Nebraska Academy of Sciences
Date of this Version
1973
Citation
Published in Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences, Volume 2 (1973).
Abstract
An Interview Schedule consisting of 20 questions was given to 89 persons living on three reservations in Nebraska around Macy, Winnebago, and Niobrara. This paper is based on data from three of the questions about their judgments of 'good' and 'bad', and those aspects of Indian culture which should be emphasized.
The data were content analyzed. Responses were coded as units of value-statements and assigned to various categories. Five inter-related value clusters or themes emerged: culturally-oriented such as, pride in Indianness; group-oriented such as, sharing, being non-interfering; individually-oriented such as, courage both physical and moral, good judgment in the use of liquor: humanity-oriented such as, genuine love and respect for human beings; and spiritually-oriented such as, return to the Native American Indian Church, communion with God and nature.
Instead of the stereotyped "lazy, drunkard, savage Indian," the Nebraska Indian from this exploratory study, emerges as a human being struggling against innumerable odds trying to hold on to some of his cultural values and basic human virtues.
Comments
Copyright 1973 by the author(s).