Influence of the Native American Women

The roles of Native American women and their influence varied according to the tribes and culture they belonged to.

The Anazasi were one of the first Native American tribes in the west to have a permanent home created in cliff dwellings.

They differed from other tribes as they planted their food, hunted around the dwellings, and created a stable home.

Within the homes of the Anazasi are cliff art drawings, pottery and ceramics with Native American paintings.

Archaeologists have even found baskets for gathering, carrying children, and other uses buried within the dwellings.

Native Alaskans such as the Intuit, Haida, or Tlingit have also created art and crafts to show their culture and the roles of genders within the culture.

By viewing the art of the Native American peoples, one can see the recognition the women of these tribes had for their roles, as well as their artistic applications to their work.

Pottery, baskets, and ceramic bowls have been created not for art, but the Native American women were not satisfied with plain objects so they decorated them according to their cultural beliefs.

Most of the elder women would sit around the home taking care of the children and creating useful items.

The younger women would work the fields or gather fruits and vegetables, along with medicinal items.

The women in a Native American culture were meant to be a part of the society as workers, child bearers, and they were meant to be revered.

Some of the women became guides or translators for their cultures. They were the teachers of all things, but hunting.

The art we see in stores today created by women depict many aspects of their native culture.

For example the ceramic bowls will usually depict a woman, her family, and others in the tribe working.

Some figures on the bowls or other pottery can show people working in the fields, creating items, or even carrying items.

Other art and crafts weaved by women, such as the baskets, were used to carry the food or their children. The basket weaving is still considered a woman’s position and a great craft to learn.

Some of the art created is directly linked with the fertility of women. As this was a major role for women it was necessary to show reverence as well as recognition of the task required of them.

Fertility ceremonies, along with rain dances were a part of the Native American art. The ceremonies would be used to call upon Mother Nature to bestow their tribe with great gifts.

Music provided happiness to their cultures as well. As a family tribe everything was shared within the culture.