American Indian Contributions to the World.

[Dave]

As our understanding grows, about how American Indians, lived and shaped the Northern American Continent, for many thousands of years before the arrival of the European, who believed it to be an untouched wilderness, these books go further, and reveal many surprising contributions of the Native Americans....

Its a limited view of the books. First 12 pages or so, but they look worthy of further exploration.

Food, Farming and Hunting.

Trade Transportation and Warfare.

Science And Technology

 

[woodsorrel]

A great book on how Native Americans engineered their environment is "Tending the Wild," by M. Kat Anderson. The ethnobotany is region-specific to California. But the book is an amazing study of how Native Californians largely created the "paradise" the Spanish found when they arrived.

- Woodsorrel

 

[tsitenha]

Maize, tomatoes, pineapple, potatoes..........
Canoe, travois...........
Government....confederation
Tobacco.........we just didn't show you how to use it properly.

 

[Dave]

Thanks for the link WS. I'll look it up.

The native american books in my 'bushcraft' collection are;
Native American Crafts and Skills, David Montgomery
Yanomamo, Napoleon Chagnon.
Indian Tribes of North America, Josepha Sherman
Indian Fishing, Hilary Stewart.

 

[woodsorrel]

Thanks for the link WS. I'll look it up.

The native american books in my 'bushcraft' collection are;
Native American Crafts and Skills, David Montgomery
Yanomamo, Napoleon Chagnon.
Indian Tribes of North America, Josepha Sherman
Indian Fishing, Hilary Stewart.

Hi Dave!

Here are some others you might like:

Cedar, Hillary Stewart - You already have one of her books

Survival Skills of Native California, Campbell - A classic! Pictures, text, instructions, diagrams, interviews!

The Ohlone Way, Margolin - Ohlone tribal life portrayed through fascinating fictional stories of everyday life. After each story is the "textbook" portion. An easy read. Note: The book has been criticized for lacking citations

Native Harvests, Kavasch - Fun recipes to try if you enjoy cooking and would like to explore through your tastebuds

- Woodsorrel

 

[mrcharly]

Maize, tomatoes, pineapple, potatoes..........
Canoe, travois...........
Government....confederation
Tobacco.........we just didn't show you how to use it properly.

Tomatoes are from south America

 

[John Fenna]

Tomatoes are from south America

Yup - farmed by American Indians ...South American Indians

 

[forrestdweller]

has anyone read *fourteen ninety-one* ?it seems that there was no wild corn and that it was [genetically] engineered by native americans... . according to the previews of the books in dave*s link bolas were invented by native americans- i always thought neanderthals used them first fifty-thousand years ago...? and what about spearthrowers and blowguns- both have been used in other parts of the world as well- were they parallel inventions?

[ not trying to smart-a*** anyone- just curious...]

 

[NoName]

Super bice info on books here
Thanks for sharong

 

[boatman]

Interesting books but I don't see the point of highlighting the contribution of a particular group. Everywhere people invented and developed and practiced selective breeding of plants and animals. Although they used the products of centuries of progress no group at any particular moment in time actually made that contribution. Do we see people lauding the contribution of the people of the "fertile crescent" for their contribution of wheat etc? Sure, record it and work out how things came about etc but to go further would be as silly as praising the people of Stockton and Darlington for contributing railways to the world.

 

[sandbender]

For folks with an intrest in this kind of thing I can recommend, Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden. The whole book is available for free online from several locations and in different formats.

Here is one.

There is some useful info for folks with a yearning for living off the grid and such, much use of seeds and pulses and the storage of same.

 

[Dave]

I don't see the point of highlighting the contribution of a particular group.

I do....tbh I'm not really bothered if you dont...

 

[mrcharly]

has anyone read *fourteen ninety-one* ?it seems that there was no wild corn and that it was [genetically] engineered by native americans... .

If by 'genetically engineered' he means preferential pollination, weeding and planting then that is plausible. Although they must have started from something so I seriously doubt the 'no wild corn' bit.

 

[NoName]

I do....tbh I'm not really bothered if you dont...

+1 for Dave

Seems that some xenophobes here always trying to bash native non european and open view threads

 

[Dave]

+1 for Dave

Seems that some xenophobes here always trying to bash native non european and open view threads

No, everyones entitled to their opinion Mors.... [Is just that yours and mine are right....shhhhhh ]

 

[NoName]

hahaha

big hug!

 

[Goatboy]

I think we'd be hard pushed to find a single culture that didn't have some dirt in it's past, but that doesn't mean we can't respect them, just not a good idea to put them up on a pedestal; folk will always try to knock them off for you.
Similarly one shouldn't try to airbush out the bad stuff. Like all cultures the Indians had some pretty nasty conflicts and the odd case of genocide. Plus there is some evidence that they were not the first folk to find America but that they all but wiped out the negriod true first settlers.
Still hasn't stopped me reading, enjoying and respecting them as a group of cultures.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[santaman2000]

Tomatoes are from south America

Wild tomatoes are believed to have originated in South America but they were first cultivated and used as food by the Aztecs (a North American People) in Mexico (North America)

 

[santaman2000]

Yup - farmed by American Indians ...South American Indians

Farmed by Mexican (North American) Indians (the Aztecs) See above post.

 

[santaman2000]

If by 'genetically engineered' he means preferential pollination, weeding and planting then that is plausible. Although they must have started from something so I seriously doubt the 'no wild corn' bit.

There's no evidence of wild corn that's ever been recorded. However I agree with you that they had to start with something. So what does all that mean? Merely that corn (maize) as we know it is just so old a crop that it's wild origin has ceased to exist and left no trace. Not really a cause for an alien intervention theory.