Why Did People Call the American Indian’s Hue in their Skin Red?

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Howdy!

Welcome to 2024!  Ya-hoo!

Hope y’all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s and hope you’re getting “all your ducks in order,” to begin the New Year.

I know I’m not there, yet, but I’m trying to get organized.

Before I get started with today’s post, I’ll be giving away two (2) e-books of my newest 25th Year Anniversary book, War Cloud’s Passion, to two bloggers today.  So, please do leave me your thoughts.

Well, I thought I’d share some interesting things about the color of skin and why, perhaps, people have called the Native Americans of this country the Red Man.  I’ve been doing lots of research lately and ran across something concerning — of all things — the Egyptians.  The question was asked: Why did the Egyptians show in their paintings the correct skin color for many other races, but painted their own people red?  I’ll give you a  hint right here from the start.  The Egyptians were a very godly people and their meditation brought them closer and closer to the Creator, and, since the color of red denotes a well body and a good mind, as well as a closeness to God, could this be the reason for the reddish hue?

In the picture above, one can easily see the skin color as a dark/brownish red.  There are others, also.

As you can see to the left, the skin color is not white, yellow, black or even brown.  Rather, it’s a reddish brown.

As you probably know if you’ve watched television or western movies, the American Indian has been referred to as being red in skin color.

So I thought I’d show you some pictures of the American Indians and their skin color which looks closely like that of the Egyptians.

As you can see from this picture, these American Indians don’t look strictly “brown.”  It’s a reddish brown.

Even today the medicine wheel shows the different color of the different races of mankind: yellow, black, white and red.

So let me give you some more photos from the past.

 

 

 

 

Okay, so now you’ve seen the pictures, let me tell you what I have read about the reddish hue in skin color:

The reddish skin color from the Egyptians was noted to be red because of their deep breathing and meditation.  The reddish skin color — according to what I’ve read in a book about the Egyptians — is due to the health of the blood and the spiritual nature and awareness of the individual.  It denotes a fellowship with God, the Creator, and an awareness of being a part of His Creation.

History shows us there have been many conjectures told about why the red color; some have said it’s due to sunburn and other accounts have told the story of the red paint that the American Indians were fond of.  But, is this really true?

Could it be that the deeply spiritual native of the American Indian– still alive today — has caused the healthy and beautiful hue of red in their skin color?

It’s something to ponder and as I discovered this fact about the Egyptians, I began to wonder if the same were true of the American Indian.  We know very well about the American Indian being close to nature and to God.  Could it be that, like the Egyptians, the American Indian has shown his closeness to Creation and to God by the subtle and beautiful red hue of his skin?

I think so.  Perhaps it would be of great worth for us all to study well the traditions and lore of the American Indians passed down to them from their ancestors since “time out of mind.”

What do you think?

Here is the new cover for the 25th Year Anniversary book of War Cloud’s Passion.  And here’s link to the book at Amazon if you’d like to purchase it.

https://tinyurl.com/warcloudspassion

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KAREN KAY aka GEN BAILEY is the multi-published author of American Indian Historical Romances. She has written for such prestigious publishers as AVON/HarperCollins, Berkley/Penguin/Putnam and Samhain Publishing. KAREN KAY’S great grandmother was Choctaw Indian and Kay is honored to be able to write about the American Indian Culture.
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53 thoughts on “Why Did People Call the American Indian’s Hue in their Skin Red?”

  1. One of my reasons why I don’t get why people discriminate against the pigment of someone’s skin.

  3. The term’s origin may not be definitive, but it’s definitely a source of argument, and because of the way it has been used as a pejorative against indigenous people, it has become an offensive term and used for hate by many.

    • Hi Denise,

      Oh, my goodness. Is it really used for hate? I guess I’m really out of it in this regard. Hope my blog makes it look in a different light and as a very good thing.

  4. Skin color is something we just have. I believe that it’s what is in our hearts & minds that truly matters!

  5. I don’t look at the skin. It’s the person that I see. The personality. We’re all one people.

  6. That is very interesting and don’t you just love those research rabbit holes. You learn so much and its fascinating. Wouldn’t it be fun to be in the minds of those that lived it – to know why they used the colors they did. Thank you for sharing.

