These thoughts are born out of years of reading anything I could get my hands on about American Indians, especially first hand accounts of those who were sympathetic toward Indians, quotes from Indians, Mythology of Indians. I would also add that I am Native American on my father�s side, and likely additional on my mother�s side. I also believe that intuition is a worthy source of help in trying to grasp the �Red Heart�.
Since I am a Christian that is part of my ingrained belief system. I also believe early Native Americans had a good concept of what the essence of true Christianity is�indeed they were often better Christians than their white neighbors. I am going to put forth what I see as positives in Native American Philosophy (note that these are purely my thoughts from studying the subject, and are generalizations).
The Native American sense of community�tribe�was of prime importance. Selfishness was frowned upon, generosity praised. It was more of an early Christian type of community than a 20th century type communism. They looked very hard upon gossip, and the punishment of children was more one of general scorn for bad behavior than a beating�peer pressure was the motivater for good behavior. Women were held in high esteem, they had political clout in factors affecting the community. They also had personal clout in things affecting their family unit, if they chose to divorce their husband he was without his home, children, and clan. So peer pressure was a factor in family units as well.
To the American Indian land ownership was nearly incomprehensible; this is probably in part why they were so terribly defrauded of it early on. The later suffered by warfare and false treaties. They held land in common as a tribe, but it was as if they were borrowing it from the Creator, and using it for the tribe�s benefit. In the same way hunting animals was in a sense, borrowing animals for their food from both the Creator, and the animal itself. They held animals in high regard generally�seeing them as fellow creatures. As Clan Totems, or personal Fetishes they had a near worshipful attitude in regard to those specific animals.
So we have here a people who regard their personal tribe as highly important, and each member of it�even the aged who could hardly contribute were held in high regard. They respected The Creator, having different names for Him, often for different aspects of His Nature. Women were held in higher regard, and held political clout the frontier white woman could only dream of. The Roman Stoic would have fit right in with the concept of courage under fire, trusting your destiny to �fate�, suffering nobly any pain or torture�these being the requirements of the Indian Brave. The first true Environmentalists, NA excelled at not abusing their environment, taking only what was needed�not hoarding wealth.
Spiritually the American Indian approached life differently than the whites. Where whites were materially motivated by promise of wealth and personal gain, Native Americans saw their role as one of stewardship of mother earth�s wealth for the tribe. To them every tree, rock, and stream was alive. The Earth was a living breathing entity, with the Indian as a branch on that tree of life.
To them the spirit world was real. Just as real, and maybe more than physical realities. Dreams had special meaning. Only centuries later would psychologists recognize the importance of dreams and mental health, (though in the early Church at least, Christians also placed importance on dreams).
Though Indian could be fierce in war, and would also fiercely defend their friends. They formed Leagues and Associations that they honored between tribes. So is it a wonder they were appalled at the way whites discarded every treaty made with the Indians? American Indians did not make war on women and children, they adopted them into the tribe when captives came home with the warriors, at least in the days before the whites came. Even when whites tried to get tribes like The Cherokee to practice their form of slavery, the whites were disgusted at how differently (good) Indians treated their slaves.
We have much to learn from Native American Philosophy; maybe most importantly in this 21st century is learning how to treat Mother Earth. There is a passage in the book of Revelation in the Bible that says:
Re:11:18: And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
When I read that about God destroying them that destroy the Earth, I couldn�t help but think how much the present generations have been, and are destroying the earth. I think many Christians do not perceive that being good stewards of the earth is important. Native Americans have never questioned its importance to the Creator.
Some humility and a willingness to learn from those Native American ancestors�from their words and lifestyles�would go a long way in making this world better.
There is much value in learning the Philosophy and Wisdom of the American Indian.
To Summarize, American Indians:
1. RESPECTED THE CREATOR ABOVE, AND THE EARTH BELOW.
2. TREATED ANIMALS AS FELLOW CREATURES, NOT LOWLY THINGS.
3. PUT THE COMMUNITY FIRST PLACE, ABOVE SELFISH INDIVIDUALISM.
4. THERE WAS A BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN.
5. CHILDREN WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH TEACHING AND PEER PRESSURE. THE AGED RESPECTED.
6. EVERYONE HAD A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE MENTALLY DISABLED AND HANDICAPPED WERE TREATED WELL, EVEN RESPECTED.
7. CRIMINALS WERE SEEN AS �SICK� PEOPLE, NOT ABHORED AS VILLIANS.
8. SELF-SACRIFICE, STOIC COURAGE, WERE HELD AS THE IDEAL IN MANHOOD.
9. YOUR WORD WAS YOUR BOND TO THE AMERICAN INDIAN. TO BREAK THAT MADE YOU BELOW CONTEMPT.
10. THE SPIRIT LIFE, THE GOOD HEART, LOVE OF NEIGHBOR AS YOUR BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, FATHER, GRANDPARENTS�IS INDEED THE GOLDEN RULE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIANITY, AND WAS THE PRACTICE, THE PHILOSOPHY OF NATIVE AMERICANS.
YOUNG EAGLE
KARLTON DOUGLAS