Death Rituals In Native American Culture

Older human cultures, such as the Native Americans, held rituals responding to the death of their people. Today people still hold rituals in honor of the dead, yet people now do not perform these acts. The practices used by Native American groups and tribes were better than the modern American customs used today. Therefore, more people who cannot handle the stress of death should practice these ideas to end the stress and griefing that happens today.
Native American cultures have had many different traditions and rituals which change from tribe to tribe. Although there are differences, there are also similarities within most of the death rituals. Today, Native Americans still may incorporate ancient death rituals in modern funeral service. While there are differences within the different tribes, there is one belief that

is similar within almost all Native American tribes. The influence of death rituals is to focus on helping the dead move on safely to the afterlife. Death rituals often include food, jewelry, weapons, or tools placed within the burial site so the dead could make use in the afterlife. Some tribes such as The Nez Perce Native American tribe would even sacrifice the deceased's valuable belongings, such as their horse, wives, or slaves so they could be buried together and live together in the afterlife. Although this still happened, tribes also felt the dead person was to be feared and that the ghost might come back and haunt anyone who used their possessions. This would lead the living to burn the deceased's house and most if not all of their belongings. The deceased’s family would leave their home and to a new house to escape the ghost. Native Americans thought they should not prevent the spirit from finding its way into the afterlife, and to help guide it or enjoy the afterlife as much as possible. The customs and rituals that were performed by the Native Americans were about peace and helping the soul or spirit continue into the next life.
In modern days, only about one in five people die at home. Most people die now in hospitals or nursing homes. Many sets of rituals have grown to be associated with dying in the hospital. Although, when death is close and more treatment pointless, many patients and their family members look for an alternative. If a family is around a patient who is close to dying, hospitals often bring coffee and cookies into the room to bring an easiness over the room. Another sign that death is to come is the television channel that the hospital nurses often turn on in the patient’s room. Usually they will turn on channels with slow moving nature scenes with ambient sounds and low-key music.
For most of human history, death has been mostly a spiritual experience. Frequently, some religious figure would be with a patient through the end to help make the experience meaningful not only for the patient but also for the family and friends. Studies show that some patients have spiritual needs and many obtain strength from their faith. These days, instead of a religious figure, patients are surrounded by strangers or only family. Death, which is one of the most complex events that can occur in a hospital, is usually handled by the youngest physicians.
While for a family, a death can be a moment of deep emotional significance, the reality is that as a doctor pronouncing the death. Instead of being able to be with the family and help them, the doctor is usually spending time trying to fill out death certificates, and deciding whether or not the case needs to be brought to the medical examiner, they are also contacting the organ donor services if possible. The hospital also praises the most tragic of deaths in its own way. Deaths that are caused by an error or those that occur under strange circumstances or carry some important learning point are presented to the medical staff in the form of a morbidity and mortality conference. The medical details are listed in a straightforward manner, with all of the patient’s personal traits drained out. The end of life has been changed into something with less meaning, and this causes more grief.
Grieving is something that everyone experiences within some point in their life. Grieving is more intense when the person who has died has played a very important role to us, or when the loss is unusual in the point of life or at the unusual time. Although not as significant as the death of an immediate family member, other losses such as the death of a grandparent, friend, or even a pet can also be difficult to cope with in life. When coping with the passing of a loved one, it is normal to grieve, or experience a spectrum of different, often overwhelming emotions. People typically mourn in many different ways, depending on the personality, gender, life situation of the individual, as well as the circumstances of the loss, and if they have support from others. However, there are still common behavioral, emotional, and physical reactions that people are likely to experience after a death. Initial reactions to the loss of a loved one is usually the feeling of disbelief or shock. The feelings of confusion, sadness, anguish, and an inability to think or make decisions are also common when one learns that someone close has died. Memories, music, shared places or activities, or seeing someone who resembles the loved one in some way may trigger strong feelings. Even the experience of certain beauty, such as nature or springtime, may also bring sadness. This differs much from the older Native American customs, as music, dance, and weather were all used to help celebrate the passing of a loved one, in order to pass them onto the afterlife. However, still in modern times there are different difficulties, such as being forgetful or absentminded, or feeling as if one is alone. It is also common to worry how one will handle life now without the one who has died, or to fear the loss of other important people or things. Feelings of guilt, as well as an overwhelming sense of responsibility, often occur while grieving. Feelings of loneliness may also intensity at times when the support of the passed person is needed or wanted, or in anticipation of important life events such as graduation or birthdays. However while Native Americans still felt these feelings, they exchanged the sadness in replace with celebrating that the spirit is moving onto a better afterlife.
