

Traditional Fetishes

Traditionally, fetishes were made by the Pueblo tribes as personal ceremonial objects representing certain animals, and were believed to contain spirits of the animal they represented. They were believed to bring good luck, provide protection, lend endurance, or otherwise endow the owner with powers attributed to that specific animal. Another name for a fetish carving is an effigy. Some Pueblo tribes only carve one type of animal effigy and consider it taboo to carve others. For example, the Santo Domingo Pueblo only carves bird fetishes.

Today people from many indian tribes, and even non-indians make fetishes for tourists and collectors of art. They are usually thought of as an art object today, rather than a ceremonial item. Fetishes are mass produced in Arizona and New Mexico, and in countries like Mexico and the Philippines, as well as made by individual artists.

Many native american people are offended by this copying, or "appropriation" of their traditional arts. However, on the other hand, a lot of Indian people will buy these foreign or mass produced pieces themselves, sign them and say they made them themselves. So, just because it's signed doesn't particularly mean anything, unless you know it's particular history, the background and reputation of the carver, and can document it, or you saw it made with your own eyes.

A very large number of the fetishes on the market today are mass produced commercially for the tourist trade, as I suspect this one was because of the little "Indian Made Pipestone Craft" plaque on the back. That tells me it was produced for the tourist trade and isn't a ceremonial object and was never used as one.

catlinite turtle fetish

Whether or not it was actually made by a federally recognized native american person would be open to debate, unless you have documented proof that leads back to the carver of this piece, which apparently you don't. Catlinite comes from a quarry mine ceded to the Yankton Sioux tribe, but also used by other tribes for generations. That in itself doesn't necessarily mean the fetish was carved by a member of the Sioux tribes, or even any indian tribe, because catlinite is often traded and sold in raw blocks to anyone who wants to buy it, and many fetish carvers are non-indians.

Those markers that say an item is Indian Made can be purchased at most jewelry making supply houses or custom printed at any print shop. Selling items not made by federally recognized indians with the label "Indian Made" or "Indian Produced" is against the law and is a federal offense today, but it wasn't prior to 1996, and it was a common practice to use these labels regardless of who made the item prior to that time. I don't know how old this particular fetish is.

Even today, this law is largely unenforced due to lack of funding and is flagrantly abused in the indian arts and crafts industry. So, even though it is labled "Indian Made," there is no guarantee that it is if you don't know it's specific history.

Catlinite is a sacred stone

What some native americans might object to is the material this fetish is made from, which is catlinite, commonly called pipestone because of it's popularity in making the canupa, or pipe bowl. This catlinite material is quarried at only one place in the world: the Pipestone Quarry in Minnesota inside the Pipestone National Monument.

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MailBag Archive: Foods Native Americans consider taboo
Posted on Saturday, July 14 @ 17:27:37 CDT (3901 reads)

QUESTION:

I am doing a research project for my nutrition class and have to find out about foods that were prohibited for native americans but have had no luck so far, could you givee some information or point me in the right direction?
~Submitted by Gabriela L.

ANSWER:

The Gabrielino Indians, were so called because of their proximity to San Gabriel Mission, established in California in 1771. They considered bears, rattlesnakes, and owls taboo. Other food restrictions occurred by ceremony. New mothers fasted and only drank warm water. New fathers fasted at the birth of the child, and were not permitted to fish or hunt. Hunters fasted during the hunting party, and they were not expected to eat their own catch. There were special foods and drink prepared only for initiation ceremonies for boys and girls at puberty.

In the old days, it was taboo for the Navajo to eat burned foods, especially breads. Another taboo food was chicken. This is no longer the case, and now chicken is an integral part of their diet. In fact, chicken is so popular that commercial fast-food chicken establishments have sprung up on the Navajo reservation. A concurrent increased incidence of gallbladder disease is attributed to this dietary practice.

According to a Jicarilla Apache legend, you can get a disease from snakes and bears, (perhaps it refers to the fever caused by snake bite or infection from a bear attack), but during the medicine feast of the ceremony to cure this, bread baked in the ashes is a taboo food. Still bear was eaten, but Apaches did not eat reptiles or fish. They also did not eat bacon or pork, because pigs ate those forbidden foods.

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MailBag Archive: Shawnee spirits and burial sites
Posted on Tuesday, July 03 @ 05:06:26 CDT (3348 reads)

Today's Mailbag Question:

Would you tell me, how Shawnee spirits would react to houses being built on a burial site?
~Submitted by Rose M

Answer:
I don't know if the Shawnee spirits would object, but consider whether or not you would be willing to build your house on top of your own relative's grave.

Native Americans tend to see the world as having infinite space and time that cycles through seasons, and the four cardinal directions. To the Native American, all of life is spiritual.

Spiritual concerns have always rested at the heart of Native American life. Their faith and spiritual beliefs are consummated in a holistic, cosmic view of the universe. Most Native Americans regard the earth as their mother and believe that land cannot be owned.

The earth is a spiritual part of the Native American, and people are a part of the earth. People must live in harmony with plants, animals, the earth and other people. Living in harmony includes respecting the feelings and cultural beliefs of other people, even if they are different from your own.

