Alcohol Use among North American Indians A Cross-Cultural Survey of Patterns and Problems

Abstract

There is a certain irony to the fact that alcohol has recently come to play a variety of important roles in the lives of many native populations throughout North America. This is one of the few major world areas where almost no indigenous alcoholic beverages existed prior to contact with European colonial cultures. In most regions, alcohol became an important item in transcultural trade and diplomacy as the frontier of White settlement advanced, and the reactions of diverse Indian* groups were often reported in more colorful detail than were other aspects of their cultures. Drunken comportment by Indians became a focus of ethnic stereotyping and was often associated with high rates of arrest, violence (against self and others), health problems, and other issues that became foci of concern among Indians and others. In many instances, deleterious effects of drinking have been exaggerated and beneficial effects have been overlooked.