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Major beliefs of Native American religion essay
Major beliefs of Native American religion essay
Native American religious beliefs and practices
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The Native American folktale “Coyote Finishes His Work” demonstrates the origin and result of ones foolishness and pride by drawing a parallel between the life of the Coyote and the life of a human. Coyote in the story has done many impressive things to help humans, and is described as being a “wise and powerful” being. However, the story also delineates Coyote’s flaws of pride and foolishness by describing his love of tricks, and how they at times hurt himself or others around him. This is important for the author to explain to the reader because it helps the reader understand that one’s importance and power does not make them perfect, nor does perfection come simply by gaining power and knowledge. The Chief visits Coyote when he sees that
Chandler Cook November 5th, 2015 HIST3417 Book Review Embodying agriculture in Gender Systems Dreaming of Sheep in Navajo Country gives readers a look into the federal government’s failed policy to preserve grazing lands by slaughtering hundreds of thousands of livestock with a particular focus on women. Centering around women because they are the primary owners and caretakers of livestock in Navajo reservations. Weisiger’s narrative explains the relationship of “livestock grazing, environmental change, cultural identity, gender, and memory during the New Deal era of the 1930s and its aftermath” (p xv). Weisiger relies on oral histories, environmental science, and government documents.
Robert's encounter with the coyote is a significant step in his understanding of animals and, in turn, this leads to a greater understanding of himself. For Robert to be a soldier, it is important for him to see the point of view of a hunter. He learns from the coyote that a hunter must be generous and kill only in order to survive ("Animals and Their Significance" 1). Robert follows the coyote and watches as it passes two gophers and does not even "pause to scuffle the burrows or even sniff at them. It just [goes] right on trotting--forward towards its goal" (26). The coyote seems to sense Robert's connection with animals and realizes that he is not a threat. This is why the coyote continues to let Robert follow behind when it knows he is there. They drink together at the river, enjoying a "special communion" (Pirie 73). Then the animal tries to communicate with Robert by barking at him, "telling Robert the valley [is] vacant: safe" and then barks another three times to announce its departure (28). When Robert returns to the base, he pays the price for his time with the coyote and is confined to the barracks, but the experience has a profound impact on him. In his confinement, he feels as if the coyote has become a part of him, and he wishes "that someone would howl" (28).
For as long as we have known them, myths or cultural stories have had many lively adventures and meaningful morals told throughout them. The story “How Coyote Came by his Powers” from Coyote Tales (1933) uses the devices of personification and irony to communicate the theme of humility.
In A Thief of Time, Tony Hillerman's characters display perspectives of diverse cultural backgrounds. In Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn we see a shared heritage, as well as their contrasting points of view which stem from choosing different values to live by. Quite a few characters in Hillerman's book, who are not of Navajo blood, connect themselves with Navajo culture through digs, collection, and personal gain. This essay will briefly touch on the view points of three characters; Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn, and Richard DuMont. In these three, we are able to see a variety of cultural angles and values through their interactions with a single interface, death.
When people are placed under stressful, difficult, burdensome situations, they often yearn for a sense of purpose in life. In order to gain this sense of security in themselves and to relieve any stress they may obtain, the depths of their willingness to venture depends on the asperity and longevity of their situation. In Sherman Alexie 's "What You Pawn I Will Redeem," a homeless Spokane Indian, Jackson Jackson, travels to an abundance of places in attempt to collect money to purchase his deceased grandmother 's regalia, which he claims has been stolen from her a number of years ago. Readers of this short story may find themselves questioning Jackson 's purpose to embark on this journey to earn money in an effort to earn back the regalia
Religion often enlightens one with newfound reverence and respect. While caring for the wolf, the man finds both reverence and respect through a few spiritual encounters. As he is walking with the wolf, the man hears coyotes calling from the hills “above him where their cries [seem] to have no origin other than the night itself.” This represents the heavens calling out to the wolf to enter its gates. Once the man stops to build a fire, he seems to hold a ritual for the wolf. His shelter steamed “in the firelight like a burning scrim standing in a wilderness where celebrants of some sacred
“Film is more than the instrument of a representation; it is also the object of representation. It is not a reflection or a refraction of the ‘real’; instead, it is like a photograph of the mirrored reflection of a painted image.” (Kilpatrick) Although films have found a place in society for about a century, the labels they possess, such as stereotypes which Natives American are recognized for, have their roots from many centuries ago (Kilpatrick). The Searchers, a movie directed by John Ford and starred by John Wayne, tells the story of a veteran of the American Civil War and how after his return home he would go after the maligned Indians who killed his family and kidnapped his younger niece. After struggling for five years to recover his niece back, who is now a young woman, she is rescued by his own hands. Likewise, Dances with Wolves is a Western film directed and starred by Kevin Costner. It is also situated during the American Civil War and tells the story of a soldier named John Dunbar that after a suicide attempt; he involuntarily leads Union troops to a triumph. Then, by his request he is sent to a remote outpost in the Indian frontier “before it’s gone”. There, the contact with the natives is eminent and thus it shows how through those contacts this soldier is transformed into another Indian that belongs with the Sioux to tribe and who is now called Dances With Wolves. While both John Ford and Kevin Costner emphasize a desire to apologize to the indigenous people, they use similar themes such as stereotypes, miscegenation, and the way characters are depicted; conversely, these two movies are different by the way the themes are developed within each film.
