Choctaw Tribe Analysis

The Choctaw Native Americans lived in the southeast area of the United States and developed a relationship with the French colonial immigrants. An unknown author recounted his understanding of Choctaw rituals, social structure, the role of women, marriage ceremonies, relationship with the French, and more. Although the exact date of this document is unknown, it is speculated it was written in the late 1700s or early 1800s. This Frenchman was a product of his time, place, and culture. Therefore, he held beliefs and understandings vastly different from that of the Choctaw natives. However, this reality does not discount his recollection of Choctaw culture. Through analysis and research, the document presents to us a better understanding of …show more content…
Women were seen and treated as equals by men and contributed to the economy through farming. “Their women are very ugly; they are like slaves to their husbands. They do everything in the house, work the ground, sow, and harvest the crop” (Swanton 1918, 59). This quote displays that prior to European colonization, women controlled the agricultural development of their society and contributed in the home. Through a European lens these women were being mistreated and doing work typical of European men. “If the women wanted a certain chief he was almost certain of election” (Swanton and Carleton 2001, 101). This quote from Swanton explains the important role women had in Choctaw government. Women held influential say in who became chief. Sometimes the wife of a chief would serve as an interim commander if the previous chief died suddenly. Next, women also held high positions in their government and were often present at meetings between Europeans and the Choctaw nation. Despite this fact, the contributions women made at these council meetings went relatively unrecorded by Europeans. There are a few records indicating that women were present and contributed to the dialogue, but the full extent women most likely played in these important interaction is left unrecorded. After years of European involvement and colonization of the Choctaw tribe, the role of women changed fundamentally. This change stemmed …show more content…
The Choctaw natives had religious beliefs about creation, death, and other spiritual elements. “They say these ghosts (or apparitions) are of people who are dead and have not been given certain effects on dying of which they had need in the other world” (Swanton 1918, 69). This quote from the unknown French author explains an element of the Choctaw tribe’s idea of death and after death. The Choctaw tribe also maintained two creation stories depending on the geographical location of the tribe. It is most likely that the Choctaw tribe that the Frenchman encountered believed in the second origin story. It explains how two brothers migrated east being guided by a sacred pole where the first origin story explains that they were created under Nanih Waiyah in Mississippi. It is unlikely they believed in the first story because the Choctaw natives that this Frenchman interacted with were located in the southeast part of present day United States. The Choctaw tribe also believed the sun to be the most important spiritual figure. “A dead body was exposed to the rays of the sun on a raised platform and allowed to decay, thus giving itself back to the supreme power” (Kidwell 1995, 6). This quote displays the spiritual beliefs the Choctaw tribe held towards the sun. Despite these distinct spiritual beliefs, the Choctaw natives’ religious beliefs