differences between native american culture and Indian culture

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joefizz

Guest
#1
always kind of wanted to ask this question ever since I find out that when Columbus discovered america he thought he was in the west Indies and called the native americans here "indians" which now most still call them indians incorrectly,anyways,just was wondering what are some of the differences between "native american culture" and "true" "Indian culture"???(no offense intended at all just would like to learn!)
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#2
anyone still here in this forum???
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#3
are there really no indian cultured people here anymore????
 

Kavik

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2017
785
157
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#4
I don't think you can really compare the two at all - "Indian" is a complete misnomer. "First Nations People" is a more accurate term, though it's used almost exclusively in Canada and not ion the US.

Other than the misnomer resulting in a shared name of sorts (i.e. Indian), it would be like trying to draw similarities and differences between say the Maori of New Zealand and Germans. Depending on how you look at it, the list of differences could be endless.

BTW - I am part Penobscot and Mi'kmaq; both a Wabanaki people of what is now the state of Maine and the Canadian Maritimes.
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#5
It probably also depends on how "modernized" the tribe / individual in question is.
Most natives or whatevertheyshouldbecalled are just as much part of the average daily life as anyone else,
so one could just as well the difference between American and indian culture.
...and with the amount of other cultures you have over there, I assume you have quite a few Indians (as in people from India) as well?

(This is simpler in Norwegian... why did you guys have to keep the exact same word for them? :p )
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#6
I don't think you can really compare the two at all - "Indian" is a complete misnomer. "First Nations People" is a more accurate term, though it's used almost exclusively in Canada and not ion the US.

Other than the misnomer resulting in a shared name of sorts (i.e. Indian), it would be like trying to draw similarities and differences between say the Maori of New Zealand and Germans. Depending on how you look at it, the list of differences could be endless.

BTW - I am part Penobscot and Mi'kmaq; both a Wabanaki people of what is now the state of Maine and the Canadian Maritimes.
I figured as much that asking this question might be kind of like asking"is swiss cheese still cheese?"
kind of figured there might not be much of differences in their cultures just wondered is all.
 

Kavik

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2017
785
157
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#7

@ wwjd-kilden - Ja, jeg vet hva du mener; jeg foretrekker navnet "First Nation People" :)

@ joefizz - It never hurts to ask! Wlipamkani! - Travel well!
 

SAS

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2014
175
7
18
#8
I figured as much that asking this question might be kind of like asking"is swiss cheese still cheese?"
kind of figured there might not be much of differences in their cultures just wondered is all.
There is Joe, much difference.
I'm sorry you didn't get a well thought out answer.
For that matter any kind of light shed on your question.

Blessings brother,
sas
 
J

Jennie-Mae

Guest
#9
My great grandma was a Cherokean Choctaw, that makes me 1/8 CC. My grandma was a Finnish Sami. That makes me part indigenous.
 

maxwel

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2013
9,261
2,386
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#10
Native American "Indians", and people from the country of India... err.... have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

They are different races, different cultures, different languages etc. etc... they are NOT RELATED IN ANY WAY.





The reason no people from India are responding is probably because that when we misunderstand someone's culture, and country, and ethnicity... it's kind of offensive.

It's like when I travel overseas, and someone says, "You're not fat, stupid, or loud... are you really an American?"

Ya know... when we misunderstand each other it can be offensive.
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#11
There is Joe, much difference.
I'm sorry you didn't get a well thought out answer.
For that matter any kind of light shed on your question.

Blessings brother,
sas
well you can offer your feelings/knowledge on the subject.
 
T

Tabitha4thelord

Guest
#12
Hi Joefizz
I have often wondered about this too
as Im part Native American
Im not sure what part though lol
I wonder a lot about how they lived
and different things like that
I guess I could google it lol
 

Kavik

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2017
785
157
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#13
The best way to discover your Native American roots is to work backwards through genealogical records (main't births, marriages, deaths, census records). You have to keep in mind that just because you're currently living in an area where a certain Tribe or Nation may be located, doesn't necessarily mean that's your heritage - people moved around.
 
U

Ugly

Guest
#14
Notice the Indian forums are rarely used, hence a lack of response.
No real in depth responses were likely given because people may not have a Strong grasp on either culture and don't feel informed enough to give a real answer.
Also the time it would take to list the differences could be lengthy.

Both cultures are polytheistic, but go about it quite differently. Native Americans (NA) tend to be more into nature worship, therefore many of their gods are nature based.
Indian culture is known for its incalculable number of gods. It's most famous, and considered one if the most powerful, is a six armed woman with a skull necklace. I believe she is goddess of death, among other things.
Indians also consider cows sacred, which is why you frequently see them wandering the streets in pictures.