Although it’s a long and treacherous route to Natchez, Phoenix has a wealth of previous experience. Every time she has done this though, she has faced great discouragement. The doctor who provides her with the medicine time and time again tries to demoralize Phoenix by claiming that the grandson’s sickness is “an obstinate case”. Although faced with hearing this dispiriting comment every time she visits the doctor, Phoenix stays determined and continues to make the journey for medicine as many times as needed. This inner determination is also what allows her to face the many obstacles and hardships found on the path itself. When she encounters animals in her way that cause her trouble, she firmly says, “Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!...Don’t let none of those running my direction. I got a long way.” These animals attempt to cause hardship for Phoenix, however she stands stronger than ever. The doctor and animals could have easily caused Phoenix to give up, but Phoenix’s love for her grandson as a true parent invigorates her determination letting her continue on this journey no matter setbacks are thrown at
Giving animals credit for human emotions allows us to empathize with them. The woman in “The Buffalo” longs to empathize with an animal, one who can “teach her to keep her own hatred. . . .which belonged to her by right but which she could not attain in grief” (Lispector, 1972: p. 152). As a recently devastated woman, all she wants to do is loathe the man who broke her heart, but she is unable to do so because of her undeniable love for him. She believes that an animal can best demonstrate the feeling she cannot find on her own. When she comes across the buffalo, she is finally able to understand the feeling of hatred within her, because the buffalo’s passivity reflects her subconsciously projected emotions. In doing this, she is able to empathize with the animal and learn more about herself.
Native American assigned identities and chosen identities varied significantly from each other. Native Americans saw themselves as very spiritual and moral beings, represented in their traditions and way of life. Analyzing Native American culture allows observers to identify the identity chosen by the Native Americans. Morality was, and likely still is, a primary component of Native American identity. In Coyote Finishes His Work, retold by Barry Lopez, the Nez Perce tell the story of both the beginning of the world, but also covers greed as being a tragic flaw; as Coyote, the main character, abuses his power for his own personal gain and is
Overcoming obstacles in one’s life can lead someone along the path of ultimately taking pride in themselves. This is apparent in William Bell’s novel Crabbe, in the case of young Franklin Crabbe. Firstly, Crabbe’s ordeal in nature teaches him to put others before himself. At the beginning of his journey, he is self-centred whilst making decisions, whereas at the end of his journey, he is able to consider others first. Secondly, during Crabbe’s time in the wilderness, he gains self-satisfaction from hard work. Crabbe learns about how good it feels to accomplish something in his waking hours, and continues to realize this after his encounter with nature. Lastly, throughout Crabbe’s time in the wilderness, he learns to take responsibility for his own unhappiness. In his bounty of moments for reflection, Crabbe realizes his parents are not to blame for his every moment of depression. During Crabbe’s journey in the bush, he overcomes frequent obstacles which send him back to civilization as someone he can be proud of.
In the midst of his journey, Steinbeck is faced with two coyotes. This encounter brings upon him a dilemma. In his mind Steinbeck weighs the two “arguments” that he is having with himself; to kill or not to kill. During this moment in Steinbeck’s nonfiction novel, Travels With Charley, he has to decide whether or not he should do as he was always told to do, or to contradict everything he’s ever been told to do.
The dancers are graceful, elegant, and strong white tail deer that are running through the woods, searching for other animals, and being cautious of human hunters. The dancer is elegant but athletic at the same time jumping through the air simulating the gracefulness of the white tail deer. The dancer portrays the feeling of freedom that all wild things have. The dancer moves his body with proud and deliberated movements the same movements as a white tail deer running through the forest, jumping over fallen trees, listening to the sounds of nature, and stopping for a drink of water. At the end of the dance, the deer (dancer) comes across a group of hunters who stalk him as if he is pray. They pursue him with bows and arrows. In the end, the hunters win and the beating of the deer’s heart stops beating. The deer gives its life to the hunters so the hunters can exist. Through this dance, the Yaqui people gives praise to the deer’s spirit, shows the harmony and balance that exist between nature and man, and says thanks to the cycle of
“This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona” discusses the physical and mental journey of Victor, a Native American man in the state of Washington, as he goes to Phoenix, Arizona to claim his father’s remains and his savings account. While on this journey, Victor learns about himself, his father, and his Indian culture with the help of his estranged friend, Thomas Builds-the–Fire. The author, Sherman Alexie, plays on the stereotypes of Native Americans through the characters of Victor and Thomas. While Thomas is portrayed as the more traditional and “good” Native American, Victor comes across as the “bad” Native American. Through the use of this binary relationship, Alexie is able to illustrate the transformation of these characters as they reconcile with each other, and break out of these stereotypes in the process.
Self-awareness, however, is a state achieved only through one’s action, and is neither inherited nor given to. Chagall, in his painting I and the Village, contemplates the hypocritical flaws of “human” identity through his usage of perception, juxtaposing the animalistic nature of human animals to the anthropomorphic characteristics of nonhuman animals. Chagall’s usage of perception, between the representational views of sheep and the green-colored man in the foreground, represent a moral allegory between one’s animalistic nature and appearance. By aligning the sheep’s line of sight to the green-colored man, Chagall criticizes how humans, despite their attempts to segregate themselves from nonhuman animals, are ultimately unable to conceal, or hide, their true animalistic nature. Ovid, in his poem Metamorphoses, elucidates, in his narrative of Lycaon, human animals are prone to the same flaws to those of nonhuman animals. Despite Lycaon’s social position and power as king, his lack of self-awareness leads him to become transformed into his true persona: a wolf. Thus, Chagall, through perception, conceptualizes the principles of morality in nonhuman animals and immortality in human animal in order to contemplate the illusion in which humans are portrayed as greater than animals because of their moral