What were the jobs of crow tribe children?

Answer 1

Like all Plains children, certain tasks were entrusted to older boys and girls but in general their job was to learn by watching and listening to the adults.

Crow boys were usually instructed by an uncle, who had them play games that were really lessons in life skills. One of these was called "horse-stealing", though it involved no horses: the boys (aged around 7) would be called out in the evening, made to strip to breechclouts and moccasins, then they would cover their bodies in white clay and wolf skins taken from their fathers' lodges. At dusk they would have to sneak back into the camp and try to steal buffalo meat drying on racks - the uncle with them called this "horses" and said they must not be seen or heard; any boy stealing a "horse" could count coup.

Instead of enemy guns and arrows, these boys might expect to be caught and roughly beaten by the older women of the camp, who were trying to protect the drying meat.

Boys swam in ice-covered rivers before sunrise each morning in winter, chased and caught butterflies or practised shooting small-sized bows and arrows; all were aimed at hardening them and making them fast, agile and accurate.

Girls learned to erect tipis (ashi in Crow) by using small-scale models made in the same way as the full-size version; they were given dolls of stuffed leather and had to make and decorate the clothes themselves; they watched their mothers dig wild roots or collect wild berries, dry meat and tan hides.

Older boys would tend and guard the horse herd, taking it to and from water; often they grazed the horses far from camp (all except the best war horses which remained in camp).

Both boys and girls looked forward to hearing the life stories of older warriors, relating tales of brave deeds in battle or eventful buffalo hunts. The boys would be inspired to do the same, while the girls would be inspired to marry a great hunter and warrior when they were older.

Answer 2

Crow tribe children were typically responsible for herding and caring for livestock, such as horses and sheep. They also helped with household chores, such as gathering firewood, hauling water, and assisting with cooking and cleaning. Additionally, children were taught important survival skills, such as hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants.