Arcadea:

The arrival of Europeans marked a major change in Native society. Tens of millions died due to sickness, and programs of slavery and extermination. Europeans and their missionaries looked upon Native spirituality as worthless superstition inspired by the Christian Devil, Satan. Many of the survivors were forcibly converted to Christianity. The US and Canadian governments instituted policies to force the Natives onto reservations and to encourage them to become assimilated into the majority culture. Many Native families today have been devout Christians for generations. Others, particularly in the Southwest have retained their aboriginal traditions more or less intact. Most follow a personal faith that combines tradition and Christian elements. Pan Indianism is a recent and growing movement which encourages a return to traditional beliefs, and seeks to create a common Native religion.

Any questions so far?

Red Deer:

{--- with ya, Arc

Arcadea:

ok then

ViragoWitch:

{- following

Shaddo's Ash:

arcadea, do you have a dark deity or what some would call god or goddess in native american spirituality?

Arcadea:

that will be seen further on Ash when we are introduced to some of the gods and goddesses

Native religions share many similarities. Some elements found in most (but not all) are

DEITY:

A common concept is that of a dual divinity; a Creator who is responsible for the creation of the world and is recognized in religious ritual and prayers - a mythical individual a hero or trickster, who teaches culture, proper behavior and provides substenance to the tribe. There are also spirits which control the weather, spirits which interact with humans, and others who inhabit the underworld. Simultaneously the Creator and the spirits may be perceived as a single force, as in the unity called Waken-Tanka by the Lakota and Dakota

CREATION:

In the beginning, the world was populated by many people. Most were subsequently transformed into animals. Natives thus feel a close bond with animals because of their shared ancestry.

EMERGENCE OF THE TRIBE:

This is a concept found extensively in the Southwest. Their universe is believed to consist of many dark, underground layers through which the humans had to climb. They emerged into the present world through a small hole in the ground- the world's navel.

SACRED TEXT:

Native traditions have been preserved as an oral tradition, not in written form. As a result, traditions are often updated and changed as a result of dreams and visions.

AFTERLIFE:

In general, Native religions have no precise belief about life after death. Some believe in reincarnation, with a person being born either as a human or animal after death. Others believe that nothing definitely can be known about one's fate after this Life. Combinations of belief are common.

COSMOLOGY:

The universe is understood as being composed of multiple layers with the natural world as a middle segment. These layers are thought to be linked by the World Tree which has its roots in the underworld, has a trunk passing through the natural world, and has its top in the sky world.

SHAMANS:

Spirits may be encouraged to occupy the Shaman's body during public lodge ceremonies. Drum beating and chanting aid this process. The spirits are then asked to depart and -reform the needed acts. Other times, Shamans enter into a trance and traverse the underworld or go great distances in this world to seek lost possessions or healing.

VISION QUEST:

Young boys before or at puberty are encouraged to enter into a period of fasting, meditation and physical challenge. Girls are not usually eligible for a quest. He separates himself from the tribe and goes to a wilderness area. The goal is to receive a vision that will guide his development for the rest of his life. They also seek to acquire a guardian spirit who will be close and supportive of their lifetime.

RENEWAL CELEBRATIONS:

The Sun dance amongst the Plains Natives is perceived as replay of the original creation. Its name is a mistranslation of the Lakota sun gazing dance. Other tribes use different names. It fulfilled many religious purposes; to give thanks to the Creator, to pray for the renewal of the people and earth, and to promote health.

SWEAT LODGE:

This is a ritual of purification, of spiritual renewal and of healing. It is sometimes used to educate the youth in Native traditions.

HUNTING CEREMONIES:

These involve the ritual treatment of a bear or other animal after its killing during a successful hunt. The goal is to appease its spirit and convince other animals to be willing to be killed in the future.

TRADITIONAL HOUSING:

Conical wigwams or teepees, long houses and cliff dwellings. The shape of the structure often represents a model of the cosmos.

Any questions before I go onto the Deities?

ViragoWitch:

{- still following/no questions yet

Red Deer:

great information, Arc

Arcadea:

This is just a small list of different deities, being as so many of the tribes hold different spirits and deities.

ANGUTA (Inuit/Eskimo) Gatherer of the dead, carries the dead down to the underworld here they must sleep with him for a year.

ANINGQAN (Inuit/Eskimo) The Moon. Brother to the Sun whom Moon chases across the sky. Aningan has a great igloo in the sky where he rests.

ASGAYA GIGAGEI (Cherokee) The red man or woman evoked in spells to cure the ill.

ATIRE (Pawnee) The earth, sacred mother of every living creature.

BIG HEADS (Iroquios) Demon gods, giant heads without bodies who fly about in storms. They find men very tasty.

BREATHMAKER (Seminole) Breathmaker taught men to fish and dig will, and made the Milky way.

COYOTE (southwestern Indians - but known in other areas as well) A trickster, a clown. The creator and teacher of men. Like Loki, Coyote is always lurking about, causing trouble.

EVENING STAR (Pawnee) An evil star who drives the sun down out of the sky and ends his daughter to hinder morning star from letting the sun come back up again.

FIRST MAN AND FIRST WOMAN (Navajo) In the beginning, First Man and First Woman ascended from the underworld together with Coyote, leading the people through trials and tribal tribulations into the surface world which became their home.

GLUSKAP (Algonquin ) The Creator, or more exactly, the creator for Generally benevolent, but often whimsical Gluskap created the plains, the food plants the animals and the human race from the body of the Mother Earth.

KANATI (Cherokee) The lucky Hunter, sometimes called the First Man.

MUCHABO (Algonquin) The Great Hare. A trickster. A shape shifter, Creator of men, the earth deep water and fish. Muchabo drives away cannibal spirits.

MORNING STAR (Pawnee) A protector who leads the sun upward into the sky. A soldier god.

NOKOMIS (Algonquin) "Grandmother" the Sacred Earth Mother, who nurtures all things.

RABBIT (Southwestern) Like Coyote and Muchabo, a trickster god.

RAVEN (Northwestern) Another trickster god, very greedy, forever seeking food. Raven stole the moon from a miser and placed it in the sky.

SHAKURA (Pawnee) God of the underworld, the opposite of North Star. Magical and feared.

TORNGASAK (Inuit/Eskimo) The good spirit, representing everything in nature good and helpful to man.

WACHABE (Sioux/Osage) Black Bear. A guardian. Symbol of long life, strength and courage.

There you go folk, my brief introduction to Native Spirituality. You will see differences and similarities between them and Wiccans and Pagans. I now open the floor for questions and discussion.

Nestor11:

Arc - I was talking to Jeff Meyer the Special Contributor for Native American (ArchaeologyBB) about the difference the geography has on civilizations, their attitudes towards others, and their religious systems.

ViragoWitch:

APPLAUSE Brava, Arcadea!

Arcadea:

yes?

Nestor11:

Given the difference between Eastern World land and Plains and Pacific NW and SW cultures - is there a theme that unites them?

(oh Great Job Aracdea - very impressive)

AZEROTH:

{{{{{{{{{{{arc}}}}}}}}}}}}} great job sis

Arcadea:

yes Nes, the Sacredness of Mother Earth.

Nemain:

very nice Arc..I enjoyed it

Arcadea:

In order to save mother Earth, we as a people must learn that we are one with her, and with all her peoples, red, white, yellow black, two legged and four legged., feathered and scaled... Our legacy is to take only what we need, to live, and return to her what we can... This seems to be the common bond between all tribes and races.

Nestor11:

Yes the Mother Earth - but then each culture and tribal grouping has difference form of the Gods and Goddess - just like was done in Europe - can we therefore talk of a single Native American religion?

Arcadea:

Pan Indianism is working towards that end.

Nestor11:

or do we have many tribal religions with similar dieites and ideas?

Arcadea:

that's it Nestor, exactly... As in Paganism and Wiccan beliefs, we all serve one Mother and Father, regardless of their names.

Nestor11:

Because the culture of the Plains NA was so different from the Eastern Woodlands NA and that was different from the Southwest NA and the Pacific NW - is that not like Celtics, Norse, Greek and Romans?

Arcadea:

I believe they hold many aspects of the One.

Nestor11:

Or do you see them a closer to a single tradition?

Arcadea:

No, in my research, and my personal opinion is that they move within their own cultures, much as the Greeks, Romans, and Celts did and do.

Nestor11:

ok thanks - you did a wonderful job with so much material.

Arcadea:

phew... thank you everyone

ViragoWitch:

it'll take me a while to process all that info.

Arc:

{G}

Red Deer:

I thought that the intent of the Pan Indian movement was to recognize and form bonds based upon underlying similarities Nestor, not to form a unified religion.

GREAT CLASS Arcadea... sorry I got bumped {F}

Arcadea:

fine ward you were brother {g}

Nestor11:

Red Deer - that sounds like a very positive thing for the NA community.

Red Deer:

Much the same as many Pagans' approach to mutual acceptance Nes... and also similar to the UU view...

ViragoWitch:

{--- took a class on American racial/ethnic minorities, with emphasis on NA's

spent a while on Pan Indianism

Red Deer:

gee, thanks Arc {g}

ViragoWitch:

in case anyone cares... Pan-Indianism is the intertribal movement in which several tribes, unrelated by kin, but joined by similar culture, unite to confront an enemy (enemy usually being federal gov't).

Delbin:

yeah they keep so many secrets

ViragoWitch:

some examples are the Ghost Dance of 1880s... NCAI (National Congress of American Indians) founded in 1944, first national lobbying organization for NAs... and the more radical AIM (American Indian Movement), founded in 1968 - which is sometimes compared to the Black Panthers...

and i will shut up now {G}

Red Deer:

lol

{--- wishes someone would do a class on the Ghost Dance. Have read Black Elk and would like to know more...

ViragoWitch:

RD - give me time and i could... just a matter of digging out some old notes and class papers.

Red Deer:

that would be great VW

ViragoWitch:

of course... gods only know where those diskettes are... {G}. i'll email you when i find them, ok?

Red Deer:

kewl...

BTW folks... I could really use some volunteers to teach - like next week, or most anytime after.

ViragoWitch:

RD- go ahead and pen me in for the 23... i'm sure i'll have found the notes by then... if not, i'll pull something else together.

Red Deer:

OK that's VW on 23 March....

ViragoWitch:

and folks... if y'all don't volunteer to teach, i am going to start exposing your guilty secrets... {EG}

Red Deer:

Well folks, I gotta fly... miles to go before I sleep

Brightest Blessings & Merry Part {{{room}}}