KnowledgeBases > Cultural Values
Various lists of contrasting cultural values between American Indians and Euro-American immigrants can be found in articles, books and on the web. As Hap Gilliland notes in his book Teaching the Native American, "none of the generalizations in these lists apply to any one person from either group, but they are something to think about when one observes and works with students."
| Common European American Values | Common Native American Values |
|---|---|
| The individual is all important. Promote your own welfare. | The group is all important. Take a back seat. Stand in, don’t stand out. |
| Support of and from immediate nuclear family. | Support of a large extended family. |
| Emphasis on things, individuals, self. | People-centered, group-centered society. |
| Success is money, power, things. | Success is wisdom, acceptance by group. |
| Acquire. Save. Possessions bring status. Wealth and security sought after. | Be generous and share. Honor is giving. Be suspicious of those with too much. Greediness is frowned on. |
| Compete. Excel. Be the best. Win. Helping is cheating. | Cooperate. Work together. Help each other. |
| Vocal. Must talk. Continuous conversation. Embarrassed by silence. Impatient. | Quiet. Say what is necessary. Long pauses. Like quiet companionship. |
| Speak up. Show enthusiasm. | Speak in soft voice. Loud speech indicates anger, aggression. |
| Give instant answers to questions. | Allow time for thought. |
| Time is very important. Get things done. Watch the clock. Schedules. Priorities. Idleness is bad. Live for the future. | Time is here. Be patient. Enjoy life. Enjoy Today; it is all we have. Live now. Enjoy leisure. |
| Always look a person in the eye. Looking away means uninterest, dishonesty. | Looking in eye means aggression, anger. Looking down is a sign of respect. |
| Act according to logic, science, reason. | Act on what feels right. Spirituality, Sacred Knowledge. |
| Criticism is immediate, blunt, to the point. | Talk about good things before criticizing. |
| Show anger, sorrow, affection in public. | Little evidence of emotion in public. |
| Light humor. Jokes. | Deep sense of humor. See humor in life. |
| Tradition of varying importance. | Great respect for ceremonies and tradition. |
| Man is apart from nature. Nature is for man to analyze, control, use. | Man is on equal footing with animals, plants, and the earth. Respect nature. Live in harmony with it. |
| Monolingual, English is the best, most important language. | Bilingual. Values are expressed best in one’s tribal language. |
Source:
Adapted from Hap Gilliland, Teaching the Native American (4th edition). Dubuque, Iowa, 1999, p. 42.
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