  7. Interesting. My Dad’s grandma was full blooded Indian. He always had darker skin. He taught us to be proud of our Indian heritage. I have always enjoyed your books

    • Hi Jane! This is so wonderful and thank you for your kind words. Goes right to my heart. Likewise, my Dad’s grandma was American Indian, Choctaw and I, too, am proud of it.

  8. Hi Nicole!

    Yes, I love these research rabbit holes. I thought it was a beautiful discovery, since we know well the Egyptians were a very godly people, deeply spiritual and committed to God. Or perhaps people don’t know this nowadays. The Book of the Dead gives a whole new aspect as to what the Egyptians believed to be true. I’ve often thought The book of the Dead is a bad title for a book that shows the kindness of the Egyptian people. It was a whole new take on the subject to learn that perhaps the color came and still comes from their devotion to God, often called the Creator. Thank you for your post.

  9. I saw a meme recently of a deer and eagle spirits behind an Indian brave walking in a rocky area. The captioned read “The color of the skin is less important than the spirit which moves it”. That says it all!

  10. It is certainly an interesting theory. I think skin color of many Native Americans tends to a copper tone. Those in the South and West tend to be exposed to a strong sunlight which burnishes and darkens the skin tone. Those further north don’t get as much sunlight and may not tan as deeply. Not really a red but a nice tone. I know when I was in the tropics and had more strong sun exposure, I tanned very deeply. Most people who did not know me thought I was of mixed blood with the natives because I was so dark. Even now, if I get a lot of summer sun, I tan very darkly. It is the skin undertones that determine how dark you will become and what that darker tone will be. I saw an interesting study that had pictures of people of different ethnicities and skin tones. Behind them was a color swatch that closely matched their skin tone. There were no real reds, yellows, whites, or blacks. Tones ranged from a pale beige through pinkish beige to increasingly darker tones of beige/tan to a very dark brown beige. The undertones, minor though they are, make a big difference. In general, the amount and type of melanin a person has influences the darkness of their skin tone. Interestingly enough, for all people, the amount of melanin in the skin varies in populations native to areas in bands from the poles to the equator. With those closer to the poles having less melanin than those closer to the equatorial areas. (Sorry I got off on a tangent. It was a research topic I studied many, many years ago in college.)
    I hope your 2024 has gotten off to a great start. Your 25th Anniversary covers are really nice.

    • Gosh, Patricia, as is usually the case, I am in awe of your post and your attention to these details. So interesting. Like I said in the post, it was something I read about as concerns the Egyptians and it made me wonder if it might be true for the American Indians, too, thus my post. What I didn’t know (cause I don’t listen to news and don’t keep up on what currently is going on), I didn’t know the subject was controversial. But, anyway, I love your post. Thank you.

      • Not really controversial, at least not to me. Just interesting. Like many things, it is the way you say something that determines how the comment is meant or interpreted. People are people and all are beautiful in their individuality.

  11. There was a black comedian that had said that we are all different shades of color, and he had gone to a Home Depot to find out what shade he was. Lol! Your info on Egyptians was really interesting.

  13. This is an interesting concept but not necessarily one I subscribe to. The Egyptians were religious but they worshipped many gods, not God the Creator.

    • Hi Rhonda! I see what you mean and I don’t disagree with you. But, these were in the days — perhaps as long ago as 1500 B.C. to 800 B.C — before Christ. I’ve always thought that because they hadn’t yet received His word, that they were doing the best they could with what they could observe in the world around them. I, however, am no scholar on this and I could be way off. Thank you so much for your thoughts.

  14. What a fascinating blog, Kay! When we were in Egypt a year ago, I saw all the drawings in the many temples we visited and never knew why the Egyptians painted themselves red!!

    Like others have said, we are who we are by God’s design. He knows what He’s doing. Who are we to question it or put a different spin on it?

    Well done, my sister filly!!