Shawnee funeral services were usually lenghty vigils that included songs, ceremonial dances, and speeches recollecting and honoring the deceased's life. Bodies of tribal members were always buried uncremated, most commonly in an east-west orientation, and great efforts were made to retrieve the corpses of warriors after battles, as it was considered highly disrespectful to leave a body unburied.

Shawnee burial practices changed very little throughout their history. Certain practices changed over time and varied among their divisions, but in many details Shawnee mortuary practices remained the same. The body of the deceased was kept covered inside the dwelling for half a day after death; then it was prepared for burial by the blood kin and dressed in their finest. Items of honor such as feathers and favorite weapons were included.

The kin chose a funeral leader and two or three corpse handlers who also served as gravediggers. None of the gravediggers could be related to the deceased nor be of the same name group. The funeral rites last four days and included purification rites, burial addresses, feasts, vigils, and condolence ceremonies.

First a communal meal is ‘shared’ with the dead. Then the mourners gather outside and share recollections of the life of the dead person. Each night for four nights, a fire is lit on the grave. After everyone who wants to has spoken, elders relate myths and legends until dawn. This is repeated for four nights, when the spirit of the dead is finally thought to depart the earth at dawn of the fourth day. After the spirit has departed the home can be purified – but some will move house or rebuild the house if they feel it is too polluted.

Graves were dug about four feet deep and had an east-west orientation. The interior of the grave was sometimes lined with stone slabs,but usually wood and bark were used. The body was wrapped in a skin or covered with bark.

Poles were laid across the top of the grave, bark was laid over the poles, and the earth taken from the grave was piled over the bark covering. A grave house made of logs or bark was erected over the grave. No formal cemeteries existed prior to 1830; most graves were dug near the dwellings of relatives in the village.

The name of a dead person is never mentioned, because to do so is to disturb him or to summon him in ghostly form and keep him earthbound.

One must investigate the spiritual beliefs of a group of people in order to better understand their culture.

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MailBag Archive: Half the Top 20 Poorest Counties in America are included in Indian reservations
Posted on Sunday, May 13 @ 13:56:40 CDT (3483 reads)

In lieu of a mailbag question this week, we are featuring non-profit organizations which work with and seek volunteers to work on impoverished Indian reservations. Nearly a third of all American Indian and Alaska Native children live in poverty. Of the top 100 poorest counties in the US, four of the Top 5 and ten of the Top 20 are on indian reservations. In all, 24 counties with high Indian populations made the Top 100 Poorest Counties list based on the 2000 Census.

Living conditions on many Indian reservations are so poor that they are comparable to conditions in Third World countries. Many families don't have adequate food, clothing, or access to modern health care. Many homes lack indoor plumbing, heating systems, and electricity.

For the best part of the last two decades Shannon County, South Dakota, which lies entirely inside the Pine Ridge reservation, was the poorest county in the United States. When it finally moved down on the poverty list, it was only because conditions worsened on another Indian reservation. The new poorest county in the United States is Buffalo County, northeast of Pine Ridge in central South Dakota and home to the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe. Ziebach County, which covers the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation and part of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, has become the third poorest county in the USA. How is it that the poster child for American poverty may change, but seemingly must remain an Indian child?

Learn which reservations are the poorest and what you can do to help.

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MailBag Archive: Is this an authentic native american artifact?
Posted on Tuesday, April 10 @ 04:10:33 CDT (4444 reads)

QUESTION:

I am looking at going to an artifact auction advertised at www.biddersandbuyers.com/sleeper to get a chanupa (pipe) and a shield and put them where they need to be, which is back in a ceremonial family's care and not in someone's collection. The shield looks to be a ghost dance shield. They say it is "C.A. early 1900s." If this is real it should be from the 1890s time line. I am looking for some help on this matter. I have rescued other pipes from being sold and used in the wrong way. Please look at the shield and try to see if it is real or not. Wopila for your time.
-Submitted by Chris G.S.

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MailBag Archive: Who were the first people in the world to start smoking?
Posted on Saturday, March 03 @ 18:53:12 CST (3087 reads)

Who were the first people in the world to start smoking? Also, did the American Indians introduce smoking to the white man or vice versa?
--Submitted by Bob A.

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MailBag Archive: What foods do we eat today that were originally developed by native american tribes?
Posted on Saturday, February 24 @ 09:28:08 CST (3220 reads)

--Submitted by Juanita C.
Answer:

Hi Juanita,
Over the course of thousands of years, many, many plant species were domesticated, bred and cultivated by the indigenous native american peoples of the American continent. Many of these cultivars spread throughout the American continent and are presently common staples in diets worldwide.

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MailBag Archive: What is the underlying significance of the birth of the white buffalo ?
Posted on Saturday, February 24 @ 09:25:07 CST (3312 reads)

Question Submitted by: Dmbad5

The White Buffalo Calf Woman Prophesy

The Lakota religious system and White Buffalo prophesies are based on a messiah who appeared to them about 2,000 years ago called the White Buffalo Woman, or PtesanWi, as she is called in the Lakota language. (The "Calf" part of her name was added later by fairly recent storytellers.)

