The west region, north region, and northwest coast region are all part of the Native American cultures. These are among the regions that the indigenous people of the United States inhabited when migrating. Each region has distinct tribes with unique cultures, languages, religions, customs, and politics. Each tribe developed diverse art forms, worldviews, values, and living conditions based on the proximity of other tribes within the region and the abundance of natural resources. In some cases, different native tribes of these regions had similarities in these social aspects.
First, art in Native America portrayed the creative skills and imaginations of the indigenous people. Through art, different tribes developed different worldviews regarding attitudes, values, stories, and expectations about the world around them (Pauls, 2020). The native tribes of the northwest coast region are associated with the creation of the tall totem poles. The inhabitants used these poles as memorial documents to document the owner’s social position, wealth, and worth. This type of art shows how the inhabitants valued social ranking. The west region had a wide range of art forms that varied from tribe to tribe. They included bone game dice, buckskin dolls, headdress, and several ornaments. These art forms portray how organized the tribes of the west region were. The north region occupants used to make false face society masks, beadwork, wooden bowls, and wampum belts, which portrayed a great sense of fashion.
Secondly, the Native American tribes accustomed themselves to various social, spiritual beliefs, rituals, and ceremonies. The indigenous people of the West region had fertility rituals aimed at promoting the fertility of their resources (Pauls, 2020). The northwest coast region tribes had the Potlatch ceremony, which was aimed at sharing and reciprocity of wealth. The Native American tribes of the north region had a distinct concept of power as the cause of changes in cycles of the day and seasons. They also related power to the visions and actions of the living, spirits, and ancestors.
Furthermore, due to migration and the way of obtaining food, the Native American tribes developed unique living conditions in terms of the social structure and the type of dwellings. For the west region, the indigenous people lived in homes called the teepees, which were easy to assemble and disassemble (Pauls, 2020). Other tribes of the area lived in homes made up of grass attached to a wooden frame. The occupants of the north region lived in two types of houses: the wickiups and longhouses. They were made up of rush matting and sometimes bark attached to a framework. The northwest coast region tribes lived together in groups of a few dozens to 100 people. The houses were huge and were made up of timber or plank.
Lastly, the Native Americans expressed their imaginations and creative self-expression in various styles, designs, music, dance, and architecture. The tribes of the west region had the Ghost dance, which was meant to renew the world, resurrect the dead, make the whites disappear, and return the bison (Pauls, 2020). The tribes of the north region had a distinct type of architecture. They built mounts in the earth and used them for burials and ceremonies. The music and dances of the tribes of the northwest coast region were extensively used in the potlatch giveaway ceremonies.
In conclusion, the Native American tribes of the west region, north region, and northwest coast region had different art forms, worldviews, values, and living conditions. However, tribes belonging to the same region might have had similarities in these aspects because of the proximity and sharing of raw materials. Variations occurred because different areas had different raw materials, which affected not the art of each tribe and the social structure.
Reference
Pauls, E.P. (2020). Native American. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web.