Changing Ones: Chapter 4

In this chapter we were able to see how Indian women were part of the society in many different ways. One might have always been exposed to having learned that almost all native Indian women were those females that were as they called them "Indian princess" or those as the story of Pochantas. Those that were exposed to the white culture and left their own to join it. Yet that is only somewhat of what the Indian woman really was. At the beginning many European settlers saw these females as exotic sexual fantasies. Not only that but they also viewed these Indian warrior women as exotic and wild. One thing that these warrior women were was that they were strong independent females. They knew how to take care for themselves. They knew many survivor skills and were able to make it on their own with out a sexual partner. These females played the roles of both male and female. Some were even stronger than the men themselves. These warrior women would do many jobs that based on the European gender roles were not right. Some tasks that these women performed in were in leading a tribe, fighting, firing rifles, shooting bows and arrows. You name it these females were strong and did not need no help of any male. It came to be that these Indian female warriors was part of their own identity. All this bravery surprised many, specially the Europeans. The Europeans were never exposed to this role on behalf of the woman's part. They never married and had three or four wives. In the end these females were strong woman that were able to make it on their own with out the help of what is know today as the dominant privileged gender, the male.

Many Tender Ties: Chapters 2&3

In both of these chapters much of what was discussed was the importance of the Native American women with in the Hudson Bay Company. These females were key elements to the success of the Hudson Bay Company. With out these native women the success of the Hudson Bay Company would have never have happened. One way in which the Hudson Bay Company gained success was through the native woman. This happend through intermarriage between the white trader and the native female. By this happening marriages played a huge role in which it promoted good relations between the tribes and the traders. These unions were very useful for the traders which played a significant role in the traders relations in which they were able to expand their economic empire. These marriages known as the marriages a la facon du pays ended up being very successful with in both cultures and were mostly followed by those customs of the natives. This ended up providing the growth of the fur-trade society. The Indian women made a very huge beneficial impact in the trade itself which led to the white success.

In the second chapter we were able to see in what ways these female Indians were beneficial to the fur trade society. All of their contributions were key factors into the success of the fur trade industry. With out the help and guidance of these females the trade industry would have been a total disaster and these white traders knew they would not be able to make it with out them. These Indian women performed a huge range of domestic jobs and they were what they called them "economic necessity." They were expected to gather foods, rice, make moccassins, store meats, sow, fish, make sugar, make canoes, clothing and the list goes on and on. They were also important as guides because they knew the lands and were also symbolized as peace makers while encountering other tribes. In the end with out the assistance of these female Indians the fur-trade economy itself wouldn't have been successful at all. These females were needed in order for the white man to gain success, yet today we do not recognize that. We don't notice much of what these females did which should have been greatly appreciated by the traders.

Gender In Inuit Society

Gender in Inuit Society really explained the many gender roles with in the Eskimo society. We saw what the difference was between power, authority and prestige with in these natives which is not relatively different between a male and a female. Much of what we have stereotyped of the natives is that usually the men are the strong and brutal to these native women, yet that is not entirely true. These natives have a sense of sharing equality. One example was that of work. Men are occupied with hunting and gathering while women are in charge of domestic routines, yet if either one is not able to complete a task either gender is prepared to perform their work when its necessary, stating that women are equally as men. They both have specific jobs but either gender can perform each others that it doesn't really give them exact gender roles. Another example of equality is with in their social relations. Women are not force to take a husband that they do not want. Yes some of these marriages are arranged yet these females do have a choice if they do not want them as husbands and divorce can simply happen as to pack up and leave. One last example is the equality of these women in the public eye. Even though much of the leaders of the community have been men, women do have a voice. Men are supposed to speak for their families yet their wives discuss issues with their husbands openly and are able to compromise on decisions. Not only that but elderly woman do have a way into gaining that "women's vote."

In the end we might stereotype the Indian male as a corrupt, and brutal human being towards the native women yet their likelihood of roles is very similar. We are molded into thinking that the native male is the one with power and prestige because of his strong muscular looks yet its not entirely true. The social level between the female gender and the males is relatively similar and both enjoy equal status.

