What Is The Peoplehood Matrix?

Even though the Peoplehood Matrix is not a perfect and exact model, it can still be used as a tool to start somewhere when it comes to characterizing indigenous people. The Peoplehood matrix based of the Holm, et al. Peoplehood: A Model for the Extension of Sovereignty in American Indian Studies can be applied to tribes that are presented in the Paths of Life exhibit at the Arizona State Museum. The deer dance of the Yaqui can be used for language, the mix of Christian and ancient beliefs of the Tarahumara can apply to sacred history, the Apache annual subsistence cycle is an example of ceremonial cycle, and the connection to the sea and desert of the Seri can apply to place/territory.
Let’s begin with the language portion of the Peoplehood
As said before the Tarahumara origin belief has been influenced by Christianity, but at the core it is still the ancient beliefs with just Christian symbols. For example, during the Easter ceremonies “Onorúame (God) and his wife (the Virgin Mary) live in the heavens with their children…Tarahumara seek to please their Father with offerings of food, and rituals of song and dance” (Path of Life). In their beliefs, the older brother of God is the Devil and that they are always in a power struggle. When it comes time for the Easter Ceremonies the Devil and his children go after God and it is the responsibility of the Tarahumara to protect him and his wife. Based of the People Matrix, sacred history is “not only to give each member of the group an understanding of where they come from…the ways in which they maintain group cohesion through ritualism and ceremony” (Holm, et al. pg.14). Their beliefs of God and his wife does give the group an understanding of their origins and through rituals and ceremonies based off this belief the Tarahumara become more
This can be seen by looking at the diagram at the Arizona State Museum showing the Apaches’ annual subsistence cycle that included farming, hunting, raiding, and gathering. The cycles were very important for the Apache to sustain themselves. The Apache believed that this knowledge came from the Mountain Spirit People know as the Gaan. The Gaan were the ones that had knowledge of the plants and animals of the mountain and they shared this knowledge to the Apache. The Apache have a great understanding of the cycles that take place in their homeland and it creates a strong relationship between them and nature. This knowledge is also connected with their