Running head:  ANTRHOPOLOGY
Anthropology
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 Affiliation Here
Abstract
Ethnography is a great way to explore another traditional culture, totally different from an American one.  Through interviewing, questionnaires, direct participation, virtual research, and many other techniques in this field a better idea of how another culture believes and lives is validated.  Through discussing with my cousin, “Shawn Freeman”, the culture of the Native American Cherokee tribe, it has become more concise and clear in my mind.  This paper will provide the validity of how true Cherokee Indian society lived in historic times and in present, although some ways have changed drastically.
Running Head: ANTHROPOLOGY
Ethnography goes hand in hand with cultural anthropology.  Normally, a scientist of ethnopology would spend a significant amount of time within a secondary culture so that a fully developed interpretation could be implemented into another culture’s ideas and beliefs.  Also, residing within another ethnic group allows for the possibility of interaction, to enable a better comprehension of differences and traditions.  Since I’m unable to do that I am utilizing the understanding I have gathered from the interview with my cousin.  Also, I am incorporating the technique of virtual ethnography, which is a fairly new form of research study in anthropology.  It also involves gathering and researching information concerning the different aspects of two separate cultural identities.  
One myth I would like to dispel about the belief Americans have of how Native Americans live is their housing structures or habitats.  I asked my cousin how much he had been taught about how the Cherokee lived decades ago; and one of the issues was in whether or not they resided in teepee’s or some other form of housing.  He kind of laughed, stating that many Americans tend to think that all Indians lived in teepee’s and hunted buffalo.  He says that this is a totally misrepresentation of the Cherokee Indian tribe.  Also, he told me there are various bands of the Cherokee but initially they branched off from the Iroquois, during the first English settlement period.  He explained that one of the significant differences between Americans and Native Americans is the fact that, within the Cherokee tribe, it is a closely knit family.  Within the American culture, it seems to him that everyone is only out for their own benefit, to see what they can do for themselves.  The Cherokee helped each other and did not believe in leaving any of their people out, such as Americans do.  He said also, that popular American belief tends to specify that all Native Americans hunted buffalo and moved their habitats with the seasons.  This is also not a fact.  The Cherokee, he said, stayed in basically one place.  They lived down by river banks quite often and stayed out many a harsh winter.  He said his grandfather shared many a story with him from down through the ages, into the background of his cultural identity.  Furthermore, through my own study using virtual enthropology, I have found that the historical anthropological data seems to be missing certain perspectives of the Cherokee culture.  The American concept of the Cherokee life is far from the symbolic meaning it carried centuries ago. Anthropology relays the correct cultural identity of Native Americans, or any other ethnic culture from decades past (Kottak, 2005).  At least it try’s to do so.  Sometimes it can be a little off which is why other techniques are often utilized.  
Cherokee Indians lived in log houses, not teepee’s.  Furthermore, they lived more along the lines of a structured small town, varying greatly from the American perception of their lifestyle (Using: Powersource 1995-2001).  Also, they did hunt but it was not buffalo.  It was more along the lines of: deer, beaver, elk, fishing, squirrel, sometimes bear, and bison; from what my cousin says, and the reading that I have done, explains to me.  Also, my cousin says they hunted solely for food, for quite some time, but the white man, many times hunted for the sport of it, and often still does.  Here we see a vast difference in the value of life by Native Americans v. White people.  They Cherokee’s main livelihood dealt more in agricultural means and later in trading than anything else.  
Another false belief that Americans think is true is that many Indians could not read or write. My cousin said this is not true and it is a very unintelligent assumption.  The Cherokee had their own language just as any other foreign person does.  They taught themselves how to read and write, shortly after the colonial’s arrival on American soil.  In fact, they were one of the first Indian tribes to tackle such a literary feat.  They system that was implemented lead to the first printing press for the Cherokee, and they soon had their own newspaper (Using: Powersource 1995-2001).  Shawn, my cousin, told me that his great, great grandfather use to tell him stories when he was really little of how the days changed so fast, and along with those the times, as progress fully implemented reading and writing into the Cherokee way of life.  This is something that not very many Americans seem fully aware of.  However through this type of study it could be possible for them to learn it.  
One very notable difference that I’ve found, using the ethnographic technique are the marital customs and religious beliefs of the Cherokee.  Indian maidens were not allowed to marry within their own tribe; it had to be a subsequent tribe.  Americans don’t carry beliefs like this; we live as a unified society and pick and choose whom we want to marry.  Religion wise, they worshipped a god similar to the belief that Americans have but their worshipping customs were and are nothing alike.  They value a time of year that is called, “The Seven Festivals”. These festivals were (and possibly still are) done to show thanks to their God who has provided for them throughout the year.  The ceremonies themselves involved dances by fire pits all night, sacrificing of meat, ceremonial baths, special wood, and tobacco smoking (Using: Image builder 1996-2005).  
Although my cousin was born far after these older religious customs, such as the ones listed, took place, he says he has still heard the stories and been involved with similar activities that seem to him to be replicates of the old festivals.  However, he told me tradition has changed quite a bit, from what he has been taught about it, and how it use to be, decades past.  
The one main weakness of this research is due to not having the ability to be able to actually reside in those times before.  If it were possible, then a far better interpretation could be perceived.  Ethnographic research relies heavily on participation methods; sadly it’s not something that is duly available here.  Also, normally, from the participant observation, the ethnographer can develop an emic or native’s point of view from being fully involved in the daily life of that culture.  Again, the drawback here is that these times have passed and therefore there is no way to fully develop these view points and the true facts (Wikipedia Encyclopedia 2005).  This makes it difficult because these viewpoints are a unique and detrimental aspect of anthropology.  However, through discussion with Cherokee Native Americans, a historical sense can be felt and possibly developed further if given the time to do so.  Also, a stronger understanding of what it must have been like then, and what it is now, can at least have a partial clarification into revealing the society in, behind the myths. 
References
Image Builder (1996-2005). Cherokee Indians: In Great Smoky Mountains National Park
http://www.imagesbuilder.com/gsmnp/indians.html

Kottak, Conrad, Phillip’s  (2005).  Window on Humanity:  A concise Introduction to General Anthropology.  34-44. McGraw Hill, New York.

Powersource (1995-2001).  The Cherokee National Historical Society.  Tahlequah, OK

Wikipedia, Encyclopedia (2005).  Cultural Anthropology
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Anthropology