People oppress other people all over the world, but few have felt oppression like the American Indians. Stereotypes have plagued them since the first Europeans arrived and shrouded the native peoples in false beliefs. Some of these ideas may be true for some tribes, but there are too many tribes and cultures to lump them all into one. Tribes in one part of the country will eat, dress, and celebrate in very different ways than tribes in another part. Although Native Americans are a diverse group, their fundamental beliefs about the Earth, creation, and peace are consistent across the people. Every person has an idea of ​​something much bigger than himself. Whether it is Mother Earth, God or the cosmos, man clings to something greater. Native Americans consider Mother Earth closer to them than anything else. Everything they do revolves around the earth. The Iroquois Constitution also makes special mention of “making a speech and offering thanks for the land where men live,” as well as making offerings to lakes, fruits, forests, and animals (Dekanawida 56). This love can cause conflicts with the Western world where production prevails over any value of natural beauty. In Lame Deer, Montana, the Northern Cheyenne are fighting their love of land and poverty. They try to place coal mines on their reservations where the tribe must decide between love of the land or economic prosperity (Keen). Native Americans in turn thank and love the source that provides all their needs even when it may not be in their best interest. How we got here and where we came from is one of the oldest questions known to man. We as humans have been trying to answer these fundamental questions since the dawn of time with every culture......middle of paper......a large group of people have a core belief in loving the earth , their creation stories and peace. Unfortunately, many of the most definitive parts of tribal culture have disappeared over time. Works Cited Bruchac, Joseph. "The tree of heaven." Glencoe American Literature, Student Edition, Grade 11. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1999. 51-51. Print.De Vaca, Alvar Nunez Cabeza. "The Relationship." Glencoe American Literature, Student Edition, Grade 11. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1999. 62-65. Print.Dekanawida. "The Iroquois Constitution." Glencoe American Literature, Student Edition, Grade 11. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1999. 55-57. Print.Keen, Judy. “For tribes, economic necessity clashes with tradition.” United States today. Print.Mooney, James. "How the World Was Made." Glencoe American Literature, Student Edition, Grade 11. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1999. 48-49. Press.