Postcolonial Native American Children - Essay Example

Postcolonial Native American Children When having to evaluate the quality of life of children in regard to a particular society and time period emphasis needs to be given not only to culture and ethics, as factors influencing the daily life of individuals, but also to the local political and economic conditions. Current paper presents various aspects of life of Postcolonial Native American children; reference is made to issues such as education, family life and access to healthcare. At the same time a comparison is made to the life of this group of population in two different periods, the pre-colonization and the after-colonization period; in this way, it would be easier to understand how colonization has affected the life of these children. It is proved that colonization has transformed the life of Postcolonial Native American Children. This change has not been necessarily positive. More specifically, before colonization these children had experienced the sense of community, as a key element of social life. After colonization, the daily life of Native Americans, and their children, has radically changed, being adapted to the Western style of life, which was more family – oriented and not so much community – oriented as in the pre-colonization America. This issue, in all its aspects, is analytically discussed below using relevant literature. Dates and events that have been critical for the social life of Native Americans, as also affecting their children, are presented in order to show the conditions in which Native American children experienced the transition to a new style of life, as related to the post-colonization period. The colonization of America began in 1492; it was then that Columbus, the famous Spanish explorer, reached America (Kozlowski 8). The discovery of America by Columbus set the basis for the colonization of the continent; due to its extensive size and its unique geographical characteristics, compared to the known world of that period, America was characterized as ‘a New World’ (Kozlowski 8). It should be noted that initially the new colony was considered as depended only on two countries: ‘Portugal and Spain’ (Kozlowski 8); up to 1494 there were only these two countries that had the control of the new colony. However, soon other countries, especially England and France, were involved in the colonization of America (Kozlowski 8); it was at 1585 that the first attempts of Englishmen for occupying America were reported; France followed quite later, at about 1673 (Kozlowksi 9). The above details are necessary in order to understand the cultural and social values and rules that Native American, including children, had to face as a result of colonization. In the books, in the forms of calendars, developed by Columbus and the explorers who reached America, the social life and the physical characteristics of native populations are clearly described: at that period, Native Americans were living in the form of independent groups/ tribes; each group had its own rules (Kozlowski 8). In any case, community seemed to had a key value for those groups; at the same time, any change in the geographical borders of each group would not be made accepted unless supported by the majority of local people (Kozlowski 8). The social rules and values of the particular groups were based on equality and cooperation at community level, every time that a problem appears (Kozlowski 8). Native Americans, as the populations that first entered America, had been divided into several groups, each of which had developed its own culture and ethics (Kellogg 4). These groups had been living in America for quite a long, about 5,000 years before the appearance of Europeans settlers in the region (Kellogg 4). Three of these groups were so expanded, as of the size of their population that had established their own civilization: these were ‘Aztec, Mayas, Pueblo and Inca’ (Kellogg 4). Among those groups, Pueblo were characterized by their rural life while Mayas had developed a well-structured urban style of life (Kellogg 4). Thus, Native American children did not have the same social and cultural beliefs and experiences; thus, they would be expected to be influenced at different level from the culture and the political ideas of settlers (Kellogg 5). However, not such issue appeared; the reason was that colonization in America followed a path similar to all other areas worldwide: emphasis was given to the increase of wealth of settlers without paying attention to the needs or the interests of natives (Kellogg 5). In regard to the above emphasis should be given to the following fact: the social and political systems of the groups that constituted the Native population of American were differentiated. Due to this fact, Native American children had different experiences and beliefs as of family life and social values. For example, the tribe of Algonquians was characterized by the participation of women in economic and political life; in the above tribe women had even the right to ‘become political leaders of the tribe’ (Kellogg 5). In the context of colonization, settlers imposed on Native American people their political and social system, not allowing any differentiation (Kellogg 6). As a result, Native American children had to face different political and social systems, from those to which they were accustomed with (Kellogg 6). As Tucker noted, colonization has resulted to the radical deterioration of life of Native American children: instead of focusing on their development as members of the society these children had to face, from their early years, issues such as ‘slavery and oppression’ (Tucker 120). These conditions of life have led Native American children to refuse their involvement in the style of life of settlers, even if referring to activities that are vital for securing personal income (Coloma 112); for example, in a study published in 2002 reference is made to the inability of Native Americans to become familiar with the agricultural techniques used in modern farming (Coloma 112). This weakness of Native American people can be considered as related to their past. Indeed, Native Americans, as children, had learned specific cultivation techniques; however, because of colonization these people had to abandon an important part of their culture, a fact which has not been fully accepted by all American Native people (Coloma 112). Colonization, as a process, is able to affect the life of a population at quite high levels. More specifically, it has been proved that a colony has to face pressures for changing its political, social and economic rules and structure (Bradford 9). As long as these efforts are in progress native people are treated quite badly, even with brutality, in order to be forced to be adapted in the culture, political ideas and economic system of the settlers (Bradford 9). In the context of such process, all aspects of daily life of native people can be highly affected: family life is expected to suffer most from colonization (Bradford 9). In