Different cultures have their different ways of showing love and affection. Learn more about love and romance in the Native American Culture!
Native Americans are deeply in tune with nature and its cycles. Love and romance was a part of every life, just as the doe falls in love with the stag or the wolves pair up. Families were an integral part of every group, and the extended family was supported and nurtured. Children were loved and adored.
Part of every individual's life was finding a path that made them happy and that fit in with the group. Each person was open to thinking about and developing what he or she could be. One symbol of this was the dreamcatcher.
Dreamcatchers are traditional wall hangings in Native American cultures, which are often hung in the bedroom but can be hung anywhere. They are to catch the dreams of a person and hold them near. Give your love a dreamcatcher, to show them that you are interested in what they dream about - and that hopefully it is you!
In most Native American cultures, both women and men shared equally in all work. The men might be hunters, the women the leather tanners and ceramic makers. In the Hopi tradition, before a wedding the woman would grind corn to show she was talented; the men would weave the wedding clothes. Both would wear beautiful beads and jewelry.
With the Mohegans in the east, the fourth moon of each year (with years beginning in March) was the Strawberry Moon. Its full moon name was the Strawberry Moon - and it was celebrated with the Feast of Strawberries. This was when the eligible members of the tribe would being courting.
Another romantic tradition is the Wedding Vase. During a ceremony or celebration, this could allow two lovers to drink from the same vessel, sharing their love. Afterwards, it makes a lovely flower vase!
