The Native American Berdache: A Kootenai Example
by Ojibwa
Fri Jun 04, 2010 at 05:22:49 PM PDT
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/6/4/873042/-The-Native-American-Berdache:-A-Kootenai-ExampleThe role of the berdache or Two Spirit in traditional Native American societies does not fit into the modern categories of homosexual, gay, lesbian, or transgender. Native Americans viewed sexuality not as homosexual/heterosexual, but as a continuum of accepted activities. What follows is a profile intended to illustrate the berdache in Kootenai society.
The Columbia Plateau is the geographic region that lies between the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east. It covers parts of present-day Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and British Columbia. It is a country that includes large rivers, such as the Columbia, semiarid plains, and forested mountains. Indian people have lived in this area for many thousands of years.
