4 ms·
The requirement of the horse in the requirement is odd: "The last prehistoric North American horses died out between 13,000 and 11,000 years ago, at the end of
by bluejekyll 11y ago
The requirement of the horse in the requirement is odd: "The last prehistoric North American horses died out between 13,000 and 11,000 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene, but by then Equus had spread to Asia, Europe, and Africa" [1]
For a significant portion of the Native Americans existence in America, there were no horses. They were introduced back into the environment by Europeans.
Which means this rule for becoming chief hasn't always been part of the requirements. It was added sometime in more recent history, and implies that the definition is probably being followed too strictly.
This is like translating holy books literally, when they were written in completely different contexts. I'm sure the tribe could vote to change the definition to bring it up do date, yet still maintain the ideal.
[1]http://m.livescience.com/9589-surprising-history-america-wild-horses.html http://m.livescience.com/9589-surprising-history-america-wil...
- protomyth 11y agoYou read a bit too much into an English translation of a set of rules that predates their use of English. I'm pretty sure the words for a lot of 4 legged animals are related by root word in Crow the same way they are in Dakota. There wouldn't be any vote, the tribal elders would decide, and I am guessing camels or yaks would qualify if it came up.
- bluejekyll 11y agoFair enough. Do you know what other domestic animals would have qualified as a replacement in the language at the time?
- protomyth 11y agoDog comes to mind first, stealing those would tick someone off a lot. Like the horses later, it was what you brought hunting and was a companion animal. Horse and dog are 1 word difference in Dakota: sunka (dog) vs. sunka wakan (horse). S is a sh sound, emphasis is 2nd syllable. [edit: of course I'm not Crow, I grew up with their rivals]
- fit2rule 11y agoHorses were re-introduced to America in 1519. That is more than enough time (3 centuries) for the Crow to have integrated the behavior of horse-stealing into their culture.