I can think
of two major differences between the cultures of North and South American indigenous
populations. First, North American indigenous populations were far more mobile than those in
South America. As far as we are able to discern from archaeology and historical studies, First
Nations peoples of North America practiced a hunter-gatherer subsistence lifestyle. They might
spend one season in one region, hunting deer or catching fish, and travel during another season
for the purpose of gathering wild foods like berries. Some First Nations tribes did practice
small-scale subsistence agriculture, but nothing like that of South American tribes. In South
America, life was far more centralized to city-kingdoms. In fact, several prosperous and highly
stratified societies developed in South America. For example, the Inca empire had a range of
very wealthy elites to (relatively) poor laborers. Wealth became concentrated in the capital
city of Cuzco, as people were required to send goods to this administrative center as tax
payments. Not only were luxury goods from the reaches of the empire sent to the capital; food
produced in the agricultural parts of the empire was redistributed through the capital as a sort
of security system in case of crop failure. This was a far more stratified and administrated
society as compared to the relatively egalitarian, nomadic lifestyle of North American
peoples.
Another major difference, which manifested itself in societal
structure, were beliefs about the relationship between the sacred and the profane. Most North
American indigenous cultures held that there was no difference between the world we live in and
the spiritual realm. The god(s) were in all things, all people, and all places, and it is our
duty as humans to co-exist with all of nature as a part of the same spiritual entity. By this
same belief, god(s) or the sacred did not really become concentrated in or limited to just one
individual. Anyone could "channel" god(s), and it was not off-limits to anyone in
particular. However, in most South American indigenous cultures, things were quite different.
The leaders of the great empires and city-kingdoms I mentioned before were often considered
god-kings. This means they might have been considered an earthly manifestation of god(s,) or
they were believed to be the best and most direct advocate for the people in dealing with
god(s). Sometimes rulers were believed to have been descended from god(s) themselves. It is in
part because of this belief that so much wealth was concentrated centrally in South American
indigenous cultures-- sending as much wealth as possible to the person who negotiates with
god(s) is sure to get you on their good side!
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