The Delaware Tribe of Indians - Research Paper Example

The Delaware Tribe of Indians Abstract This paper focuses on the evaluation the Delaware Tribe. These people are a valuable native Americans group and the discussion explores them in terms of history, language, political and social organization, language and natural environment. Like most native American groups, the Delaware experienced intense displacement a result the arrival of European colonialists who not only displaced them, but also caused them distribute to various locations in America and Canada. The paper concludes that the group is on the verge of extinction and recommends that programs and measures are put in place to determine their number and preserve their culture. Relevant resources will ensure that Delaware children are taught their culture from an early age and supported through government funded programs. Introduction: language, names During the 18th century, the name DELAWARE was used to refer to the groups of natives living along the Delaware River Valley[Hur96][Mat03]. This River was then named after Lord De La Warr who was Jamestown colony’s governor. The Delaware ancestors were the first Indians to interact with the Europeans such as Swedish, Dutch, and English in the seventeenth century. The first Europeans later referred to the Delaware natives as the ‘River Indians’. Additionally, the Delaware people stood out as the ‘Grandfather’ tribe and respected by others as peacemakers for their culture of settling disputes between rival tribes. The Delaware people are also known for outstanding fierceness and tenacity during fights, but mostly opted for peacemaking with other tribes and the Europeans. Brief history The origin of the lower Delaware Valley Native Americans was not migratory, and it is believed that they occupied their land for years prior to the arrival of the European colonialists[Hur96]. The Delaware comprised of three Indian groups-Unami, Munsee, and Unalachtigo- that shared Algonquian linguistic traits and a common culture referred to as Lanape but that lived on different riversides and was independent of each other. The independence of these groups made them respond differently to expanding colonialism, but they were all forced to relocate numerous times, causing them to live in New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, Atlanta, Indiana, Missouri, Texas, and Kansas among other areas[Mat03]. The expansion of colonialism made the Delaware people to relocate to the west where they continued with their independence and individualism. However, in the mid-seventeenth century, the Delaware people got involved with their European neighbors for economic advantages[Hur96]. For instance, the arrival of the Delaware people in the Ohio Country resulted in Frenchmen alliances’ formation for fur trading where the French brought in guns and cookware while the Delaware people provided furs[Wes72]. As the British and French colonialists fought for Ohio control, the Delaware broke their ties with Frenchmen and allied with the British who overpowered the French. Since the mid eighteenth century, the Delawares remained loyal to Britain until the American Revolution that divided them as they attempted to adopt a neutral approach in the war[Sch07]. While some supported the British colonialists, others were in favor of Americans for fear that if America won the war, they would be evicted from their land. However, the Delaware division in the support of Americans led to doubts that resulted in the Gnadenhutten Massacre where nearly one hundred Delaware were killed[Mat03]. The Americans doubts over the Delaware caused struggles after the war, forcing them to relinquish their Ohio lands, thus moved to the Mississippi River. However, further signing of treaties with the United States Government led to further Delaware people migration to the west, till their final and current location of Indian Territory or Oklahoma[Wes72]. The Natural environment-Territory and Physiographic context The native people of the northwest coast of America were different cultures. This region extends about 1,500 miles to Southern Oregon from the south of Alaska. It is in the form of narrow and elongated strip with lots of islands and little inland territory. The climate is mostly wet and mild and experiences high rainfall that replenishes numerous rivers. Language The language of the Delaware or Lenape or Unami Delaware was and still remains to be Algonquian. The same dialect of Algonquian language was spoken by the Lenape’s and the Jerseys. Conversely, the Munsee Delaware people had a distinct language that called for interpreters. The Munsee dialect is however very close to Mahican and the southern New England. Additionally, there is a distinct break in language between Nanticoke and Unami. However, these distinctions do not mean adjacent languages have nothing in common. On the contrary, adjacent languages share numerous words and features[Mat03]. Today, the assimilation of the Delaware people to the Whites’ way of life has seen the irreparable loss of language and traditions. Additionally, only few people speak Delaware or keep up with the ancient practices and crafts such as funerals. Efforts to revive the language include support for the Caddo and Wichita Powwows cerebrations with the aim of reinforcing their identity. Cosmology The Delaware people believed in the division of the earth into upper and lower region under the earth. While the upper division comprises of skies and spirits, the lower region is evil. Political and External relations The Delaware people operated under decentralized political systems. These systems comprised of bands and tribes. The bands were the smallest units of political hierarchy in the society and operated under the influence of kinship[Mat03]. They constituted of hundreds of