Cultural Expression of African and Native Americans
Culture can be expressed in many ways through out the various ethnic groups; whether it's the way in which they dress, their religious beliefs, musical expression, food, writings, art...etc. Folklore and spirituality are vital forms of cultural expression because they have been a major part of survival, history, and cultural retention for many ethnic groups that have been controlled and persecuted by early Anglo settlers. This paper will discuss spirituality and folklore and how they have helped the Native Americans and African Americans retain their culture, and provide a basis for beliefs, history, and sometimes survival. The first part of this paper will mainly focus on the spirituality of the Native Americans, how their beliefs defined their people, and how taking away a piece of their spirituality could be detrimental to their retention of history and culture. The second part of this paper will discuss folklore, how it helped keep the African American hopes alive, and how it even helped them to escape slavery.Spirituality and folklore can sometimes be intertwined through stories and beliefs which are at the heart of culture for many different groups. They can be expressed through stories, songs, poems and art. Most folk
The Relocation of the 1950's and 1960's encouraged young Indian men and women to move off the reservation and situate themselves in the city settings or "relocation centers" (Columbi). They always had hope, because they knew that even if they were doomed to spend the rest of their life in slavery they would still go to heaven. "Humankind were believed to have been created within the womb of Mother Earth. Many songs were sung in the fields and throughout the chain gangs. The Relocation was a coercive bill that broke down tribal stewardship of land and ate away at the Indian worldview. " As history has it, a peg-leg sailor by the name of "Peg-leg Joe" went around teaching young slaves about the song. One song that helped the slaves to escape was called "Foller de Drinkin' Gou'd. Some of these songs were "My Good Lord's Been Here," "I Ain't Got Weary Yet," "I'm a Rolling" and "All the Time" (Brewer 142). Elders related important stories about origins based entirely on oral tradition. Native American spirituality was the backbone of their whole way of life. Folklore has been used to help slaves escape, and provide entertainment. With the help of the anti-slavery activists, and the codes to deter the suspicion of slaves escaping, the story of the Underground Railroad became a major part of African American folklore that helped change history (The Underground Railroad Online). in a very real sense, humankind and nature were one. The African Americans would not have been able to provide a message system for escaping, they wouldn't have been able to communicate their faith and hope, and they wouldn't have been able to keep their sanity during the long hard work hours.
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