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Indigenous religions
Native American religious beliefs and practices
Native American religious beliefs and practices
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There are many tribes all across America that observed many common festivals and ceremonies such as the maple, planting, and green corn festivals, but many tribes, including the Delaware, had an annual religious ceremony that differed from those of other tribes. The Big House Ceremony, or Gamwing Ritual was once known as the most important tradition of the Lenape and it was ended because the people assumed that they can still survive without it. From my standpoint, I think that the Lenape should not restore the Gamwing. With the loss of the this tradition many years ago, it will be difficult to reestablish this practice. The early decades of the twentieth century brought difficult times for the Delaware which lead to people showing less interest to continue this practice. Although the Big House Ceremony represented people’s spirituality, it is considered “artificial and disrespectful” to redevelop this practice (Young 99). There are not enough people in this society that continue to believe in this tradition and would not attend if the Big House Ceremony was revived because “they consider the ritual superstitious or they do not understand the language” (99). Even though they want something new, there’s memories there, so it can be tough for them to make the decision. Today, individuals are focused on other things, and …show more content…
The Big House Ceremony tradition should be kept alive by having the Lenape’s possessions and objects in an exhibit. Having them there means other people can come and “learn about the Lenape culture and its spiritual essence” (100). Eventhough, the Lenape believed that doing this ceremony will lead them to having “good crops and everything good” (98), and they want to bring it back, “no one if left with the proper knowledge to lead the ceremony”
It was August 14th, 1791 when the first plantation building was set aflame by black slaves. This was all a part of the Bois Caïman ceremony. (Shen) The Bois Caïman ceremony was a Vodou ceremony led and performed by Dutty Boukman, a Vodou priest. The Bois Caïman ceremony was said to have been a ceremony where the slaves were to get together in Morne-Rouge, and to finalize the planning of the revolution. While the ceremony has become a legend-type story, and it is hard to discern what is real and what isn't, many accounts of that ceremony tell that there were Vodou deities present, animal sacrifices and a raging storm. (Shen) The ceremony, with the celebration surrounding it, was meant to lift the spirits of and give hope to the Haitian people. The Haitians used hope to motivate them, and with much fighting, many fights of which were led by Dutty Boukman, they were able to gain their independence. Of course, some of that hope was taken away when the French told the Haitians that they would only get their independence if they paid the debt of 150 million French Francs to France. But if there were any complications in the fulfillment of the payment, the French would be rescinding their recognition that Haiti was an independent country. (Popkin 152) The Haitians
Thomas King suggests that the majority groups within a society do not treat the minority groups fairly; that is, the general public are not empathetic towards the first nations. Furthermore, as Walter, the museum director, wants to “move [the totem pole] someplace else”[120], he is suggesting to ignore the problem and hope by “Monday, [they will] have the whole thing straightened out”[120]. This shows the lack of concern that the majority, which are represented by Walter, has for the natives. The aboriginals, symbolized by the totem pole, are repeatedly neglected and although everyone acknowledges the problem, no one makes any attempt to fix it.
of Native American Culture as a Means of Reform,” American Indian Quarterly 26, no. 1
Corbett, B. (1999). Last call in Pine Ridge For the Lakota’s in White Clay, Nebraska, death is on the house. Retrieved February 6, 2005, from http://ishgooda.org/oglala/whitcla1.htm
People have been living in America for countless years, even before Europeans had discovered and populated it. These people, named Native Americans or American Indians, have a unique and singular culture and lifestyle unlike any other. Native Americans were divided into several groups or tribes. Each one tribe developed an own language, housing, clothing, and other cultural aspects. As we take a look into their society’s customs we can learn additional information about the lives of these indigenous people of the United States.
