Hoebel, The Cheyennes: Indians Of The Great Plains Essay

E. Adamson Hoebels The capital of Wyomings Indians of the Great Plains is a detailed, comp ethnographic memorize of the tribes be deceitfulnessfs, practices, and translation to their harsh environment. Though non the strongest Plains people, the Cheyenne used their strengths to overcome their obstacles and prevent a cohesive, stable cultivation. A inactive village culture of the Algonquian linguistic communication family, the Cheyenne moved from the upper disseminated multiple sclerosis valley to the risque plains of Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming around 1800 to function the hostilities of the neighboring Lakota (5).Their settled ways were break up and they became horse-riding and nomadic, leaving behind their village ways. Hoebel depicts their culture as structured yet flexible, discerning and skilled in cultural adaptation (103), and geargond toward national harmony as a means of maintaining cohesion. The harsh plains environment, with original weather and little wa ter or wood, is the essential ecological fact arbitrary the Cheyenne (63). They adapted to this by befitting mobile, moving fit to where resources could be advantageously obtained, mastering their gathering, hunting, and trading skills over a wide area, and relying heavily on horses.Their theology is hierarchical, with being at all levels gift with spiritual powers. Spirits can license in human form and their attri providedes lie in their knowledge of how to operate at bottom the globe. Hoebel writes that the Cheyenne believe the universe if essentially a mechanical system which is dependable in essence, but which must be properly understood and used to sustain it producing what humans need (89). They see the universe mechanically, with spirits responding somewhat predictably according to human acts. To survive in their dry grassland environment, the Cheyenne divided their labor stiffly along gender lines.The women gathered roots, berries, and seeds maculation also for aging for wood, raising and doctor tipis, epoch the men hunted spoiled game (mainly bison, antelope, and elk) for meat and smaller animals (wolves and fox) for fur. sexual practice roles govern not only labor, but also most areas of Cheyenne favorable life. Males and females generally stop mixed-sex socializing at adolescence, and males join any of five phalanx clubs once they reach fighting age, while women have only the Robe Quillers (an first of their role as makers of clothing).However, some excursus exists Contraries become transvestites while overdoing the warrior role, while halfmen-halfwomen are homosexual. (Both are isolated yet tolerated. ) The Cheyenne economic system relied heavily on grapple, though because of their location on the high plains they had limited access to many traders. They frequently served as intermediaries between poorer and richer tribes, traveled capital distances to trade their meat and vegetable goods (as closely as robes and leather g oods) for more food, as well as ornamental items alike(p) beads and silver jewelry.Their most historic commodity was the horse, often acquired in trade or stolen from enemies in raids. Cheyenne governance were organized by family, kindred, and band, and governed by the tribal council, where power lay not in the hands of aggressive war leaders but under the engage of even-tempered peace chiefs (43). Composed mainly of sr. men elected for ten-year terms, the council worked to resolve internal conflicts, which were considered more threatening than war, and had a well-nigh supernatural authority.A head priest-chief (the amiable Medicine Chief) and five medicine chiefs presided and had control over most rituals. Hoebels study examines most major areas of the Cheyennes lives and depicts them as a tribe that survived not by fire power, but by adapting well to a demanding environment, trading as well as possible, and maintaining internal harmony and stability.Hoebel, E. Adamson. The Cheyennes Indians of the Great Plains. red-hot York Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978.