regard specifically to native children the colonization process would result to problems such as: low morale and low-self confidence, as these feelings would be related to the social/ political and economic instability caused by colonization (Bradford 9). Native American children had also to face such issues, since colonization in America has highly influenced the social and economic life of indigenous populations, as the literature suggests. According to Bradford colonization’s effects can last for quite a long. This means that a former colony cannot easily become fully independent from its occupier, a problem that can last for decades, or even more (Bradford 9). In this context it has been proved that regions that have faced colonization are likely to suffer from various social problems, such as ‘high level of infant mortality, increased criminality and expansion of youth suicide’ (Bradford 9); also the above phenomena tend to be related especially to native population, i.e. to indigenous people, rather than the settlers (Bradford 9). In the case of America, a similar problem should be expected to appear, even not equally developed in all parts of the particular geographical region. Colonization introduced new social and economic rules in America (Sarche 226). More specifically, in the pre-colonization America local populations have developed social frameworks and rules characterized by the high importance of the community; hierarchy also, in terms of political power, had a vital role in the social life of American populations during the pre-colonization period (Sarche 226). Because of the colonization, the social values of native people in America had to change: social equality has eliminated at the level that indigenous populations were forced to accept the orders of settlers (Sarche 226). In many cases, no such orders were given; large parts of native populations were extinguished so that the control of the settlers over the colonies to become full and any threat, from potential opposition, to be eliminated (Sarche 226). The above practice had, necessarily, affected the psychology of Native Americans who survived. In fact, it took several decades for native people to overcome the psychological and social effects of colonization; the professionals who had been asked to support native people while coping with depression, as related to colonization, had noted that the relevant problems could be faced only through ‘effective group process’ (Sarche 226). The above practice has been also used for Native American children who had to face social exclusion and unfairness, as resulted from colonization (Sarche 213). At this point, emphasis should be given to the following fact: depression, as a psychological problem for Native Americans, refers to the years that follow the colonization of America; in the pre-colonization period Native American did not have to face such problem due to their different social and economic system (Sarche 213). It is implied that in the post-colonization period Native American children are likely to face depression and other psychological problems in opposition to Native American children in the pre-colonization period. Depression, as related to colonization in America, can be considered as an expected problem for Native Americans, including children, for the following reason: in the context of colonization most of the Native American children were captured and became slaves (Yarema 4). This practice held for centuries. It was only during the 1780s that efforts were made by American leaders, such as Jefferson, for the change of the above rule (Yarema 4). It was in 1779 that the committee that governed North Carolina, under the guidelines of Jefferson, suggested an alteration of the region’s constitution (Yarema 4). The new law would state an age-limit for slaves: men would be released from slavery at the age of eighteen (Yarema 4). For women, a lower age limit was set: the eighteen years (Yarema 4). The above law benefited not only Native Americans, who had entered slavery since their childhood, but also the black people (Yarema 4). Native American children have experienced all problems of colonization at the level that in America colonization led to the distinction of existing social/ political and economic systems establishing a new style of life, based on the technology and the loosening of family bonds. In addition, colonization introduced another phenomenon in America: social inequality, as related to unfairness in regard to the distribution of wealth, as this issue was discussed above. In order to expand rapidly in America the settlers have employed arguments related to social justice and well-being, such as the access to healthcare and education (Grigg and Mancall 120). However, for Native American people, including children, the barriers in regard to education and health have been clear (Grigg and Mancall 120). As a result, the mortality of these people has been high while their social/ economic development was a non-feasible target (Grigg and Mancall 120). The destroy of social systems, such as family and community, as applied in Native American populations has been another effect of America’s colonization. In other words, for Native American children colonization has been related to non-reversible damages on all aspects of daily life. It could be argued that through the centuries the life of Native American people, including their children, has become more comfortable, due to technology. Moreover, the increase of the value of the community, as a social system, has helped the various groups of Native American people to keep their independency, as a group of people who share the same social and cultural values (Grigg and Mancall 120). Thus, it could be argued that through the years the Native American children have managed to secure their role in the region’s social and economic life despite the oppositions developed by other social groups, such as Englishmen or Spanish, who also seek to increase their power in the American society. Works Cited Bradford, Clare. Unsettling Narratives: Postcolonial Readings of Children’s Literature. Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2007. Coloma, Roland. Postcolonial Challenges in Education. New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Grigg, John, and Peter Mancall. British Colonial America: People and Perspectives. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2008. Kellogg, William. E-Z American History. Hauppauge, NY: Barrons Educational Series, 2010. Kozlowski, Darrell. Colonialism. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010. Sarche, Michelle. American Indian and Alaska Native Children and Mental Health: Development, Context, Prevention, and Treatment. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2011. Tucker, George. THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM THEIR COLONIZATION. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co, 1856. Yarema, Allan. American Colonization Society: An Avenue to Freedom? Lanham: University Press of America, 2006. Read More