NationStates Jolt Archive

Whilst on the subject of which nation has the biggest warrior penis, a little side discussion in regards to various British and various other European wars against native peoples has sprung up, although it seems to be flickering a bit in the blazing heat of debate as to whether or not the British are a bunch of wankers...I mean...not-as-militarily-cultured-as-other-peoples. People.
*Cough*
Anyway, I hereby dedicated this thread to the discussion of the various awesome and now non-existant tribal and native peoples who gave the Europeans a run for their money at one point.

My personal favorite are South America's version of the Roman Empire, the Inca. Not only did they maintain a strong warrior tradition, but they managed to build a massive infrastructure doing it, and were, possibly, on the verge of developing writing to go along with it when the Spanish arrived.
Following that a series of unlucky (or lucky, from the Spanish point of view) events quickly lost them their ruler, then their empire, then killed pretty much all of them.
They left behind some AMAZING fortifications and infrastructure projects, especially when you consider that they were build with virtually no metal tools (although the Inca did apparently work bronze and other metals into weapons, specifically a sort of halberd used by nobility).
Not only did they kick pretty much everybodies ass until the Spanish came along, they had a well developed bureaucracy (although that resulted in some truly nasty civil wars virtually every time a leader died), and a handy system of imposing their culture on people which seems to have primarily consisted of exiling troublemaker tribes to the Peruvian desert.

Really, awesome guys ;)

The Neanderthals. They got on so well for 210,000 years, then we turn up. 15,000 they're gone. Is there anything we don't wreck?

My "favorite" aboriginal people are the native North Americans, which may seem a bland choice if you're picturing the Hollywood "redskin" stereotype in your mind, but that's pretty misleading. Some of the battles of the Black Hawk War were fought near my hometown, and we learned a bit about each of the combatant tribes in gradeshool and later in high school.

My "favorite" aboriginal people are the native North Americans, which may seem a bland choice if you're picturing the Hollywood "redskin" stereotype in your mind, but that's pretty misleading. Some of the battles of the Black Hawk War were fought near my hometown, and we learned a bit about each of the combatant tribes in gradeshool and later in high school.

Stole my thunder! heh. Really though, the Native American tribes that battled the U.S. were some really tough customers. Apaches, Mohawks, Cherokee...all have very proud military histories that were, alas, not enough to stand up to Europeans/Americans.

Or, to be specific, smallpox.

Centaurs, not so big now are you Mr Horse!

Apparently the Greatest Warrior Culture of all time was that of all Knights of Europe, whose mix of valor and honor made them some of the most noble warriors of the world. Also, due to recent tech tests, a charge of the heavy knight cavalry was deteremined to be one the most powerful attack forms of old.

My great-grandmother was half Mohawk (kanienkeha), and they were some fierce and splendid people in their day. They helped drive out the French, and with the other Iroquois tribes created a democratic nation which was one of the inspirations of the U.S. Constitution. Good farmers too, and later, after the colonization and slaughter, good steel workers. They also stuck pine needles in people's skin and lit them on fire sometimes, which is really not very nice, but very creative.

Apparently the Greatest Warrior Culture of all time was that of all Knights of Europe, whose mix of valor and honor made them some of the most noble warriors of the world. Also, due to recent tech tests, a charge of the heavy knight cavalry was deteremined to be one the most powerful attack forms of old.

Okay, but they aren't a native people who gave the Europeans a run for their money. So. Next?

My great-grandmother was half Mohawk (kanienkeha), and they were some fierce and splendid people in their day. They helped drive out the French, and with the other Iroquois tribes created a democratic nation which was one of the inspirations of the U.S. Constitution. Good farmers too, and later, after the colonization and slaughter, good steel workers. They also stuck pine needles in people's skin and lit them on fire sometimes, which is really not very nice, but very creative.

Native americans seem to have a penchant for creative forms of torture. I credit the lack of metal tools. Once you give a man a sharp knife that can easily be replaced or sharpened it just looses the 'edge', you know?

Whereas I've heard that some native Americans would cut the soles off a mans feet, fill them with hard corn kernels, sew them back on and then give the poor captive a five minute head start.