That's some of the basics on religion. I think, at least in America, more is understood about traditional NA culture (teepees, war paint, feathers, dances, etc) than is understood about traditional Indian culture. Most people's view now is of the more modern variation, and not the older culture. Thus making it a harder answer as well.
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#15
Notice the Indian forums are rarely used, hence a lack of response.
No real in depth responses were likely given because people may not have a Strong grasp on either culture and don't feel informed enough to give a real answer.
Also the time it would take to list the differences could be lengthy.

Both cultures are polytheistic, but go about it quite differently. Native Americans (NA) tend to be more into nature worship, therefore many of their gods are nature based.
Indian culture is known for its incalculable number of gods. It's most famous, and considered one if the most powerful, is a six armed woman with a skull necklace. I believe she is goddess of death, among other things.
Indians also consider cows sacred, which is why you frequently see them wandering the streets in pictures.

That's some of the basics on religion. I think, at least in America, more is understood about traditional NA culture (teepees, war paint, feathers, dances, etc) than is understood about traditional Indian culture. Most people's view now is of the more modern variation, and not the older culture. Thus making it a harder answer as well.
I see,that does make sense, thanks,Ugly!!!
 
Oct 20, 2016
202
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#16
always kind of wanted to ask this question ever since I find out that when Columbus discovered america he thought he was in the west Indies and called the native americans here "indians" which now most still call them indians incorrectly,anyways,just was wondering what are some of the differences between "native american culture" and "true" "Indian culture"???(no offense intended at all just would like to learn!)

https://www.google.ae/amp/s/amp.livescience.com/28634-indian-culture.html

As sir Ugly has previously mentioned, Indian culture is a result of fusion of different religions (Sikhism, Jainism, Islam etc)and hence there isn't really a common tradition followed but amongst the community. Yes, it's traditions have been developed from Hinduism and Buddhism but later on due to the arrival of Mughal empire India became home to other religions as well. There are Tepees, totem poles, peace pipes, moccasins in the Native American Indian culture on a short notice.
Perhaps one can relate the Indian culture with Ayurveda, Sanskrit, Veda, chutneys,Taj Mahal, Biriyani....Perhaps they are stereotyped but to answer the main question

There are contrasting differences in both cultures...for instance there are tribes in NA Indians while this can't be the same for the traditional India as India was formerly made up of separate kingdoms.

I know, my answer is incomplete ... Pardon me... 'This a complex query!:/
 

Kavik

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2017
785
157
43
#17
Notice the Indian forums are rarely used, hence a lack of response.
No real in depth responses were likely given because people may not have a Strong grasp on either culture and don't feel informed enough to give a real answer.
Also the time it would take to list the differences could be lengthy.


It's not a question of not enough of a grasp of the culture - to put it in another perspective, it's more like trying to explain the differences between Bulgarians and Icelanders; there's just way too many - two totally different people and cultures. It's just the result of coincidence/misunderstanding that one of the appellations for Native Americans happens to be "Indian"; there's simply zero connections between Native American "Indians" and the Indians of India.
 
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joefizz

Guest
#18
https://www.google.ae/amp/s/amp.livescience.com/28634-indian-culture.html

As sir Ugly has previously mentioned, Indian culture is a result of fusion of different religions (Sikhism, Jainism, Islam etc)and hence there isn't really a common tradition followed but amongst the community. Yes, it's traditions have been developed from Hinduism and Buddhism but later on due to the arrival of Mughal empire India became home to other religions as well. There are Tepees, totem poles, peace pipes, moccasins in the Native American Indian culture on a short notice.
Perhaps one can relate the Indian culture with Ayurveda, Sanskrit, Veda, chutneys,Taj Mahal, Biriyani....Perhaps they are stereotyped but to answer the main question

There are contrasting differences in both cultures...for instance there are tribes in NA Indians while this can't be the same for the traditional India as India was formerly made up of separate kingdoms.

I know, my answer is incomplete ... Pardon me... 'This a complex query!:/
thank you,I know it is a complex question to answer,but I appreciate what you have been able to tell me,if you find out anymore go ahead and post some more you find from your research!
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#19
I'm neither Indian nor Native American...So if the input of a blonde Swede/German has any weight on the subject...;)

Christopher Columbus first discovered the "New World" somewhere in South America, and not in the USA at all. The South American natives looked to Columbus a lot like the natives of India that he had heard described. It isn't like they had photographs to compare, and it isn't like the explorers spent much time with the people. Even a lot of the missionaries at the time just wanted to baptize them mainly by force. So, if the tribes on the coast looked, dressed, and lived a little like the people in India who lived on the coast, it was probably close enough.

From Columbus' descriptions, the people of South America did look a bit like Indians from India. And probably the biggest reason he called them that was because he expected to find India. The people of the time believed the world was round, but they thought it rather smaller than it actually is. Thus, he landed on a whole different continent that no one in Europe had expected at all.
 

Didymous

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2018
5,047
2,099
113
#20
There are hundreds of different tribes in North America.