Native American Woman
Contrary to what the European observers felt, the Native American woman was not the downtrodden and submissive type but she had a respectful position in her society and exercised a lot of authority in her life, her family and the society.
Frailty thy name is woman did not quite apply to the Native American woman. She had important responsibilities which she discharged admirably. She reared the children, did all the household chores and occupied important positions in society. She was far more independent and secure than her white counterparts in Europe.
The Native American woman participated in religious ceremonies and also fulfilled the role of a medicine woman. Life was not very easy in those days without the conveniences of modern day technology and gadgets. It was indeed a struggle for survival and in this mission, the Native American woman was an equal partner rubbing shoulders with her male counterparts.
American history has been greatly influenced by the Native American legacy that had a rich combination of extreme spirituality and creative art. The lives of two Native American women had greatly impacted American history. One of them, Sacagawea married a French trapper at the age of sixteen just like many other Native American women, with the sole objective of promoting trade between the European traders and the Native American tribes.
This Native American woman became the link between the other European traders and the Native Americans which enabled the latter to progress and eased the fight for survival.
The other Native American woman, Pocahontas was responsible for dispelling the apprehensions of the European traders regarding the expected barbarian nature of the Native Americans. She became an important link between the two communities.
The intelligence and resourcefulness of many a Native American woman like Pocahontas and Sacagawea contributed largely in educating the members of their own society and promoting peace between the two diverse cultures and led to greater understanding and progress.
