Native Americans occupy a turbulent, romantic and painful place in our nation's history and consciousness. At once a symbol of a time long past and a living, vital presence today, Native Americans are not simply the first Americans, but an essential thread woven into the fabric of American life. Lifeways examines the existences carved out by each tribe. Daily life, religious beliefs and sacred rituals are all explored, as well as a tribe's social systems, rules of warfare and their sense of themselves within the natural universe. In addition, the cycle of life -- from birth to marriage to death -- is revealed, including the roles played by men and women, boys and girls.