Don’t Let the Sun Step Over You: Intro, Chpt.1&2

As many of us always stereotype the Indian Native lifestyle of being hunter-gatherers and people that live in a tipi this book clearly describes the lifestyle of the Apache people. First and foremost after reading the title Don’t Let the Sun step Over You one gets a clear understanding that this book tries to leave the stereotype of what people label the Native Indian lifestyle. We learn about them yet so much is missing of what exactly these natives were like. Most of these Apache natives had many struggles they were expected to find food to support themselves, head a household, raise a family and live good moments and traditions as well.

Eva as part of the Apache tribe has witnessed and knows the true story of these natives. She traveled a lot in search of food and survival. But this was very hard she face many hardships one including the losing of family members because of horrible diseases. One thing was the Eva was very close to her grandma, which was very skillful in knowing many traditional homemade cures for diseases. Not only that but she also mentioned the lifestyle of the Indian children in boarding schools and how they were not treated rightfully. In the end this introduction and first two chapters basically give you a glimpse at the true story of what is unwritten of the Apache tribe. The real non-stereotyped version.

Many Tender Ties: Introduction & Chpt. 1

In the introduction we were exposed to the Hudson Bay Company and the way it function in the vast western territories. But most importantly I was able to understand and realize what the role of the Indian woman was with in the fur-trade society. This economic development lead to role-play in which the Indian women became involved. These women became important with in the trade industry in a way that they were able to improve trade across the country. By this happening much of the native women thoughts were that they would gain so much while marring a trader and these women were largely accepted with in the traders because of the female gender.

Through intermarriage much of these Indian women became part of the "superior" trader. Being that the Canadians were able to communicate with the Indians they were able to construct success with in the company and having that effective Indian mate played a huge role. In fact the English were largely interested in fur trade and did not do anything to the natives with in the land. In fact they relied on the Indians to protect them from French attacks. With in these same Indian tribes much of the women were not considered and were in a "slave-like state" with in their culture. Much the tribes in particular the Chipewyan took their women for granted and did not treat them fairly. In fact they did twice the work that the male Indian would do. In fact these Indian males did not view woman as sex objects compared to the Europeans and therefore, this lead to prostitution with in the native women themselves. The Europeans themselves began to see how these Indian women were and found themselves in shock because of their actions. Yet they also thought that some of these Indian women were beautiful and found themselves attracted to them, therefore "mixed blood" future generations began.

Unsettling Societies Chp.4 & 6

Canada’s development of its settler society was evolved through many different causes one being that Britain socially constructed and developed what is Canada. Canada was socially constructed into what we refer to ‘white settler society’. Much of the British ideas were brought over including the white privilege into Canada. As immigration became to settle in Canada the British were by far less. As diversity came to increase in Canada racial and ethnic hierarchy was socially constructed. Indigenous settlers became to lessen by the fact that they started to blend in being that they were mixed blood. Not only that but as time passed women’s power did not exist within the strong masculine political elite causing and giving the male privilege automatically.

In the next chapter moving to Mexico, I learned that much of what Mexico was formed by was by descendants of various different indigenous cultural groups. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Mexico consisted of 20 million different cultures that were politically organized. Yet the governance of each of these groups fell into the destruction of the incoming European system. As the conquistadors came in much of the indigenous civilians became acute and their population was lessened. Many of these Indian women were disrespected and were targets of male domination. Women were treated unfairly by the men whether they were Indian or black they were pretty much used by the male dominant power. As women came to be in the work force they were also unrecognized and were paid extremely less than the male gender. The maquiladoras which is an industry in which many immigrant females work with in has been an investment of the North American part. They are expected to work yet receive a very low income making the maquiladora industry powerful showing within these immigrant females a clear view of the racial division within women till this day.

Unsettling Settler Societies: Introduction & Chapter 5

In the introduction of the book what was clearly defined was what the definition of what a settler society really is, in which is the area that the Europeans have settled entering the Americas. It is the area in which the Europeans took over and became dominant, caring very little about the civilians that were there before. Since then and through out history they have remained politically dominant over the indigenous people by genocide and other forms of removal with in their own home. All this involved the development of ethnic and racial terms clearly stating that Eurocentric was essential. Not only that but the European capitalist culture has been the dominant one in which automatically gained what we call "white- privilege" a disruptive world.

