A partner and I are writing a sort of historical fiction story that has to do with a white man being adopted into a Native American tribe, and we're wondering if there's any sort of specific ceremony that would take place. I've done a little research but can't seem to find any specifics. I know it's very unlikely to happen and that someone in the tribe would have to adopt him, but if anyone knows anything more it would be really helpful.
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Mei 14, 2008 - 18 29
What's the tribe and time period? These may make a difference as to what, exactly, would have been done.
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Mei 16, 2008 - 14 12
The tribe or clan and time period make a TREMENDOUS difference. Some Native American groups didn't take white captives at all, some "adopted" white children, some enslaved white women and young children of both genders but killed men and teenage boys.... There was no set "standard" of behavior across all groups.
If you can give me a group and a time frame, I may be able to point you in the direction of some resources. :-)
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Mei 17, 2008 - 14 52
Maybe you could do a little research into related cultures. We may put "Native American" together geographically because we're North Americans but as the posters above me have said, they're very different. If it's a West Coast nation there may be some similarities with Polynesian cultures, for example. If you can't find anything specific for a particular nation, you could have a fictional smaller group within the nation, like a dialect group or something, and make up something based on what you've researched.
And as a side note, we Canadians go with Aboriginal or First Nation instead of Native American. And nation or band instead of tribe. If you're researching into the ones further north. =)