Women have always played an integral part in decisions, such as when the tribe moved from one place to another and even who was selected to certain societies.

Sky Woman was the first to appear in the Creation stories of Eastern tribes, whereas for Plains tribes it was Buffalo Calf Woman who became the spiritual guide.

By most standards and amongst most tribes, women made the decisions due to their knowledge as keepers of tradition and ceremony and their demeanor; women were the decision makers and the men carried out the decision and received the credit.

Women were also held in the highest esteem due to their sole power of procreation.


Among the many tribes of Native Americans throughout North America there were many different roles for the Native American women. The roles of many Native American women were very important to the every Indian tribe.


First of all women are important to any society since they are the bearers of children, but to Native American tribes the women had many other very important responsibilities. Among some American Indian tribes the women would make many of the weapons that were used for hunting and war, and also built the homes they lived in, gathered firewood, as well as herbs for medicine, and nuts and berries for food.


Within many tribes the Native American women also did much of the farming while the men hunted for the food the Native women would then cook. Some tribes also had medicine women as well as their medicine men, and some of the tribes also believed that women possessed a stronger healing power, and their healing chants and herbal remedies were much more effective.