I still stick to my guns, however, that the Assyrians were the true masters of spectacular executions. Not even the Romans would flay a city alive, cover stone columns with the populaces skin, then build a stele TELLING everybody they'd done it.

Okay, but they aren't a native people who gave the Europeans a run for their money. So. Next?

I think he's confused as to which topic he's in >_>

I love the Anasazi (I forget what we call them now) and all the other pueblo cultures. I mean I f***ing want to break out into laughter everytime I hear this-this-and that state belonged to Mexico. When even under Spanish rule had very hard times holding those lands and the tribes(nations).

I would have liked to seen if their culture(s) would have advanced any more if the European expansion had been delayed a bit longer.

Okay, but they aren't a native people who gave the Europeans a run for their money. So. Next?

sure they are, native Europeans giving other invading Europeans a run for their money..

I love the Anasazi (I forget what we call them now) and all the other pueblo cultures. I mean I f***ing want to break out into laughter everytime I hear this-this-and that state belonged to Mexico. When even under Spanish rule had very hard times holding those lands and the tribes(nations).

I would have liked to seen if their culture(s) would have advanced any more if the European expansion had been delayed a bit longer.

well, based on how long it took the rest of the world to develop from whatever state the natives were in, probably a long time to have any progress, though it almost certainly would have occurred.

I love the Anasazi (I forget what we call them now) and all the other pueblo cultures. I mean I f***ing want to break out into laughter everytime I hear this-this-and that state belonged to Mexico. When even under Spanish rule had very hard times holding those lands and the tribes(nations).

I would have liked to seen if their culture(s) would have advanced any more if the European expansion had been delayed a bit longer.

the anasazi are called the anasazi. they predate columbus. who are you thinking of?

the anasazi are called the anasazi. they predate columbus. who are you thinking of?

Thats out of date. The name Anasazi comes from the Navajo word for "ancient enemy," or something to that extent. Even the name Navajo is somewhat out of date. I believe they use the name Dine, now.

Yes, I know the 'Anasazi' society died out long before Columbus was even born. My apologies, I didn't mean to be unclear about my want to see them advance; it was a mear hypothetical.

Thats out of date. The name Anasazi comes from the Navajo word for "ancient enemy," or something to that extent. Even the name Navajo is somewhat out of date. I believe they use the name Dine, now.

Yes, I know the 'Anasazi' society died out long before Columbus was even born. My apologies, I didn't mean to be unclear about my want to see them advance; it was a mear hypothetical.

oh im sorry i thought you were referrring to a group that fought europeans. my mistake.

i assume that since the anasazi disappeared that joined or formed new tribes that did exist when the europeans arrived. like the hopi.

the navajos decided to keep the navajo name for outsider purposes in a referendum a few years ago,

oh im sorry i thought you were referrring to a group that fought europeans. my mistake.

i assume that since the anasazi disappeared that joined or formed new tribes that did exist when the europeans arrived. like the hopi.

the navajos decided to keep the navajo name for outsider purposes in a referendum a few years ago,

There really should be major add campains for things like that. Like when B.C. changed to BCE. Just to keep people in the loop... However, they probably kept the name Navajo just because fighting the tide of idiots is so hard.

There really should be major add campains for things like that. Like when B.C. changed to BCE. Just to keep people in the loop... However, they probably kept the name Navajo just because fighting the tide of idiots is so hard.

yeah. im pretty sure it was a pragmatic decision. other tribes have gone to their name in their language but its pretty hard to get the rest of the world to take notice of it.

and it might make good business sense since there is a "brand name" thing with navajo rugs and navajo jewelry

The Seminoles of Florida call themselves the Unconquered Tribe, and not without reason. Most of the tribe was forced west to Oklahoma, but between 300 and 500 refused to go. They retreated into the swamp and fought a long series of wars against the United States. 1500 US soldiers were killed and $20,000,000 was spent, an astronomical sum in those days- it was, in fact, almost three times as much as we paid for Alaska. The Seminole tribe was reduced to about a hundred members, yet still they refused to capitulate. Ultimately the United States gave up and left them in peace, although the Seminoles refused to sign any treaty until the late 1950s. They were, therefore, technically at war with the United States for about a century, and they ended it on their own terms.