members all of whom were connected through periodic alliances, similarities in culture, and marriage. The bands did not perceive themselves as politically united in the development of clans in the eighteenth century. The three clans were Wolf, Turkey, and Turtle. The three clans were governed by one chief who was also the spokesperson of Delaware. The bands comprised of low population, and needed no form of political systems, thus power was obtained through consensus. By the eighteenth century, the Delaware Indians tribes commenced relationships with British colonists to assist their economy[Wes72]. Tribes were ordered based on kin and were politically integrated with regards to mutual identity, language, territory, culture, and ancestry. Alliance formation was opportunity based, and tribes were characterized by small sizes of autonomous local communities. In each tribe territory, the population was about 1-250 persons within each square mile all governed under the informal leadership of egalitarian or big man, which was not hereditary. Consequently, conflict resolution was informal. Currently, the Delaware people operate within a centralized political organization in the form of chiefdom. Membership into chiefdoms is in the thousands with the settlement comprised of two or more villages[Mat03]. Most relationships take the form of rank, kin, or residence with a shared language and ethnicity. Chiefdoms are led by chief heads who are elected after every four years and so are the Delaware Tribal court council members. The assistant chief is selected from the five members of the Tribal council to assist the chief head. Within the Delaware chiefdoms, the society is ranked. The implication is that the society supports unequal prestige and status access[Mat03]. However, access to power and wealth is equal. Consequently, only a few persons have access to respect and honor or prestige, while everyone can accumulate material items in the form of wealth or power in the form of the capacity to yield intended effects on self, situations, surroundings, and others. Settlement of disputes among the Delaware people was done through negotiations and adjudication[Wes72]. Negotiations involved having the two involved parties reach a consensus. Negotiation may or may not involve the involvement of a third party. However, adjudication involves using an approved third party to provide the final decision. Social Organization The primary social units of the Delaware are the clans. These are at times referred to as phratries. Additionally, the clans were, in the twentieth century referred to as “the three totemic clans” since there were three distinct cultures living in the valley by 1700. The clans further comprised of bands identified as sibs[Mat03]. The sibs constituted of about 25-30 persons with the central element being the matrilineal. The major role of the bands is to assist with defense, hunting, and resources among other activities. Within the Delaware social structure, families are highly regarded. The nuclear family usually constitutes a man and wife or a man with multiple wives or polygamy. While the father was responsible for picking up supplies and money, the cultural role belonged to the mother and children were rarely punished[Wes72]. For young Delaware girls, the first menstruation demonstrated marriageability. The event was characterized by decking with wampum while partially covering the head with special headdress. For the irreconcilable family disputes, divorce was frequent and based on mutual consent. There was no formalization of remarriage[Mat03]. Life Cycle The life cycle of the Delaware people commences at birth[Mat03]. Upon conception, infants were washed by their mothers in cold water, if male. The infant was then tied to a board where it remained in the first year of life. The only exceptions getting the infant from the wood were during cleaning. In most cases, the infant was nursed for utmost two years. After two years, children lived freely among family members and the community. However, at some point, when children demonstrated capacity to perform various domestic chores, they were assigned tasks that aligned with those tasks acceptable for each gender[Mat03]. For instance, boys would be assigned tasks revolving around shooting birds and other small animals, fishing, or hunting[Sch07]. Conversely, girls assisted in the gardens and within the homes. The Delaware culture supported these activities due to the crucial role in preparing children for adulthood responsibilities and duties. From childhood, the transition into adulthood among the Delaware community involved rites of passage for the male children[Mat03]. The process involved pretense to abuse a male child and then driving him into the forest where he would be forced into fasting. Fasting was meant to have the boy shift in search of food as much as possible so that at one point, he would meet with Ito who would bless him. A meeting with man Ito also benefited the Delaware people by since the boy would be granted some power that would then go back to the village and benefit the village members. As one aged, they gained the particular respect that was intended for anyone of old age. Additionally, the advice from the aged society members in private or public meetings were highly regarded and attended[Wes72]. Their observations and advice was also not contradicted or interfered with as everyone listened attentively and one only spoke when asked to. Given their age, the Delaware elderly were considered to have lived longer and possess a great deal of knowledge that required the young to submit. Transmission of knowledge from the elderly commences at infancy where the young are taught how to be attentive and kind to the elderly. Children are also taught how to listen to, and meet the needs, comforts, or necessities of