Native American Studies

The Native American Studies Diploma Course begins with an examination of the various theories surrounding the origin of the first American people. You’ll be introduced to the Theory of Beringia, learn about the Kennewick Man, and discover theories offered by various Native American tribes.

We then move on to learn about the different Native American tribes based on the regions they inhabited and the languages they spoke, along with some other differentiators.

As much as the tribes differed in many ways, the way they practised their religions shared many elements. You’ll explore the Native American’s deep relationship with nature, as well as certain practices such as Totemism and Vision Quests. We also introduce you to some of the traditional objects and symbols that feature in the lives of Native Americans.

It is impossible to talk about the history of Native Americans without discussing that of colonisation. The course discusses the attempts of Sir Walter Raleigh to create the first English colony on American land, the founding of Jamestown, the arrival of the Mayflower, and the indigenous people who helped early colonists survive.

You’ll be introduced to Hiawatha, one of the most important and progressive Native Americans of his time, his relation to Deganawida, the Great Peacemaker, and how together, these two men created a lasting peace amongst long-warring tribes. We also examine the basis of the Iroquois constitution and how it influenced democracy in America.

You’ll discover what it meant to be a Native American woman and how their essential womanhood was seen as a strength, not a weakness. You will also learn about some of the most important Native American women in history, including Sacagawea, who was key in helping white Americans journey into the Wild West. You’ll also learn the true story of Pocahontas and how she featured as a key figure in the beginnings of colonised America.

The Native American Studies Diploma Course introduces you to more true legends: Geronimo of the Apache Nation and Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse of the Sioux Nation.

The course concludes with an exploration of the tragedy at Wounded Knee - one of the final showdowns between Native Americans and the dominant white settlers - and the events that surrounded and led up to it.

By the end of this course, you will:

• Understand how Native American people are defined
• Know the many different tribes that lived across North America
• Have a broad overview of shared elements within Native American spirituality, including Animism, Totemism, and Vision Quests
• Be aware of the importance of dance to Native American religion
• Comprehend the depth of influence that colonisation had on Native American culture
• Have a deeper knowledge of individuals who were key to Native American and American history, including Hiawatha, Squanto, Pocahontas, and Sacagawea
• Know the histories of some of the great Native American leaders and warriors including Geronimo, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse
• Understand what Native American women were like during the times of colonisation
• Be familiar with a few lesser-known Native American heroes and heroines

The history of North America is often detailed from the arrival of the first colonists and told through the tales of European settlers and pioneers. While these are important stories, this course is for you if you’d like to understand the indigenous people of North America, whose histories, though entwined with that of white immigrants, paved an initial path that was spiritually and culturally very different to that of the later European colonisers.