The Berdache, or two-spirit, is a term used by Native Americans to refer to many mixed gender roles that are present in their culture. Although the origin of the word is up to some debate, some say it is derived from the French Bardache, which references a male prostitute or catamite. Others say the word itself is middle eastern in decent, referring to a captured one, or a slave.
Frequently, in native culture, these individuals did not experience the same prejudice and discrimination that their contemporary American counterparts have. On the contrary, they were often embraced and treasured, thought to have special powers and insights, and included in the native community.
They occupied positions as healers or medicine persons, they were conveyors of oral traditons and songs, they were integral parts of the ceremonial sundance, they foretold the future and bestowed names upon children, they made pottery, and were nurses in times of battle.
Some, even among this culture, saw these individuals as social failures. But the majority embraced them for who they were, and saw them as an asset to the tribe.
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