~ American's ~
It's not an arguable topic anymore that European's plundered this continent from the moment they set foot upon its soil. For the most part, the North American aborigines met them with open arms and fostered their needs for many years after their arrival, until finally, tired of the repeated betrayals, began to seek vengeance of their own.
Unfortunately for the Americans, they didn't keep records as the Europeans did. They mainly had what the Europeans came to call "Medicine Men," who actually were far more than what Hollywood has made them. These Shaman performed a wide variety of responsibilities, such as doctoring the ill, foretelling the future, mediating disputes between the people and keeping the history of the tribe both mentally and as written upon rocks, cave walls and skins. He would stand for hours while the drums beat, relating stories from as far back as ten generations. He knew who had married whom and all the outstanding achievements of individuals within the tribe. He knew about every battle and skirmish between tribes and who had been banished for what. Apprentices lived with him for long periods and upon his death carried on the greatly rehearsed rituals he taught them.
Needless to say, when a Shaman died prematurely it was a tremendous loss to the tribe. The Europeans saw nothing of the religion of the Americans because they lived in such an informal way. Not much pomp and circumstance to a bunch of wild looking men, women and children jumping around a fire in time to the beat of a skin stretched over a thin wooden thing. Furthermore, they couldn't understand what was being said most of the time - and seldom made an effort to do so. Consequently the Americans and all their cultural habits were dismissed as the carryings on of mere savages.
It's often been asked, "Why didn't the Americans have sophisticated weapons, machinery and ships as did the Europeans?" Why should they? They struggled very little for their daily livelihood in the abounding environment of ours. Game, vegetables, medicine and shelter was gained with little effort. Their weapons were more than adequate for the taking of what they needed. In short, they were comfortable, satified, happy people. And more importantly, they knew it. That was their simple secret: They knew what they needed and once that was obtained, they enjoyed the art of living.
According to a study made by Massachusetts historian Robert Smether, of paintings found in a cave, the Algonquian tribe actually sailed to Portugal and Spain around 1484. Seven years before any European endeavor to reach America. The writings essentially say these Americans were unimpressed by what they found there. That the people were Godless, cruel and lived in overcrowded conditions. So they came home. The pictographs show the Europeans all pressed together with the stick figures turning their backs on the great spirit. We know these people built boats capable of reaching the shores of Europe. They, in fact, traded the entire length of the eastern North American continent and could carry enough supplies to last months. Given their potential, it was calculated to take them but 75 days to reach Europe.
Probably some Shaman sang of that accomplishment? It was probably common knowledge among a number of tribes. But being of no particular value to any of them, it wasn't high among their accomplishments and was relegated to lower priorities on the Shaman's list of rituals and stories to tell.
The great westward expansion was interrupted only by the Civil War. Otherwise, the European rush for land and the railroad empire, pushed relentlessly into the heart of the continent stampeding over whatever stood in the way. The cry of gold having kindled the spark of greed decades before.
Their religions, their culture, their homes and their unwritten history is forever lost to us. Most of us now agree that it was an inescapable tragedy, but we change the subject because there's little we can do about it today.
In retrospect, we can only imagine how superb it must have been. Of course, it wasn't perfect but it was so far advanced over the bloody European cultures that it was beautiful.To know what you want and to finally gain that venture is to know happiness. Unless greed rears its ugly head to create confusion and hate.
The Americans knew this as far back as the Romans. But then, they weren't philosophers, they were just a bunch of dirty savages who couldn't even read or write.
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