History 2600: Native American Voices
Research: Shoshone People
The Shoshone people as a cultural and ethnic unit can be divided into three distinct categories, while remain together making up the whole of the Shoshone people. These three categories being: Northern, Western, and Eastern Shoshone, with a history of residing in the Great Basin, those states of Idaho and Utah, with tribal bands extending all the way out Wyoming and Nevada, to California and Texas. The large concentration of the Shoshone lived originally in Idaho and Utah, the exact origin of their settlement is a matter of anthropological and historical contention. The exact divisions in tribal bands has to do with several factors, the geographic region in which the Shoshone were living. Northern Shoshone lived primarily in Idaho, stretching into Utah, while Western Shoshone lived in Nevada, and Northern Shoshone in Wyoming. The tribes pre-contact are thought to have been largely nomadic following the herds of migrating Buffalo, or in the case of the Eastern Shoshone taking advantage of a large collection of natural food-resources. Either subsisting edible plant-life, nuts, berries, and small game like deer and fish. The Shoshone being a largely nomadic, and migratory people are thought to have founded of several other tribes, such as the Comanche in Texas, who share similarities in language.
The Shoshone, had a great diversity of folklore, creation stories, and general tales and myths. In particular, those of the Great Basin, had story that involved a collection of animal characters, from: Wolf, Coyote, Rabbit, Bald Eagle, to the humans. However, throughout the reiteration of the tales, sometimes distinctions were not made between humans and animals, and at points they would come to mean the same thing. A Great Basin Shoshone myth that describes a discussion between, Wolf and Coyote, in which Coyote convince Wolf that to keep human moral, were Wolf wanted human to arise from death two days afterwards. Coyote also lobbies for labor, and painful child-birth. However, he isn’t viewed as a purely fiendish character. (Smith 3)
An academic at the University of Utah, described the nature of the Shoshone animal myths as having a more relative distinction between your average, “They are not distinctly positive personalities. They are perhaps much more like real human beings
Throughout Shoshone history various tribal bands have been involved in various conflicts between other Native Americans, and the United States Government. In particular, with implementation the reservation system, the Shoshone suffered major lands loss to white settlers. They would eventually come to be primarily in the state of Idaho, in the Fort Hall Reservation, near the Snake River, after sign a Treaty with the US Government in 1868.
To this day, the Shoshone still operate under a form of Tribal government and Leadership, bringing together several tribal groups and bands within the Idaho, Fort Hall Reservation.
Reflection:
Understanding the history of the United States from the perspective of a marginalized group such as it's indigenous people is critical to understanding the complexity history at all. Being able to study, identify, and search to understand the struggles of Native American's throughout this countries history has been very useful. From the perspective of Shoshone, the history is very similar to many Native Peoples, whom had not only their likelihood's threatened by westward expansion, but their very cultural heritage. I've enjoy the ability to study these issues in this course, and feel as if they readings have emboldened my knowledge of American history, and given me a new found respect for it's Native Peoples.
Citations
Smith, Anne M., and Alden C. Hayes.Shoshone Tales. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1993.
Hoagstrom, Carl W. "Shoshone." Salem Press Encyclopedia (2015): Research Starters. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.
The Shoshone people as a cultural and ethnic unit can be divided into three distinct categories, while remain together making up the whole of the Shoshone people. These three categories being: Northern, Western, and Eastern Shoshone, with a history of residing in the Great Basin, those states of Idaho and Utah, with tribal bands extending all the way out Wyoming and Nevada, to California and Texas. The large concentration of the Shoshone lived originally in Idaho and Utah, the exact origin of their settlement is a matter of anthropological and historical contention. The exact divisions in tribal bands has to do with several factors, the geographic region in which the Shoshone were living. Northern Shoshone lived primarily in Idaho, stretching into Utah, while Western Shoshone lived in Nevada, and Northern Shoshone in Wyoming. The tribes pre-contact are thought to have been largely nomadic following the herds of migrating Buffalo, or in the case of the Eastern Shoshone taking advantage of a large collection of natural food-resources. Either subsisting edible plant-life, nuts, berries, and small game like deer and fish. The Shoshone being a largely nomadic, and migratory people are thought to have founded of several other tribes, such as the Comanche in Texas, who share similarities in language.
The Shoshone, had a great diversity of folklore, creation stories, and general tales and myths. In particular, those of the Great Basin, had story that involved a collection of animal characters, from: Wolf, Coyote, Rabbit, Bald Eagle, to the humans. However, throughout the reiteration of the tales, sometimes distinctions were not made between humans and animals, and at points they would come to mean the same thing. A Great Basin Shoshone myth that describes a discussion between, Wolf and Coyote, in which Coyote convince Wolf that to keep human moral, were Wolf wanted human to arise from death two days afterwards. Coyote also lobbies for labor, and painful child-birth. However, he isn’t viewed as a purely fiendish character. (Smith 3)
An academic at the University of Utah, described the nature of the Shoshone animal myths as having a more relative distinction between your average, “They are not distinctly positive personalities. They are perhaps much more like real human beings
Throughout Shoshone history various tribal bands have been involved in various conflicts between other Native Americans, and the United States Government. In particular, with implementation the reservation system, the Shoshone suffered major lands loss to white settlers. They would eventually come to be primarily in the state of Idaho, in the Fort Hall Reservation, near the Snake River, after sign a Treaty with the US Government in 1868.
To this day, the Shoshone still operate under a form of Tribal government and Leadership, bringing together several tribal groups and bands within the Idaho, Fort Hall Reservation.
Reflection:
Understanding the history of the United States from the perspective of a marginalized group such as it's indigenous people is critical to understanding the complexity history at all. Being able to study, identify, and search to understand the struggles of Native American's throughout this countries history has been very useful. From the perspective of Shoshone, the history is very similar to many Native Peoples, whom had not only their likelihood's threatened by westward expansion, but their very cultural heritage. I've enjoy the ability to study these issues in this course, and feel as if they readings have emboldened my knowledge of American history, and given me a new found respect for it's Native Peoples.
Citations
Smith, Anne M., and Alden C. Hayes.Shoshone Tales. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1993.
Hoagstrom, Carl W. "Shoshone." Salem Press Encyclopedia (2015): Research Starters. Web. 6 Dec. 2015.