Topic related to Native American Culture - Essay Example

On this basis, this essay will discuss the common characteristics of the Native American culture and also highlight on the history of the Native American flute. To start with, the way of life of the different Native Americans was dictated by the climate and natural resources present at the areas they inhabited. According to the American Indian Heritage Foundation, Native Americans share a principle that emphasizes care of the land and respect for nature (1). In this respect, the Native Americans adopted a lifestyle that promoted conservation of nature and natural resources.

Therefore, the Native American culture differed depending on the natural resources available to specific communities. For instance, some communities living in forested regions, relied on hunting and gathering for their living while others, living in the highlands, depended on farming practices. However, it is worth pointing out that some elements of the Native American culture were eroded by European settlers, who colonized and exploited the indigenous American communities. Before colonization, the Native Americans shifted their ways of life to conform to the changing seasons based on the environment they occupied (National Humanities Center 1).

Interestingly, the Native Americans shared common values in relation to family setups. In reality, the family structures of the Native Americans varied widely but there exist common core values and beliefs (National Association of School Psychologists 1). To begin with, many Native American families are ‘big’. Traditionally, most families were extended in nature, comprising of nuclear and extended family members living in a close proximity. Moreover, according to the National Association of School Psychologists, the Native Americans possessed high fertility rates hence increased prevalence of single mothers resulting from out of wedlock childbirth (1).