Change is one of the tallest hurdles we all must face growing up. We all must watch our relatives die or grow old, our pets do the same, change school or employment, and take responsibility for our own lives one way or another. Change is what shapes our personalities, it molds us as we journey through life, for some people, change is what breaks us. Watching everything you once knew as your reality wither away into nothing but memory and photographs is tough, and the most difficult part is continuing on with your life. In the novel Ceremony, author Leslie Silko explores how change impacted the entirety of Native American people, and the continual battle to keep up with an evolving world while still holding onto their past. Through Silko’s
Holism is present and the importance of nature and the maintenance of a traditional life-style (stick four). Through McLeod’s (2007) work we see a bond between landscape and other beings. “Through ceremonies, prayers, and songs, the Nehiyawak were able to communicate with other beings and the powers of the land around them, the Atayohkanak, the spiritual grandfathers and grandmothers” (p. 26). McLeod goes on to state that the power of ceremonies in a relationship is not limited to a human-to-human relationship. For example, “[t]he pipe stem is significant for the Nehiiyawak, the Dene and other Indigenous nations as a way of concluding arrangements… [it] was more than… a way of sealing political arrangements… it was a way of making and affirming relationships with the land, of honouring the spiritual powers who dwelt where the people were living.” (McLeod, 2007, p. 27) As well, language is a reoccurring theme. McLeod (2007) attributes much of the continuity of the Cree people to maintaining language which is often through the elders (in his instance, his
In our day and age where our youth are becoming more aware of the history of the country and the people who inhabit it, the culture of Native Americans has become more accessible and sparks an interest in many people young and old. Recent events, like the Dakota Access Pipeline, grab the attention of people, both protesters and supporters, as the Sioux tribe and their allies refuse to stay quiet and fight to protect their land and their water. Many Native people are unashamed of their heritage, proud of their culture and their ancestors. There is pride in being Native, and their connection with their culture may be just as important today as it was in the 1800’s and before, proving that the boarding school’s ultimate goal of complete Native assimilation to western culture has
The Chattahoochee Legacy Hall provides a timeline of history from the first civilizations to the modern day. When first entering I encountered a 15 foot alligator that was illegally killed and preserved and enclosed in a glass case, Oscar the Alligator is a fitting name. Down the hall I encountered an old slave house, where I met Cicero, a young slave who claimed the house was his. He spoke about Horace King and his great building skills. Across from the house, I noticed a beautiful red ceremonial beaded sash. According to the information next to the display I learned it was carried by a Yuchi chief named Sakasemyer, who snuck it through the Trail of Tears. Next to that was a school house, this exhibit was a favorite when I would visit the museum as a child. It is a one-room school complete with a large chalkboard in front behind the teacher’s desk and a smaller one on each of the sixteen desks. The detail is decent, upon walking in I heard an echo from the wooden floors and I noticed a bucket of coal for warming the room in the winter months. On the chalkboard assignments were listed for each particular grade level. The next era i...
LaDuke, Winona. All Our Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 1999. Print.
“The Sun Dance was the most spectacular and important religious ceremony of the Plains Indians of 19th-century North America” (Lawrence 1). The Sun Dance became a time of renewal and thanksgiving for Native Americans. Everyone had a role to play either in the preparation leading up to the dance, or within the dance itself. The entire tribe was expected to attend the ceremony. There were also some social aspects to the dance, such as powwow dancing in the afternoon and evening.
The colonization of civilizations has changed the world’s history forever. From the French, Spaniard, and down to the English, have changed cultures, traditions, religions, and livelihoods of other societies. The Native Americans, for example, were one of the many civilizations that were conquered by the English. The result was their ways of life based on nature changed into the more “civilized” ways of the colonists of the English people. Many Native Americans have lost their old ways and were pulled into the new “civilized” ways. Today only a small amount of Native American nations or tribes exist in remote areas surviving following their traditions. In the book Ceremony, a story of a man named Tayo, did not know himself and the world around him but in the end found out and opened his eyes to the truth. However the Ceremony’s main message is related not only to one man but also to everything and everyone in the world. It is a book with the message that the realization of oneself will open the eyes to see what is truth and false which will consequently turn to freedom.
The movement westward during the late 1800’s created new tensions among already strained relations with current Native American inhabitants. Their lands, which were guaranteed to them via treaty with the United States, were now beginning to be intruded upon by the massive influx of people migrating from the east. This intrusion was not taken too kindly, as Native American lands had already been significantly reduced due to previous westward conquest. Growing resentment for the federal government’s Reservation movement could be felt among the native population. One Kiowa chief’s thoughts on this matter summarize the general feeling of the native populace. “All the land south of the Arkansas belongs to the Kiowas and Comanches, and I don’t want to give away any of it” (Edwards, 203). His words, “I don’t want to give away any of it”, seemed to a mantra among the Native Americans, and this thought would resound among them as the mounting tensions reached breaking point.
The smoke floats through the air and surrounds the village people. The eyes of everyone is on the village elder and no one speaks a word. This is a time for sharing the great history that the new generation must learn. Without written langue history and important lessons are spoken to the children of Native American villages. These stories’ hold a special meaning to the children as they are all they know about their ancestors. Often these stories have elements of mystical beings that help the Native people. In this way the people not only get a history lesson, but also a way of practicing religion. Each story is unique to the village and tribe that it was developed; however similar concerts can be seen as the
It was a beautiful Saturday morning on January 6. The winter air was crisp and the view was amazing. The soft salty scent from the ocean filled the air. Off the balcony on the second story of the Long Beach Yacht Club I could see the light swells of the Pacific Ocean. The small crashing of waves added to the peaceful instrumental background sounds as the ceremony was about to begin. January 6, my wedding date, was a day that changed the rest of my life.