In Today's News!

          Today in class we discussed the first people and their social structure. We talked about how our community is organized, and what some of the written and un written laws/practices are. Then we talked about how the community was organized.

          The first one we talked about was extended families (a family that includes in one household near relatives such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles in addition to a nuclear family) within a community. Communities were made up of many different kinds of extended families but the most occurring one includes; a child, grandparents, aunties and uncles, as well as cousins. 

          

          The next area we talked about was clans. A clan is considered as a group of people who make up a community or who exist inside of a larger community. A clan is mostly determined by common ancestry, like if you share the same ancestors, or geography so if you live in the same area. 

          

          Next was the community size. This is dependent upon the availability of resources to make sure that you have enough food, shelter, safety, etc. If you have a lot of resources within your community the bigger it is and the faster it will grow. The amount and availability of resources may rely on the seasons and climate of your area. An example of this is many Blackfoot nations lived in small clans in the winter but joined together as a large group to hunt bison in the summer. 

          

          The next factor that we talked about was gender roles. Women organized, prepared games, as well as planted and harvested crops. The men within the community hunted, defended the group, and negotiated relationships with other groups. Roles within the community were quite flexible, and everyone's contribution to helping the community was accepted, regardless of the traditions. 

          

          The next big factor within a community was elders. An elder is someone who is recognized for having a lot of knowledge and wisdom. An elder can be anyone, man or women, young or old, but they must have experience. They are leaders who teach through examples, and they are turned to lots for help and guidance and are respected greatly. 

          

          Next was education, in a community children learned by doing and were taught by their whole community. Everyone was expected to know their history, spiritual ideals, and all the practical skills.  The education within the first people was meant to guide children, not to intimidate them and control them. Everyone in the community was free to make their own choices as well as learn from their mistakes. The teachings themselves were holistic, meaning relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts. The mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well being of the people was all being taken into consideration. 

         

         Lastly we discussed justice and conflicts, everyone within the group worked towards the good of the community. Everything was shared within the community, and by doing this it kept theft to a minimum. The people that broke the customs of the group were seen as un balanced, and were counseled by elders to make amends and restore the harmony within the group.


Refrences:


Definition of Holistic.(2017). Uploaded by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Website available online at  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holistic


Definition of Extended Families.(2017). Uploaded by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Website available online at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extended%20families