Tools.Weapons.clothing.

[MaoriTanga]

Do the different tribes/bands/clans have teachings other than singing and dancing?


I know this powwows.com and intended for powwow talk but I want to know are other traditions emphasized such as tools that were used. Weapons making and using them. Cooking tools. Clothing.
O is it left to mainly just discussing what the tribes once used o wore. I mean when the clans get together do the elders or even `alse aunts` sit and teach how to make things once used on a daily usage.


Escuse me for sounding dum I say it better in my head than on screen.

:Chatter

[theepowwowchic49]

o k

i think Im feeling ya:devil aaaye. You mean like does my mom and dad teach me stuff that our tribes made or used as "household" tools?Not really in my family.To be honest we are very urbanized and to be honest i dont think they even know exactly what we used and how we foredged for it. I will have toask them tonight at dinner and I will get back to you on that.but to answer your question for my immediate family no they dont really teach any of that.
As for weapons my dad just has his cabinet of 6 shotguns locked up and thats about it.Did that help any?

[ron red eagle]

Some of the Cherokee folks I hang with know and do try to teach their youngens on the old ways of making things. Dunno if it was passed down, or gained elsewhere.

As for me, I have to learn everything from a book, until I meet an Ojib elder who's willing to teach me what they can. Until then, I read, read and read.

[Kakeeya]

There are a lot of elders here, where I am from, and they have done a wonderful job of teaching those of us that want to learn. We still have feasts and ceremonies for our first foods of the season, salmon roots and berries. Also the men are recognized as hunters and fishermen, we have giveaways and feast for our child's first berries or roots if a girl or first deer, or salmon if a boy. We use traditional digging sticks for the roots and woven baskets for the berries. The men use mostly modern methods for fishing and hunting though.
But yeah, we are taught many other things besides singing and dancing. :)

[Tom Iron Eagle]

Yes - other teachings.

Yes there are some other teachings than just the dancing, singing etc.

Here a just a few things I learned:

One Grandmother taught me how to sew using cotton fibers for thread right from the cotton bole itself and with a sharp Gar Fish bone as a neddle.

One Grandfather taught me how to dress, clean, and smoke meat right in the field for immediate preservation before having to wait to get back home.

One Grandfather taught me how to fish and catch turtles using nothing more than River Cane, Cat Tails, and vines.

Mother showed me how to weave textiles using Spanish Moss and Cat Tails.

Dad taught me how to find my way around in the swamp and woods (even in total darkness) by looking for the signs of the plants and listening for the sounds of the animals.

There are more - these are just a few.

[peekaboo]

They do know the ways of the ole ways they just dont go having a big school room class about it. Some time I think they should so the new generation can learn it.

[Tom Iron Eagle]

Agreed

Many years ago (many) at one reservation school that I did attend for a short time we had Academic Lessons all morning long, then after lunch we did Native Lessons.

The morning was filled with the usual RRR (Reading, Writting, Arithmetic) but the afternoon was filled with Elders and Storytelling, Elders with our History, Artists, Singers, Dancers, and more.

It seemed a rather hard curriculum at the time and as I look back on it I realize that it was a hard curriculum - but well worth it.

You could say that we had Morning White World Education and Afternoon Native World Education. Regardless of how one feels and thinks though we all need to realize that both Educations are benefical to survival in this modern age - Sad but true. The fact that we use the White World of Computers to talk about our Native World Culture is the perfect example.

[cougarwalker]

in my circle we all pass on what we learn be it from peers or elders. ive learned fingerweaving which was big in my culture. its my preferred craft. i learned how to preserve skins and cook on an open campfire( which can be tricky) also learned to identify some medicinal plants. these are a few things but more than anything i learned respect for mother earth and all my relations.
=^..^= cougie

[robby]

tools

I live on a reservation where they use elk antlers to scrape hair off of animal hides to braintan and smoke for use as clothing. They also use all the trees and plants for their ceremonies throughout the entire year.