An Even Stronger Woman: The Substantial Role of Indigenous Women Throughout North American Herstory

Indigenous women have had immense impacts on North American society since before the beginning of the colonization process. Recent historical research has shed light on these influences made by Indigenous women as they begin to unpack the multiple abilities of these strong women. Indigenous women controlled both the private and public spheres by captaining the economic, political, and social roles of society. They had a voice within their communities and used it to obtain change and progress. They were respected mothers, providers, nurturers, and leaders. These women worked endlessly as producers of vast fields of agriculture and as important members of the fur trade to sustain their communities. This paper explores the roles that Indigenous women took on throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and how they broke gender roles and stereotypes that were common in their European counterparts’ societies during this period. This is done by incorporating the perspectives of Indigenous women themselves who haven written about the lives their ancestors lived and everything they accomplished. These new perspectives show that Indigenous women were essential and resilient to the success of their communities. They prove that behind all strong men, there are even stronger woman.