y tall, and the Tehuelche of Patagonia almost massive in build. As a rule, the desert Indians, as the Apache, are spare and muscular in build, while those of the timbered regions are heavier, although not proportionately stronger. The beard is always scanty, but increases with the admixture of white blood. The mistaken idea that the Indian has naturally no beard is due to the fact that in most tribes it is plucked out as fast as it grows, the eyebrows being treated in the same way. There is no tribe of "white Indians", but albinos with blond skin, weak pink eyes and almost white hair are occasionally found, especially among the Pueblos. h2> Major Cultural Areas
From prehistoric times until recent historic times there were roughly six major cultural areas, excluding that of the Arctic (see Eskimo), ie, Northwest Coast, Plains, Plateau, Eastern Woodlands, Northern, and Southwest. h2> The Northwest Coast Area
The Northwest Coast area extended along the Pacific coast from South Alaska to North California. The main language families in this area were the Nadene in the north and the Wakashan (a subdivision of the Algonquian-Wakashan linguistic stock) and the Tsimshian (a subdivision of the Penutian linguistic stock) in the central area. Typical tribes were the Kwakiutl, the Haida, the Tsimshian, and the Nootka. Thickly wooded, with a temperate climate and heavy rainfall, the area had long supported a large Native American population. Salmon was the staple food, supplemented by sea mammals (seals and sea ​​lions) and land mammals (deer, elk, and bears) as well as berries and other wild fruit. The Native Americans of this area used wood to build their houses and had cedar-planked canoes and carved dugouts. In their permanent winter villages some of the groups had totem poles, which were elaborately carved and covered with symbolic animal decoration. Their art work, for which they are famed, also included the making of ceremonial items, such as rattles and masks; weaving; and basketry. They had a highly stratified society with chiefs, nobles, commoners, and slaves. Public display and disposal of wealth were basic features of the society. They had woven robes, furs, and basket hats as well as wooden armor and helmets for battle. This distinctive culture, which included cannibalistic rituals, was not greatly affected by European influences until after the late 18th cent., when the white fur traders and hunters came to the area. p> TRIBES: Abenaki , Algonkin , Beothuk , Delaware , Erie , Fox , Huron , Illinois , Iroquois , Kickapoo , Mahican , Mascouten , Massachuset , Mattabesic , Menominee , Metoac , Miami , Micmac , Mohegan , Montagnais , Narragansett , Nauset , Neutrals , Niantic , Nipissing , Nipmuc , Ojibwe , Ottawa , Pennacook , Pequot , Pocumtuck , Potawatomi , Sauk , Shawnee , Susquehannock , Tionontati , Wampanoag , Wappinger , Wenro , Winnebago . h2> The Plains Area
The Plains area extended from j...
