Children are an important contribution to the American Indian tribes. They are incorporated into the work and lifestyle at around the ageofseven. Until they reach that stage, the women, aunts, and elders are the ones who take a lead role in educating the young ones. Because the parents also have other duties to take care of within the tribe, the child’s grandparents will watch over them. After that point, the boys are taught by the men to hunt and fish, and the women focus on teaching domestic skills to the girls. Boys also would wrestle with one another to prepare themselves for hunting and battle.

As far as communicating the morals of the group to the children, the adults would use stories and examples to get across the importance of good behavior. As well as using stories as an alternate way of teaching, games were created to teach safe and good behavior, such as sitting still and not getting upset over little things. Many of the plains Indians practiced rituals in which the boy would receive an eagle feather upon reaching manhood to symbolize bravery.

The Kocoum have a very similar approach to bringing up their children and getting them oriented into their tribe. The children are not seen as a hugely important role in the society, until they are able to provide for the tribe. Because the Kocoum is highly mobile, they are dependent upon everyone for a contribution. Therefore, until the age of seven or so, the child is not able to make that input. After they are taught, however, they will be highly valued because the child is agile and has ability to hunt, fish, and take care of the household. This is slightly different than other worldly cultures, because the Kocoum do expect the children to make an effort to support others, and they have responsibility even at age seven.

The children of the Kocoum are not only taught of their responsibilities and duties around the tribe, but also the different customs and rituals that the Kocoum hold dear. Instead of receiving the eagle feather as the plains Indians did, the Kocoum honor their sons with part of the boar. Because the boar is the sacred animal of the Kocoum, it is very important for the child to understand the meaning of this and what it means to the tribe. They are taught this after participating in a ritualistic event in a manner of story telling. The Kocoum base their stories on real life examples, and also those that are received from the Great Spirit. Games are incorporated into teaching as well. Interdependence is one thing that is taught at a young age by using a game, which involves waiting patiently for others before moving on. It requires each child to work together to get any task completed, in this way, each child learns to put aside their selfish ambition and do things necessary for the tribe. Learning this at such an early age sets the stage for the rest of their time in the tribe and how productive and useful that child will be.