    • Hi Pam! Thank you so much! That must have been quite a trip. Wow! I know several people who would like to go to Egypt, but who haven’t yet. Thanks for your kind words, Pam.

  16. I don’t know why Native Americans were called “redskins” but I always thought they looked tan not red or reddish. I don’t think Oriental people look yellow either so I don’t know about that one either. The spiritual nature does make sense but there are a lot of “white” people that I know who are very spiritual and their skin isn’t red. I would say only God knows.

    • Hi Naomi! I think you’re right about the American Indian looking tan, but there is a hue of red there beneath the skin, perhaps, that I’ve not seen in other people I know who also are wonderfully “tan” all year long. In some tribes where the skin is a little lighter, I think it’s easier to see. You know, I think you’re right about only God knows, too. As I delve deeper and deeper into the Medicine Man and Medicine Women, some of the things I write about … a little paranormal … are actually true happenings from our long ago past. I’m including one of them in the story I’m writing about now and it comes from the book, PRETTY SHIELD, MEDICINE WOMAN OF THE CROW, and I’ve included them in the other three books in the series, though mine are fictionalized accounts of it, too. But, their knowledge of the world around them and of the earth and its remedies in nature and their closeness to God continues to inspire me. thank you so much for your post. And thanks for sharing it today.

  17. Hey Karen! I’m late! LOL I finally had a chance to read your post! As always you dig deep and I appreciate your research and thoughts on Native American history! My granny was a quarter Cherokee. She had dark skin but freckled. She said if her freckles were covered better she would have a nice tan! LOL My brothers and I tanned very well, but I had freckles too. And they multiplied more with the sun! LOL

    • Hi Tracy! So wonderful to see you here today and read your post. Like you, I tan easily, although I usually burn first, then it turns to a tan. But, my sister did not tan well — she was also adopted but my sister for all my life — she would always freckle when she went in the sun. Your post reminds me of those days. Thank you so much.

  18. What an awesome article. I have always loved the color of Indians skin. It is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

    • Hi Barbara! I feel the same way. My grandchildren have some of this color and they have American Indian heritage on both sides of their family…and a lot of other heritages, as well. And it’s true, too. Some of the American Indian women and men I’ve seen on the reservations are beautiful almost beyond compare. Thank you so much for your post.

  19. It is my understanding the Indian has a very close grasp on the deity and everything on this earth has a special purpose and meaning. All of life is led by that belief in their living and actions. It is inbred in them to honor their ancestors. I highly respect them and their spiritualism. I like to think it is in the same GOD we Christians worship. Heaven only knows. Your history lesson was very enlightening. Thank you Karen.

    • Hi Judy!

      Thank you for your wonderful and insightful post. And, thank you for your kind and gracious words. You have made this evening even better (we’re having storms here today). Yes, the Indians lived closely with the earth and observed everything. There are no scouts who (in my opinion) even come close to the American Indian scout. And because they were so close to the earth and its creation, they were close to God, the Creator. I like to think, also, that the Creator is the same as the GOD we Christians worship. I, too, like to think they are. From my research into the Medicine Men, I have found they have a unspoken, unwritten way to life that is often very, very hard to live. The Blackfeet, also, have medicine, but they are a little different, I’m finding, from the Lakota, though much the same in terms of their personal ethics. I think there is much to learn from their warriors, their medicine men and medicine women about ones innate spirituality and I wish things had been different when the two cultures met one another. They learned much from the European, it seems to me, but we learned little from them. Sad. They had so much to offer.

      Again, thank you so much for your post.

  20. As someone with Sioux ancestry besides white ancestors, I can tell you the white settlers called them the Redskin, noy due t their skin color, but prejudice. And yes, I can say that is true how many were thought of by the white men, even the fur trappers, as it is in the history of my French-Canadian fur trapper great-great grandfather and his second wife, my Sioux (Hunkapapa) great-great grandmother. So much, he left out their children, but left his fortune to his white children from his first wife who was white. He obviously only married Grandma to help raise his white kids as the wife died on route to Nebraska. But I love what you afre saying in your post here, Karen, so thank you.

