Conversations Ongoing: Indian Imagining vs. White Imaging
Indian Imagining
It was widely thought, for a long time, that Native Americans were a static bunch. Whites viewed them as living in a permanent primitive state, not changing their culture, not advancing socially, or innovating and using their environment in any useful form, besides ancient traditions. To the contrary, Indians were some of the most ambitious and imaginative people in the West. Their adaptive ability to new technology and willingness to uproot their entire lifestyle shows how really imaginative they really are. But like all imagination there were many unseen consequences to their actions. Below are several different adaptations and their unseen consequences.
Horses- Centuries before Americans would sweep through the plains, Native Americans saw the introduction of horses with great imagination and awe. They immediately saw the usefulness of such a tamed beast and went to work immediately. They were able to use the fuel source of the plains, grasses, finally and also were able to hunt better, move over greater distances, fight fiercer battles, and trade with far off tribes.
Nomadic Pastoralism- With the advent of horses Indians were quick to change their lifestyle completely. Nomadic pastoralism led to an economy and way of life the included an ability to access many resources throughout the plains while being able to move with the weather of the temperamental plains.
Consequences of Indian Imagining
Horses need to use a lot of resources to survive. This impacted many aspect of Native Americans way of life.
Better fighting ability led to more losses, greater destruction.
Social splintering occurred when Indians realized they couldn't maintain large bands of nomads. With 10-20 horses per person the numbers would become too great to maintain. Eventually, life would consist of less group interaction and only occasional meetings with the larger community.
Spiritual loss- Due to the nomadic lifestyle spiritual centers became overrun with different peoples and tribes and a loss of sedentary lifestyle led to Indians taking their spirtuality with them.
Nomadic pastoralism led to a loss of resources when whites began settling on prime land. When Native Americans would leave prime wintering lands in the summer to hunt, whites would move in never to leave.
In the end, interaction and adaptation worked only for so long for Native Americans. Eventually, it would catch up to them in a big way.
White Imagining
Proof of what Whites had in mind for the world can be seen all around. Bringing with them a culture of social, political, and economic superiority, whites imagined a vast market for wealth in the West. Though the forms of wealth may have varied (mining, ranching, farming, investing, small markets, policing) the goal and point of view remained the same. Material and cultural progress was the goal and has been since.
Consequences of White Imagining
Like the ability to see the goals of white culture today we can also see the consequences of the western land grab. But specifically to the West, Whites didn't fully see the consequences of their movement. The law of the minimum would cost many people money, land, and even some lives. Drought, floods, and famine were common throughout the years on the plains and even with technological advances as they were, Whites felt the impact of living in an alien land.
Another stiff consequence was the Indian "problem". Though, it can be argued that Whites didn't want to remove Indians, they definitely didn't leave a place for them in their imagination of a new West. Consequences unseen included, Indian violence, incorporation, and eventual legal issues regarding land and resources.
The biggest consequence of the move westward was Americas solidifying their place in the world and the type of culture that they would carry with them. The West best defines our way of life, and our ideals put into action. Without it would be to take away a large piece of the American puzzle.
Both Indians and Whites imagined great things, just as we all do. None of us are void of using our powers of perception to see what might be including the Native Americans and Whites of the old West.
It was widely thought, for a long time, that Native Americans were a static bunch. Whites viewed them as living in a permanent primitive state, not changing their culture, not advancing socially, or innovating and using their environment in any useful form, besides ancient traditions. To the contrary, Indians were some of the most ambitious and imaginative people in the West. Their adaptive ability to new technology and willingness to uproot their entire lifestyle shows how really imaginative they really are. But like all imagination there were many unseen consequences to their actions. Below are several different adaptations and their unseen consequences.
Horses- Centuries before Americans would sweep through the plains, Native Americans saw the introduction of horses with great imagination and awe. They immediately saw the usefulness of such a tamed beast and went to work immediately. They were able to use the fuel source of the plains, grasses, finally and also were able to hunt better, move over greater distances, fight fiercer battles, and trade with far off tribes.
Nomadic Pastoralism- With the advent of horses Indians were quick to change their lifestyle completely. Nomadic pastoralism led to an economy and way of life the included an ability to access many resources throughout the plains while being able to move with the weather of the temperamental plains.
Consequences of Indian Imagining
Horses need to use a lot of resources to survive. This impacted many aspect of Native Americans way of life.
Better fighting ability led to more losses, greater destruction.
Social splintering occurred when Indians realized they couldn't maintain large bands of nomads. With 10-20 horses per person the numbers would become too great to maintain. Eventually, life would consist of less group interaction and only occasional meetings with the larger community.
Spiritual loss- Due to the nomadic lifestyle spiritual centers became overrun with different peoples and tribes and a loss of sedentary lifestyle led to Indians taking their spirtuality with them.
Nomadic pastoralism led to a loss of resources when whites began settling on prime land. When Native Americans would leave prime wintering lands in the summer to hunt, whites would move in never to leave.
In the end, interaction and adaptation worked only for so long for Native Americans. Eventually, it would catch up to them in a big way.
White Imagining
Proof of what Whites had in mind for the world can be seen all around. Bringing with them a culture of social, political, and economic superiority, whites imagined a vast market for wealth in the West. Though the forms of wealth may have varied (mining, ranching, farming, investing, small markets, policing) the goal and point of view remained the same. Material and cultural progress was the goal and has been since.
Consequences of White Imagining
Like the ability to see the goals of white culture today we can also see the consequences of the western land grab. But specifically to the West, Whites didn't fully see the consequences of their movement. The law of the minimum would cost many people money, land, and even some lives. Drought, floods, and famine were common throughout the years on the plains and even with technological advances as they were, Whites felt the impact of living in an alien land.
Another stiff consequence was the Indian "problem". Though, it can be argued that Whites didn't want to remove Indians, they definitely didn't leave a place for them in their imagination of a new West. Consequences unseen included, Indian violence, incorporation, and eventual legal issues regarding land and resources.
The biggest consequence of the move westward was Americas solidifying their place in the world and the type of culture that they would carry with them. The West best defines our way of life, and our ideals put into action. Without it would be to take away a large piece of the American puzzle.
Both Indians and Whites imagined great things, just as we all do. None of us are void of using our powers of perception to see what might be including the Native Americans and Whites of the old West.
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