Traditional Native American religions show a great deal of diversity, mainly due to the relative isolation of the multiple different tribes that were spread out across the North American continent for thousands of years. This allowed for the start and growth of different practices and beliefs between the many different groups. Native American religions are also very closely related to the land in which they were raised and where the supernatural spirits are. While there are many different Native American religious practices, most follow the ideas of the supernatural. Such as an endless, invisible, force, applying to the three life crises of birth, puberty, and death. Spirits, visions, and communal ceremonies were all an outcome from the belief of the afterlife. Native American spirituality is often characterized by a strong emphasis on the importance of personal spirituality and its connection with one's own daily life, and a deep connection between the natural and spiritual worlds.
Native american religions tend to not be institutionalized however rather experiential and private. This has been a source of a large deal of confusion. Individual asceticism through sweat lodge ceremonies and alternative events along with rituals that seem to worship the understanding their religion and faith problematic at the best. Native american religions tend to be carried out primarily during a family or tribal location , and are better explained as a lot of of a method or journey than a faith. It is a relationship practiced between the creator and created. For Native Americans, faith is rarely separated from one's way of life , not like Western cultures where faith is practiced in private and gradually integrated into one's public life. conversation regarding theology and faith, even among their society, is very restricted however to live and breathe is to worship. For Native Americans, a relationship with God is practiced as a relationship with all of creation which , is ever present and does not need an institution or building. All of creation has life. Rocks, trees, mountains, and everything that is visible lives and is a component of creation and so has life that should be revered. God is thought indirectly through an awareness of the relationships or links between various aspects of each the physical and supernatural realms. Spirituality of the Native Americans makes no distinction between these realms; the living and dead, visible and invisible, past and present, and heaven and earth. Most adherents to traditional american Indian ways in which do not see their religious beliefs and practices as a religion; but rather they see their whole culture and social system as infused with spirituality and an integral part of their lives and culture.
Because the Native Americans lived so close to nature, they all knew that death from hunger, disease, or enemies was never too far away. The various death customs and beliefs, gave humans the means to cope with the experience of losing someone. Although some beliefs and rituals could pass from one tribe to the other through trade and marriage, most individual tribes maintained their own death customs and changed them to fit the regional environments into which they migrated. Native American tribes also believed that the spirits of the dead passed into an afterworld and became part of the spiritual forces that changed aspect of their everyday life. Many tribes believed in two souls: one that died when the body died and one that might wander on and eventually die.
Now the one who arranges a funeral for a loved one is a very personal matter.

One may even choose hot to hold a funeral. If one does choose to have no funeral, it is now acceptable, and if they wishes to provide one, that is their option too. However there are still things that relate to the economy, expediency, and influence of others. Death is such an unpleasant occurrence now, eventuality now many people neglect to do much planning for the disposal of their body. Too, death can strike suddenly and force upon a multitude of decisions, which, due to the unexpected trauma, people are unprepared to make within the few days that are available or expected to. People do not want to appear as if they do not sincerely care for their loved ones; and so they make rash, sometimes unwise judgments and decisions. However in older days, Native Americans did not have much to make decisions on. If part of a certain tribe, whenever someone died there was a typical, ceremonial event that would occur. Funerals were never a personal even until later in human life. This all shows how modern death customs have greatly changed over the past many

years.
Older groups such as the Native Americans held rituals in response to the death of their people. These practices were better than the modern American customs used today. Since the native people were able to focus on the passing of the deceased onto the afterlife, there is less grief. This is because they wanted to please the spirit and help it move on peacefully. Therefore, more people who cannot handle the stress of death should practice these idea to end the stress and griefing that happens today.