The oral tradition says she first appeared to them in the form of a wakan (holy) woman who "floated" above the ground. She stayed among them for a period of time and taught them how to use the buffalo to sustain them, and gave them instruction in seven sacred rites they were to incorporate into their daily lives and preserve and pass down to future generations, similar to the Christian belief in the 10 commandments presented to Moses by the Christian God.

When White Buffalo Calf Woman left the Lakota people, the people saw her walking off in the same direction from which she had come, outlined against the setting sun. As she went, she stopped and rolled over four times. The first time, she turned into a black buffalo; the second into a brown one; the third into a red one; and finally, the fourth time she rolled over, she turned into a white female buffalo calf before disappearing.

Just as the Christians believe Jesus spent 32 years among us, then returned to Heaven with a promise to return in the future for his faithfull followers, the White Buffalo Calf Woman also promised to return. Instead of transporting her faithful to Heaven in a rapture, she promised to restore the Earth to harmony if we had made the necessary preparations.

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MailBag Archive: How do native americans celebrate Christmas?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 03:23:52 CST (13722 reads)

QUESTION:
How do native americans celebrate Christmas?
--Submitted by Tifany J.

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MailBag Archive: Where can I buy smudge sticks?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 03:19:14 CST (4776 reads)

QUESTIONS
I am looking to buy smudge sticks or products to relieve my home of a spirit family. I was told to go to a reserve in Arizona and buy from an old woman behind the counter. I have no clue as to where this is. Tell me, where are the directions to this place?
--Submitted by Phoenix Fun

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MailBag Archive: Did the Blackfeet Indians develop a particular breed of horse?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 03:16:54 CST (3446 reads)

QURSTION
I know the Blackfeet Indians had a reputation as fierce warriros and excellent horsemen. But did they develop a particular breed of horse?
--Submitted by John L.

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MailBag Archive: Who do I need to contact to find out about college financial aid for Indian students?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 03:14:49 CST (3425 reads)

QUESTION:
I want to bring my daughter, (social security number removed) who is 17 years old, to your Cherokee Tribe office to get a photo id and information about what we have to do to get her money for college. Who do I need to call to find out about college financial aid?
--Submitted by Linda H.

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MailBag Archive: What can you tell me about Cahokian pottery?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 03:12:45 CST (1955 reads)

QUESTION:
I have three pieces of pottery I want to give to the Cahokian Indians. I've been told they are authhentic, and I bought them at a local flea market . I have not had them authenticated , but the person I bought them from said he dug them himself. If they are, I do want them to go to the proper people not just a collector or someone that just wants to resell them for profit. Although I did pay for them.I was wondering if you might know of someone in my area that may be able to take them off my hands from a tribe near me. Or a way for me to contact the proper representatives to take them to.
--Submitted by Steven L.

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MailBag Archive: Are there any indian reservations in Florida?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 03:09:58 CST (3695 reads)

QUESTION:
Are there any indian reservations in Florida? We heard there was a tribe in Ormond Beach, Florida but cannot get any info on them.
--Submitted by Marie F.

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MailBag Archive: What can you tell me about the Lummi Indians from the San Juan Island (WA) area?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 02:53:33 CST (2821 reads)

QUESTION:
I'm currently doing some research on the Lummi Indians within the San Juan Island (WA) area. I'd appreciate learning about their general customs, health rituals/medicines & their symbols. Thanx for responding at your earliest convenience.
--Submitted by Deb L..

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MailBag Archive: How does the wedding vase ceremony go?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 02:51:17 CST (5327 reads)

Question:
I am a non-denominational wedding minister in North Carolina. I have a bridal couple that want to include the wedding vase in their ceremony. Do you have the wording that you can share for this ceremony? We would greatly appreciate your help. Thank you.
--Submitted by Bonnie C.

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MailBag Archive: How long have indian tribes been making jewelry?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 02:48:39 CST (2713 reads)

QUESTION:
Native american indian jewelry is so beautiful. How long have indian tribes been making jewelry? What are the meanings of turquoise and the squash blossom necklace? How can I tell what tribe a piece of sterling silver jewelry is from?
--Submitted by Ardith R.

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MailBag Archive: Which, if any, of the following Indian tribes are extinct?
Posted on Sunday, January 07 @ 02:46:11 CST (3349 reads)

QUESTION:
I'm doing research on American Indian tribes. Could you tell me which if any of the following tribes are extinct:

"Abenaki" - spelled variously as: Abenaqui, Abnaki, Alnanbal, Benaki, Oubenaki, Wabanaki, Wippanap; Montagnais (Algonquin); Anagonges (Iroquois); Aquannaque (Huron); Bashaba; Gannongagehronnon (Mohawk); Moassones; Maweshenook; Narankamigdok; Natsagana (Caughnawaga); Obunego; Onagunga; Onnogonges; Opanango; Owenagunges; Owenunga; and Skacewanilom (Iroquois)

Also, are the Abnaki, also known as Abenaki, considered a

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