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...A Forum for American Indian Issues...
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Berdache 
Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 13:08:53 PM PST
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( - promoted by navajo)
Many Indian cultures accepted - and in fact, celebrated - the fact the some people could fill both male and female roles in their society. One such individual was Hosteen Klah (also spelled Hastiin Klah) who became well-known as a Navajo weaver and as a Navajo singer (medicine man). Among the Navajo, weavers are usually female and hataalii (singers, chanters, or medicine men) are usually male. Hosteen Klah filled both of these roles.
Among the Navajo, Klah was known as a nádleeh which can be translated as "one who is changed" or "one who is transformed." There are some who feel that Klah was born as a hermaphrodite while others report that he was emasculated in a childhood accident. There are still others who simply say that he sometimes identified himself as a man and at other times as a woman.
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Thu Dec 17, 2009 at 20:10:58 PM PST
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( - promoted by navajo)
The Columbia Plateau is the geographic region that lies between the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east. It covers parts of present-day Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and British Columbia. It is a country that includes large rivers, such as the Columbia, semiarid plains, and forested mountains. Indian people have lived in this area for many thousands of years.
With regard to language, there are several major language families represented in the area. To the north there are many Salish-speaking tribes, such as the Pend d'Oreilles, Coeur d'Alene, Kalispel, Spokane, and Flathead. To the south of these groups there are Sahaptian-speaking tribes, such as the Nez Perce, Walla Walla, and Umatilla. Linguistically, the Salish and Sahaptian tribes are related to tribes on the Pacific coasts which suggests that there was an ancient migration from the coast inland, probably following the rivers.
The Kootenai, whose aboriginal homeland included parts of British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, and Alberta, are an unusual Plateau tribe. Linguistically, Kootenai is classified as a language isolate: it is not related to any other language. In addition, it appears that the Kootenai migrated into the Plateau area from the Great Plains to the east of the Rocky Mountains.
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Wed Dec 16, 2009 at 18:44:28 PM PST
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( - promoted by navajo)
In 1882 a Washington, D.C. newspaper reported: "Society has had recently a notable addition in the shape of an Indian princess of the Zuni tribe." While in Washington, We'Wha had an interview with President Grover Cleveland and led a charity ball organized by society women. What the newspaper and Washington social circles failed to notice was that the "princess" We'Wha was a man who wore women's clothes and took on many of the traditional Zuni women's roles. While this was something that would have seemed strange to the non-Indians of the time, the berdache (one term for describing this type of individual) was common not only to the Zuni, but to many other tribes.
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Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 21:39:49 PM PST
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( - promoted by navajo)
In American society today there is some debate over gender and sexual identities. While there are some who are that there are only genders-male and female-and this should define the natural order of things, there are others who point out the wide variety of sexual orientation. To add to this discussion, I would like to add some information about Native American gender identities.
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| In Memoriam |
In honor of my mother, THE FLORA SOMBRERO LIND NAVAJO ENDOWMENT FUND has been set up to accept your donations.
This scholarship endowment has been established at the American Indian College Fund to honor Flora Sombrero Lind, as an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who was born at Inscription House, Arizona of the Many Goats clan circa 1925. This scholarship endowment is funded by Flora's family and friends who want to see Navajo students pursue higher education and carry on their great Navajo heritage.
Please leave a comment here if you donate.
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