They range from settled villages with large numbers of people and elaborate dwellings to nomads living in bands of 30-40 moving every few days without need of permanent houses or canoes. Cooperation is central to Indian societies. Many people live in villages and each individual contributes to daily activities by hunting, gathering, looking after the gardens or preparing food. Hunting, warfare and work in the gardens are usually the men's responsibility. Cooking, gathering food in the forest and childcare are usually women's roles.
Festivals are almost universal, and are a very important way of expressing a sense of community.
When Europeans arrived 500 years ago it was disastrous for the Indians. Since then there has been genocide, land theft and the destruction of large areas of forest in the name of profit and greed. After the 'discovery' of Columbus, many European settlers moved in and forced the Indians deeper into the forests, destroying the large communities on the banks of the main rivers. Their beliefs were considered inferior to Christianity and western notions of 'economic growth' have forced aside sustainable agricultural systems. The result of all this has been ecological crisis and human tragedy.