Roles Of Animals In American Culture

Animals have always played a big role of life ever since Adam and Eve, and the Serpent. Animals have been used in so many ways throughout history, it is impossible to think of a world without them. In American culture, the importance of animals has always been high. Americans have always used animals in many ways throughout history. Back before there were cars Americans had to ride on horses to get around and then soon road in buggies carried by horses, without the use of horses it was much more difficult to get around because people would have to walk which at times took much longer and could be dangerous. Horses were also used as a way to carry things and used as an advantage during the wars because of their strength and quickness. Dogs, have been and still are extremely important to the American culture. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) over 926,000 share a home in America and about 36% of Americans own at least one dog …show more content…
According to an article on nativelanguage.org, dogs were looked at as loyal helpers and friends in folklore (Native Dog Mythology,1). The two main dog spirits that are looked upon are Mahakh and Poko Kachina. Also, like American culture, Natives treat dogs with the highest of respect and try to never abuse them, if it is known that someone has abused a dog, then that person is harshly punished (Native Dog Mythology, 1). Native Americans also look at many other animals as ways of inspiration and comfort. Many Native people go by names that refer to different animals. An example of this is James Welch’s Fools Crow. The main character’s name in the book is White Man’s Dog and his best friends name is Fast Horse (Welch, 2-5). These names have both personal and spiritual meanings, this applies to many other Native Americans. Animals also play a big role in Native beliefs. Many Natives choose animals to look up to as a higher power or