Scalps and red skin: 5 "children" misconceptions about American Indians

  • Dec 24, 2019
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 5 misconceptions about Indians.
5 misconceptions about Indians.

What first comes to mind when I start talking about the Indians? Usually - it is silent savage redskin with a bunch of scalps on his belt. In fact, Native Americans were not as good as the show in Hollywood films.

1. Nicknamed the "Indians" Indians received from the color of their skin

Nicknamed the "Indians" Indians received from the color of their skin. | Photo: LiveJournal.
Nicknamed the "Indians" Indians received from the color of their skin. | Photo: LiveJournal.

With the submission of the first American colonists Indians were called "redskins." But this does not mean that skin color was red aborigines, at least because such a pigment in nature simply does not exist. The fact that the Indians liked to paint his face and chest in red. To do this, they used a special dye of ocher and fat. Especially loved like body art warlike tribes of the Apaches. Coloring bodies served as a kind of magical protection for the soldier and showed his status. In fact, the Indians color depending on the region ranged from tan to bronze.

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2. Scalping was an Indian custom

Scalping as a business. | Photo: Pikabu.
Scalping as a business. | Photo: Pikabu.

With scalping among North American Indians connected a lot of errors. The most common is the fact that the Indians were collecting the scalps of their enemies. Of course, these events took place, but overall it was not a universal tradition. Indians often scalped only in response to a similar insult from the enemy. Moreover, the colonists paid for the Indians scalped "fire water". Yet there is a misconception that all people are sure to die scalped. There are many cases when people not only survived after this cruel rite, but also continued to lead a normal life.

3. Last of the Mohicans

Last of the Mohicans. | Photo: LiveJournal.
Last of the Mohicans. | Photo: LiveJournal.

In the historical novel by James Cooper tells the dramatic story of the life and death of Uncas American Indian - the last of the Mohican tribe. The novel is set in the middle of the 18th century. In Novate.ru found that Uncas - actually existing people, but he lived 150 years before the events described in the book. In fact, the tribe of Mohicans not died so far in 2003, there were 1611 residents. In the book, Cooper Delaware act as positive characters, and Iroquois - antagonists. The reason is banal to the ridiculous. The first were the US allies, and the second - the UK.

4. Tomahawk - a Throwing Ax

Tomahawk - is throwing hatchets. | Photo: Wikipedia.
Tomahawk - is throwing hatchets. | Photo: Wikipedia.

Tomahawk - a true weapon of the Indian. In films and books show the amazing ability of Aboriginal throw the axes at your enemies with a decent distance. In reality, this "fact" is not mentioned in any authentic source, which indicates the absence of such practices among the Indians. Moreover, to the arms of axes are usually tied a loop, which is put on the hand. And if you think rationally - what is the point to throw their main weapon at the enemy and stay after that defenseless. Most likely, this is nothing more than a fictional kinoshtamp from which any battle scene will look much more spectacular.

5. Indians - good, and white - bad

Indians - good, and white - bad. | Photo: portretsphoto.ru.
Indians - good, and white - bad. | Photo: portretsphoto.ru.

The image of the indigenous North American people greatly romanticized fiction and cinema. Almost always seems noble savage Indian, defending their land. In fact, "Indians" were cruel. There were as peaceful tribes and militants. The last did not spare anyone. They killed the men and took captured women and children, cut out all the cattle and burned down houses. War among the Indians were commonplace. Wild West acted only one law - the cat is stronger, he is right.

In continuation of the article read as subjects of Chukchi warriors: how and what fighting "Russian Indians", not wishing to join the Empire.

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A source:
https://novate.ru/blogs/030319/49635/