Religions of the World

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Part 5 Religions of the World Native American
Religions Glenn Rogers, Ph.D.
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Native American Religions Introduction The
challenges of studying Absence of formal
organization structure Wide variety under one
heading Time span--15,000 to 20,000 year
legacy Geographic distance--all of North
America Numerous social and economic
structures Lack of formal/reliable
sources Literary sources for only past 400
years with best sources for only past 100
years Syncretism with European beliefs
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Native American Religions Introduction The
focus Nature, personal religious experience The
importance A resurgence in interest, importance
for American history Basic Beliefs A blend of
Polytheism, Monotheism and Monism (i.e., the
idea that everything in universe can be reduced
to one basic thing--God, mind, matter, energy,
etc.) Animistic in nature spirits everywhere
and active in material world egs. spirit of
trees, hills, sky, water, various animals
eagle, hawk, buffalo, elk Sometimes emphasis on
One Great Spirit with other lesser spirits
active in nature
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Native American Religions Basic Beliefs Mother
Earth is an often recurring theme oneness with
nature, respect for nature, harmony If
monotheistic, God often uninvolved (as in African
beliefs) The lesser spirits are the active
ones that must be respected and
approached Some conceive of personal God,
others of an impersonal sacred power
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Native Americans see
themselves as part of the world of nature, part
of a larger system They reverence nature more
than Europeans They not only depend on it, but
are very much part of it To abuse nature is to
abuse oneself Wasting resources is wrong,
irreligious The earth is the body of Mother
Nature that brings forth fruit. The earth, as
the Mothers body, must be respected Animals
can be hunted, but only in respectful ways
(Last of Mohicans clip)
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(No Transcript)
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature The presence of the High God
in nature leads to view that nature is not
simply an object to be used (the typical
European view) but something humans are part of,
with which we must live in harmony Part of the
antagonism between Native Americans and European
settlers in 1700s and 1800s was this basic
worldview difference Interacting with the
spirit world Maintaining good relations with
nature was key Harmony rather than control
egs. Europeans would dam up rivers and cut
irrigation canals. Native Americans would
never dream of such
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Interacting with the spirit
world Sacrifice Generally not human or animal
Though Aztecs and other South and Central
American tribes did occasionally engage in
human sacrifice Most tribes in North
America did not Gifts (items valued by
individuals) would be offered to spirits in
exchange for favors Taboos Things that must be
avoided to avoid insulting and angering spirit

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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Interacting with the spirit
worldcont Taboos Two important
taboos Menstruating women Dead bodies
Special burial customs designed to
minimize contact with dead Burial
grounds as sacred places to be
avoided Ceremonies and Rituals In animistic
contexts always an attempt to control by
gaining favor of spirits
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Interacting with the spirit
worldcont Ceremonies and Rituals Dances
as form of honor and request Pre-hunting
rituals as prayers for good hunt Vision
Quest Rite of passage to adulthood, initiation
into group by temporary exile and communion
with spirits, sometimes to gain special
power Often preparation for major events
battles, hunts, marriage, crises
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Interacting with the spirit
worldcont
Totemism A totem is an object that represents the
ancestor of a group or a people. A totem might be
an animal, in which case the people will avoid
hunting and eating that creature and will revere
it. North American totem poles depict ancestors
and the spirits associated with them.
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Interacting with the spirit
worldcont
Reconstructed Tlingit longhouse with totem poles
in the Totem Bight State Park, Ketchikan, Alaska
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Interacting with the spirit
worldcont Religious leadership Shamanistic
medicine man or woman, healer, perhaps
seer Qualifications personal experience with
spirit world Vehicles for enhanced
interaction with spirit world tobacco,
peyote, other hallucinogens
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Death and Life in Spirit
World Wide range of beliefs among various
tribes Over 200 years of exposure to Christian
ideas has impacted beliefs General points of
agreement between most Taboos associated with
corpses Overall lack of fear of
death General belief in two souls or two kinds
of souls One soul associated with life
force. When body dies and decays, this
soul does as well
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Death and Life in Spirit World
cont Two soulscont The second can be
described as a free soul that can leave the
body during dreams, visions etc. and travel
to other places and return to body This is
common belief in basic religions, is ancient,
and is still part of African traditional
religious beliefs At death, this free soul
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Native American Religions Animism, the Spirit
World, and Nature Death and Life in Spirit
World At death the free soulcont Goes to
the land of the dead, which is an earth-like
place that can be happy or sad, no ideas about
heaven/hell, reward or punishment In land
of dead, souls live as long as the still
living remember them, similar to ATR The
living can assist the soul on its journey --
food and drink sometimes buried with dead
No ideas about reincarnation
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Native American Religions Today Most Native
Americans today who are religious are
Christians Most of the animistic, polytheistic
beliefs have been erased or replaced Some NAR
(or aspects of them) have been retained and
Christianized and remain as part of a syncretized
(blended) belief system Medicine men and
women still practice in some blended NAR
contexts Some Native Americans have been
receptive to Mormonism There is a revived
interest in NAR in general
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Key Points The challenges of studying Basic
Beliefs A blend of Polytheism, Monotheism and
Monism (i.e., the idea that everything in
universe can be reduced to one basic thing--God,
mind, matter, energy, etc.) Animistic in
nature spirits everywhere and active in
material world egs. spirit of trees, hills,
sky, water, various animals eagle, hawk,
buffalo, elk Sometimes emphasis on One Great
Spirit with other lesser spirits active in
nature
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Key Points Mother Earth is an often recurring
theme oneness with nature, respect for nature,
harmony If monotheistic, God often uninvolved
(as in African beliefs) The lesser spirits
are the active ones that must be respected and
approached Some conceive of personal God,
others of an impersonal sacred power Native
Americans see themselves as part of the world of
nature, part of a larger system They reverence
nature more than Europeans
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Key Points They not only depend on it, but are
very much part of it To abuse nature is to
abuse oneself Wasting resources is wrong,
irreligious The earth is the body of Mother
Nature that brings forth fruit. The earth, as
the Mothers body, must be respected
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Works Cited Presentation based on Hopfe, Lewis
M. and Mark R. Woodward. Religions of the World.
Tenth Edition. Upper Saddle River Pearson,
2007. (adapted and augmented by Glenn Rogers,
Ph.D.)