History of Native American Farming

I recently found an interesting web site that talked in legth about the history of farming and subsistence methods in North America. The article focuses on research done by archeologists that have been investigating into the very oldest of Native farming and subsistence methods. It starts by arguing the common belief that over hunting was responsible for the extinction of the wooly mammoth. This is somthing we also adressed in lecture. Numerous studies have proven that over hunting was not responsible for this extinction. I think it is important to make people know and understand that the native people were not responsible for this. This is a stereotype that has been used against Native cultures for a long time as a means of trying to prove that they can be unresponsible stewards of the environment.

This cartoon exemplifies the stereotype that native people were resposible for the extinction of the Mammoths.

The article then explains how native people were using advanced farming and irrigation tehniques for thousands of years prior to the arrival of white settlers. Archeology has shown that their methods were not only highly sucessful but able to support many variaties of plant life and an abundance of biodiversity. These native people were using their farmlands for not only food crops but they allowed for other plants to grow which they could use as alternative food crops, medicine, or some other function for their society. It is important to show how Native people have been using TEK for thousands of years and carfully passing it down throught generation to insure the survival of their children and all of the environment that they live in.

http://www.agnr.umd.edu/extension/local/Howard/files/mg/schrise.htm

I also find it interesting that the fall of Native many forms of native agriculture were caused by western influences. There are several cases where diesease and being counqued ended the traditional means of food production and we then criticise them as being backwards and uncapable of caring out advanced agriculture.

This is an example of traditional multi colored Native American corn.

By Aaron Talmage