the old. Life cycle ends with death[Mat03]. Among the Delaware, the corpse is buried sitting on a pit grave. This could be linked to making them comfortable as they went on with life in their world since they were also buried with utensils, food, and wampum. In order to keep them free from dirt, corpses were buried with wood or boughs around them. After all practices, the corpse was then covered with stones and soil and their graveyard cemented. Funerals were at times accompanied by feasts and after visits to tend it and free it from the grass. Religion and Medicine Amongst the Delaware people, religious involvements are scarce. However, evidence from the European colonialists indicates the Delaware people were prayerful[Wes72]. Additionally, the young Delaware individuals are said to receive spiritual guidance such as an animal during puberty period. Additionally, dreams were highly valued in the Delaware culture. They were perceived as a bad omen of future events whose meanings could be good or bad. Additionally, the Delaware people held onto various ceremonies within their year. A great ceremony was the sweathouse that took place twice a year. The sweathouse ceremony coincided with the harvesting periods and involved drumming by two people as the other tribe members danced and chanted around[Mat03]. Although this ceremony was very chaotic, all members sang and danced to the identical beat without faults. Another famous ceremony was the curing ceremonies that involved shamans fasting, drinking herbal drinks, and sweating to provide healing to sick tribe members. Shamans were religious persons who obtained power through delighted religious involvements. The shamans were also said to possess a great deal of power to heal the sick and connect with the other world, and escort the souls of the dead there. The body of the dead was separated from its soul upon death, giving room for continued life in the south and the west. The west or south was believed to be the soul’s form of heaven that allowed them to live carefree and hunt[Sch07]. Art, expression, and recreation The most common form of expressing art among Delaware people was tattooing[Mat03]. The Delaware men continued tattooing themselves up to the nineteenth century. The most common tattoo figures were animals. Women arts were common during ceremonies such as weddings when they were decorated using brides’ Mehndi on the front and the back of their hands. Women also had circumspectly painted shapes on their cheeks. For instance, women would have a red circle around their cheek. Conversely, it was acceptable for both male and females among the Delaware people to redden the crown on their heads. However, only men cut the helix of their ears and at times decorated using huge jewelry or beads. The most distinct expressions among the Delaware were conversations while social dances at night offered a satisfactory way of passing night time hours. Other favorite pastimes were games such as ring-and-pin, dice, and jackstraws. The ring-and-pin was common during winter and only people born in other seasons except summer played it. The ring-and-pin game was also forbidden for the Whites. One costume used to complement other arts like dances, was the Minsi Mizink mask. This was made of wood and had a crooked nose, and eyes made of copper. The Minsi Mizink was used during the Delaware people’s ceremonies and religion. Additionally, the mizink mass also had hair, feather clumps, and rattling copper cones. Today, the Delaware people value art with silk and beads intensely being used to under varying colors whose careful combination produced pleasing results. However, the highly regarded colors of the Delaware were red and black[Mat03]. Population, communities and issue today The population of the Delaware or lenni Lenape today is very uncertain. The lack of clear population statistics is attributed to the community’s scattered nature with some living in the upper side of Canada, others in Ohio State and others in Indiana. The Delaware has been through harsh conditions like colonialism that caused displacement and migration even across the Mississippi River[Sch07]. During that time, the Lenape population was in the hundreds and after scattering and connecting with other tribes in America and Canada, their numbers have slightly declined with Oklahoma dropping to 874 from 895 as of 1910. However, the remaining Delaware people today exhibit ethnic identity evidenced in their social structure. The two largest Delaware tribes are today found in Oklahoma where one is the West and the other in the northwestern. The greatest attributes of communism amongst the Delaware people was village bands that constituted of hundreds of people. Conclusion and recommendations From the research, the Delaware Indians had a great culture. However, since the period of British colonization, the Delaware people were displaced with some living among other American tribes and connecting with them while others remained in Ohio, Oklahoma, and New York. This distribution has made it impossible to keep track of them as they get more assimilated into the White culture abandoning their own. Consequently, there are only a few elders today who can speak the language and oversee traditional practices. The best recommendation for this paper is for the government to invest in preserving the culture through written materials that can be passed from one generation to the other. Additionally, a written way of life can be trained to younger children to prevent extinction. Additionally, it is crucial to carry out intensive identification of the Delaware people to avoid extinction and develop plans and programs that could revive the language and culture. References Hur96: , (Hurt, 1996), Mat03: , (Matthew, et al., 2003), Wes72: , (Weslager, 1972), Sch07: , (Schutt, 2007), Read More