    • Hi Pamela! I have some Lakota friends, also, and the prejudice surrounding their reservation (the Brule reservation at Mission) is so great, it was hard on my friends. I have a a godson who is Lakota, but I haven’t heard from him in years although I email him frequently…don’t know if he gets my emails. The fate of the American Indian women when they married the trappers and sometimes even the traders (although the traders tended to be faithful to their Indian wives), but the “engagee’s” who were company men, often left their Indian wives. There is a story by James Willard Schultz about a trader who married a pretty, young Indian woman and his new mother-in-law made him swear to Sun that he would never leave his new wife. He swore and he remained faithful to her. But the stories in the tribes — Blackfeet, Lakota, Crow of the mountain men (or trappers) or the “company men” leaving their wives (these I’ve read about) and the grief and crying hear in camp…made the parents not too happy to marry their daughters to the trappers.

      In one of my stories, the hero mentions this (white men leaving their Indian wives behind) to the heroine of the story — book #1 of the Medicine Men series — and mentions this to his new wife and lets her know he will never do this to her.

      There was a man who traveled with Buffalo Bill’s Show who had married an Indian woman and had had chldren with her. Beautiful chldren, by the way. There are pictures of him and the family online.

      A very wise Apache man once said to his “student” Jeffrey Prather in Prather’s book, BOYS ARE BORN, MEN ARE TRAINED, (this was in the 1970’s I believe) that there is only ONE race, which happens to come in different colors. We are all related.

      Thank you for your thoughts and for posting them.

  21. I always liked the myth that the people were made of fired clay. Depending on the position they were under done, burnt, ir just right. I wish I could remember the tribe it came from.

      • Hi Mary! I had to go to the links and read about them, too. These are some good stories. There was much I didn’t know about the Potawatomi, the Ojibwe and the Ottawa becoming a combined tribe. The Old Man stories I’ve heard many of. Some of the Blackfeet people tell stories of Old Man doing things and doing them badly, so that the people will know what not to do. : )

        Geroge Bernard Shaw was a wonderful writer. A contemporary of his time of James Willard Schultz. Because I am currently writing about the Blackfeet, I can’t seem to read enough of these stories. Thank you for sharing these links.

    • Hi David! As usual your comments give me a smile. I’ve not heard of this legend, but I like it very much! I’ve been “reading” (an audio book) lately about archaeology and recent finds in Egypt, Fascinating. : )

  22. I love the information you share with us on your blog page. I know how much you love the research ? you do to make your books ? come alive. You also know how much I ? every ? you have written. I have read them All. I love ? you Kay!

    • Hi Starr! Wow! It’s wonderful to have you here today and to comment. I got home late — we have some storms here today and the drive home was much longer than usual. Thank you, Starr, for your kindness and you graciousness. Love you, too!

    • Hi Debra,

      It’s true. I didn’t go into in detail. I was just excited to find the connection and have another way to show how spiritual the American Indian was — and in many cases — still is. : )

  24. What a wonderfully thought provoking post. I haven’t researched as you have. To me, skin color has always been irrelevant. Thankfully, I was raised (born in 1951) by parents who taught us never to judge others because of their skin color and to be kind. Guess it was kind of like MLK’s speech long before he made it.

    Thank you for the post.

    • Hi Winona,

      Thank you very much! Wonderful to meet you and see you here. And thank you for your gracious and kind comments. Like you, I was raised to look at others as an individual, not by any other thing, like the color of skin. You know, upon thinking about this a bit, I think this trend to “identify” only by color of skin color or “race,’ keeps a person from simply being part of the human race, sad to say. Also, it’s a redefinition of the word, “race,” since culture and skin color doesn’t define race. Being human defines our race. As a wise Apache medicine man once said, “We are all one race…the human race. We just happen to come in different colors.” There’s a saying in the circle of the American Indians and it goes, “We are all connected.” I love this phrase. With few words it says so much. Yes, we are all connected…all life is connected, I think.” Anyway, thought I’d let you know I enjoyed your post.

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