| The American Southwest is a
striking region for the raw intensity of the landscape, for its unique
ethnic mix, and for the diverse strands of ancient history that run
through it. The Spanish were the first Europeans to encounter the Native
Peoples of the Southwest. Anglos from the east would eventually find their
way into this desert region. The cultural interactions among these groups
ranged from violence to collaboration. In contrast with Native Americans
in other regions, the tribes of the Southwest have been able to preserve
to a greater degree their
languages, religious and cultural traditions, and traditional lands. The two largest groups of Native Americans
in the Southwest culture area are the various
Pueblo Peoples and the Navajo. |