Going into chapter 5: Gendering, Racializing and Classifying: Settler Colonization in the United States 1590-1990; clearly explained the arrival of the Euro-American settlers into the settler societies and the development of the different forms of racial domination. How these Europeans were granted full citizenship within themselves excluding those natives that were already there. We saw how the Native Americans, Mexican Americans and African Americans lost any power that they had to the unrealized dominant culture. Yet before that during the colonial America, Native Americans were entitled to share power between the both the female and male something that was not common with in the Europeans. As the Europeans came to the Americas they had no respect towards its natives many were slaved, and risk of extinction within tribes was expected. Unlike the Natives the Mexican American settlers were the first to establish divided lands or "haciendas." A class system that was developed in which will continue till this day, yet that did not happen for a long time being that they ended up losing their land to the Europeans. The United States manipulated both the Natives as well as the Mexican Americans to lose control over their land. African Americans also lost much of their dignity. Since their skin tone was darker they were automatically given a racial system of slavery. They were unable to do many things and needed to obey the Europeans. Their labour system clearly described the line between Europeans and what they would call "visible African ancestry." While all this was happening the Europeans became the successful white privilege group. They had many privileged positions in which they took advantage of making other ethnic groups become or lose much of themselves to the Europeans. In the end the formation of the United States was truly based and interlined race, gender and class relations all these factors contributed to what we call today the United States.

Indian Women as Cultural Deviators

To many Europeans Indian woman settlers were very important tools in order to meet the land, recognize it and help these European settlers settle in the new lands. Before reading this article I never really noticed this, I never came to realize the women settlers had very much to do with the new come of European settlers. We stereotype Indian women as being a kept in households taking care of children cooking, doing farm work as well as dressed in the famous Indian feather clothes yet we never realize that these Indian Women were the first important mediators between two cultures. Was this a betrayal to their culture? To their customs? It is a difficult answer yet to me these women were humble, curious and respectful toward other cultures that they did not mind opening to newcomers.
Men have always been considered to be the dominant gender, and they themselves the European settlers did not let the women have a voice, yet these Indian women were so powerful with in their own culture. Dona Marina, Pocahontas, Sacagawea, and Nancy ward were very powerful woman that helped European settlers learn about their lands and culture. They learned about other cultures were rejected by their culture and became a part of a new culture, in which they are being called "cultural deviators." These women to me played an important role, they were able to understand and meet a new culture, yet their actions did lead to the loss of Indian land. Was it their kindness that tricked them to that? Could it have been any different without these strong females?

U.S. Constitution: Declaration of Independence, 1776 & Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, 2007

After reading the Declaration of Independence that our founding fathers wrote one line was stuck in my head, in which it stated that all men are created equal. Not only did it grabbed my attention but made me wonder of our indigenous settlers that were here in the Americas way before the Europeans were. Their rights as indigenous people did not follow that statement that stated that all men were created equal. Another line that I found very interesting while reading the Declaration of Independence was that it stated that everyone is entitled to the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness yet this was not performed while our founding fathers were here in the Americas. In fact the natives, indigenous people and the African slaves were mistreated in way that was very unfair to them, being that they were too people and did deserve those rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. All men are meant to be equal and have those rights that neither the government nor anyone else should take away.
Now after reading the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People I realized that everyone is entitled to pursue their customs and follow their beliefs and culture with out being treated unfair about it. I am happy to know that they do have rights in which they can be themselves without being treated unequally within the U.S. government. They are individuals and they are equal as any other woman or man. They have the rights of liberty and security. Those rights that they aren’t supposed to be taken away from their land, culture and customs. This by far proves to me that everyone is created equally. This is how our founding fathers should of took in consideration when writing that line in which it stated that all men are created equal.

Native American Woman in the Work Force

Alaskan Native Women
Alaskan Native American Women contribute so much as part of the labor force. Since the beginning of the 1970s native women in Alaska began to enter the work force at a very rapid pace and till this they outnumber men in the labor force. By the 1980s the number of Alaskan native women in the work force went up to 45%, due to unwanted low wage salary jobs by the white women. The native women did not held professional positions yet they outnumbered the U.S. labor force tremendously. Today it still is very similar. Compared to the median earnings for all ethnicity's for a woman, native American woman made $5,279 less. Not only that but native American men also earn less than any other race. Why does this happen? The answer is unknown. Yet native American women are starting to be able to obtain educational achievements and earn more bachelors, masters, and PhD degrees.

Refrences
Cheryl, Thomas. The Economic Status of Alaskan Native Women. Anchorage, AK: Chilkat Institute, 1983.

"Native American/Alaska Native Women." May 2008. Sept. 2008 .