Des Imoto マキシ on Nostr: Well said. And what will communities look like? In the vein of decentralization, we ...

Well said. And what will communities look like? In the vein of decentralization, we may end up moving toward small communities, tribes (or some #Bit coiners refer to them as citadels) of like minded peoples in the pursuit of their happiness.

Which led me to look at how American Indians organized. They seemed to, within their tribes, live so harmoniously amongst themselves and with nature.

American Indians organized many decisions around family units and tribal councils. One way to illustrate how it works is to look how American Indians disincentivized bad behavior.

Now probably the first thing to know about Native American history is that there was very little crime.  Perhaps crime and punishment go with Western Industrial-type nations.  Historically, travelers to the outermost regions of Native America commented on how honest and how little crime existed.

So what did they do if one of their own committed a “crime”?

Firstly, tgere were no jails. Secondly, while all tribes were different, in matters of severe offenses, the family or the clan usually dealt with the offender. Often the person guilty of the crime was “sentenced” to go away from the tribe and try to make it on his own — which in the long ago past, was almost a testiment to a death sentence.  In the Lakota tribe there is a reference in the book, WATER LILY, about the offender having to make restitution with the family by taking a role in the family.  Usually such people were so happy to not be put out of the tribe, that they became the best family members of all. Imagine if this were so in our society today?  That the offender had to make restitution with the family for his acts?  What do you think might be the result?  Less crime, perhaps?

In the Creek society, as well as the Blackfeet, the crime of adultery (for women only) was a cut off nose — the tip of the nose.  This was usually performed at the request of the offending husband and was done by the society that he belonged to.

As far as stealing is concerned, it was almost unheard of.  George Catlin remarked that in all his travels in Native America he had never had one single thing taken from him, or even a hand lifted against him.  In truth, one young man made quite a journey to join Catlin in order to return to him some of his property.  However, if stealing had been done, the offending party again made restitution with the “victim” by supplying them with whatever they needed in return.  Seems a much simplier process, doesn’t it?  Make up the damage one has done to the person who has been harmed, himself.

Besides almost non-existent crime, there was also no poverty.  Some people were more prosperous than others — such has always been the case amongst a people.  But noone went hungry when there was food to be had within the tribe, nor did anyone go without.  

And if a culture is known by its humanity towards others and the material condition of its people, then I would have to say that American Indians were, indeed, a culture to be proud.

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Parts extracted verbatim from CRIME & PUNISHMENT — Native American Style
October 14, 2008 by Karen Kay