| We know them as warriors, peaceful, proud, | | | | Europe. They are just one of the many |
| driven, conflicted, hunters, farmers, people who | | | | organizations uniting the German Indian. |
| were native to the American soil, way before the | | | | Like the tribes in the US and Canada, the |
| Europeans, or any white man, for that matter, | | | | European societies also hold tipi-camps, powwows, |
| set foot on their continent. | | | | sweat lodges, make their jewelry and crafts, and |
| The first inhabitants of the American continent | | | | have their Shaman and medicine men. They use |
| are often referred to as 'Indians', or 'Native | | | | every opportunity they can get, to gather and |
| Americans'. They were a fierce kind of people | | | | inform the public about the diversity of the Native |
| with their culture, their stories, legends and myths, | | | | American nations. Coming from Austria, |
| known all over the world. Every history buff can | | | | Switzerland, and other parts of Europe, they hold |
| tell you about the cruel battles amongst the | | | | meetings, and bring over real-blood guest |
| tribes, as well as, the desperate fight for | | | | speakers from the prairies or desert. |
| freedom, and the downfall by 'fire water', and | | | | Experts say that, partially to blame for this |
| their worst enemy: the 'pale faces'. | | | | European "Indian culture obsession" is an author |
| Through the ages, the media has tried to spread | | | | by the name of Karl Friedrich May, (February 25, |
| awareness, and keep us in the loop about the | | | | 1842 - March 30, 1912). He was one of the best |
| enduring struggles of the North American Indian, | | | | selling German writers, of all time. He mostly |
| but what the press has kept a secret, is that the | | | | wrote about the American Old West, as well as |
| 'Red Skins' no longer live restricted to one | | | | stories set in his native Germany. For his novels |
| continent. They have spread their eagle wings and | | | | with an American setting, May created the |
| today, there are many residents in Germany | | | | fictional characters of a wise Apache chief, called |
| claiming to be of Indian descent. | | | | Winnetou, and Old Shatterhand, the chief's alter |
| It is actually very easy to explain. When the | | | | ego and white blood brother. Many of these |
| Europeans defeated the Apache, Cherokee, | | | | novels were turned into successful movies and |
| Cheyenne, Iroquois, Kiowa, Navajo, Shawnee, and | | | | TV series, which also fascinated me during my |
| many more, they took some of their captured | | | | several years living in the European Union. Karl |
| slaves back to their home country. More tribe | | | | May's work was always deeply rooted in the |
| members arrived after WWII, when some Native | | | | belief, that all of mankind should live together |
| American soldiers decided to stay, and bring their | | | | peacefully. Every single one of his main characters |
| family members over, after they settled. | | | | avoided killing, except when it was absolutely |
| In 1994, The Native American Association of | | | | necessary to save lives. It was a peaceful way of |
| Germany (NAAoG) was formed, with the goal to | | | | thinking, one we should applaud, and all live by, |
| provide a meeting point for Native Americans | | | | especially in today's world, where violence seems |
| living, or temporarily stationed by US Military in | | | | to escalate, more and more. |