Historical Consciousness Among Two American Indian Tribes

American Indians have endured numerous significant historical events, including epidemics, warfare, genocide, relocation, and for many, confinement to reservations. These events often are thought to be the root cause of contemporary physical and mental health problems within this population. Yet despite the presumed force of history in shaping their contemporary lives, there has been surprisingly little empirical examination of the extent to which Native people contemplate their history or understand it in relation to their present lives. This article explores attitudes toward and knowledge of significant historical events using a representative, community-based sample drawn from two tribes, one in the Northern Plains culture area and the other in the Southwest. Taken as a whole, findings suggest that the past continues to have meaning for contemporary American Indians and is related in important ways to identity and formal education.