Research Paper On Native American Culture

The Native American culture has a lush and rich culture. There are various tribes and members of each tribe throughout the United States. These tribes have fallen through much hardship throughout their time living in North America. Probably one of the biggest hardships they have faced was when the European settlers came to their land. With never making prior contacts with the Europeans the Native Americans had no idea what was coming their way. They exchanged goods, animals, food, and unfortunately disease with the Europeans. Many of their people died out from diseases foreign to their cultures and tribes. With the massive genocide of Native Americans their numbers were falling and their culture was at risk of disappearing forever into history. …show more content…
Being as that the Native Americans did not have contact with alcohol until the European settlers came to the New World their bodies and metabolisms are still pretty new to processing alcohol compared to other cultures. This theory believed by some is not necessarily accurate. As quoted from Pbs.org “Several recent medical studies have shown that Native Americans metabolize alcohol as rapidly as non-Indians.” (Pbs.org, "Today 's Challenges"). This theory has been disproved that the Native Americans are able to process alcohol just as quickly as anyone else from a different background. The difference is not physically different for the Native Americans it is psychologically different for …show more content…
The loss of so many of their people caused their stories and history of their ancestor’s o be potentially lost in time. This loss of history causes people of Native American culture to lose touch with their heritage. If a person does not know where they come from it is hard to create an identity. This could very well be a big contributor to so many of their people turning to alcohol and substance abuse. By having an identity crisis could lead to depression which leads them to look for outlets to numb their pain and they turn to alcohol to get away and to dull the pain they feel inside. According to Ghosh ““The cultural clash that still exists today between Native Americans and the dominant society around them has led to conflict, depression, and low self-esteem in the Native American culture.” (Ghosh, "Native Americans: The Tragedy of Alcoholism"). This solidifies that the past experiences that have traumatized the living Native Americans can be catalysts that lead them to addiction. The depression that these people feel can also be attributed to the conditions in which they