Premium Essay

Rituals Of Native Americans

Submitted By
Words 180
Pages 1
The First Americans were the people who crossed into the “New World” from Asia and establish their rich and diverse cultures in America. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Native Americans developed their distinct and creative culture. They cultivated plants for food, medicines, and textiles. They also domesticated animals, established a trade network, built cities and produced monumental architecture. Native Americans also developed their own distinct religions and practice rituals. The First Americans were spread across the North and South America because hunting and gathering required a large amount territory to support themselves. They were remarkably adaptable people, capable surviving in a severe weather. There was also evidence that

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Native American Rituals

...Rituals can be found in almost every religion present on earth. I mainly agree with the statement that “the most powerful aspect of religious rituals is their ability to bring followers of a religion closer together with one another.” Throughout my essay I will discuss the importance of rituals within the Hindu, Islam, and Jewish religion. In addition to these three religions, I will also discuss a Native American ritual to help highlight how unifying rituals can be. Giant celebrations can be the result of partaking in specific rituals. The Festival of Lights is an annual celebration and ritual practiced in Hindu that brings joy and delight to the followers of Hinduism. The ritual of Diwali symbolizes the victory of light overcoming darkness, also known as good overpowering evil. Diwali emphasizes...

Words: 1314 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Native American Culture

...Native American Culture Have you ever wonder how the world was created from another culture’s perspective? Native Americans used creation myths to explained to their people how the world was developed overtime. Creation myths are a big part of the Native American culture. they have been passed down from generation to generation. In the creation myths, harmony with nature, rituals, and strong social values are shown in each myths. The purpose of having strong social value in these myths is to teach younger Native Americans valuable lesson if they ever do something bad. These myths reveals how the rituals were created and their intentions for doing it. Creation myths has harmony with nature in it to show a very close kinship between them and nature. Native American explained how the world began with their myths. Various works of literature reveal the Native American tradition and beliefs of rituals, strong social value, and harmony with nature. Rituals plays an important role in Native American Culture. In the short story, “The Man to Send Rain Clouds”, the Laguna ritual was shown when Leon did the funeral rites on Teofilo. For example, “ Leon ties feathers to Teofilo’s hair, paint his face, and sprinkle holy water on his grave” (50). This quote is important because it is part of the Native American’s tradition that was past down from generation to generation, and the purpose of doing this funeral rites is to make him be part of nature. Another example of Native American ritual...

Words: 793 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Religion

...CHAPTER TWO: NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIONS Chapter Outline and Unit Summaries Introduction: The Challenges in Studying Native American Religions A. The Contemporary Revival of Interest in Native American Religions 1. Important Role in History of North America 2. Emphasis on Nature and Personal Religious Experience 3. Absence of Formal Organizational Structure B. A Wider Variety of Religious Types Under One Heading 1. A Fifteen to Twenty Thousand Year Legacy 2. Geographic Spread Across a Continent 3. Numerous Forms of Social and Economic Organization C. A Dearth of Reliable Sources on Native American Religions 4. Literary Sources from Only Past Four Hundred Years, with Best Sources from Past One Hundred Years 5. Difficulty of Identifying a Pure Type: Many Changes Fostered by Engagement with Europeans 6. Archaeology Provides Some Clues to Pre-European Era 7. The Necessity of Generalizing about the Entire Field The Spirit World A. A Mixture of Polytheism, Monotheism, and Monism B. Native American Religions Tend Toward Polytheism 1. The World Populated by Numerous Spirits 2. Mother Earth at Heart of Nature 3. Deities Represented by Natural Forces C. Native American Religions Tend Toward Monotheism and Monism1. The Supreme Being / High God Above Lesser Deities 2. High God Generally Uninvolved in World—Lower Deities Hold Sway over Nature and Everyday Life 3. High...

Words: 884 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Nacirema Paper

...Body  Ritual  Among  The  Nacirema   Running  head:  THE  NACIREMA                                       Body  Ritual  Among  The  Nacirema                                             Body  Ritual  Among  The  Nacirema   Running  head:  THE  NACIREMA     BODY  RITUAL  AMONG  THE  NACIREMA       The  Body  Ritual  Among  the  Nacirema  was  written  by  Horace  Miner  in  which   he  describes  the  culture  of  a  tribe  a  people  that  would  make  most  Americans  think   that  the  Nacirema  people  are  barbaric  and  mysterious  when  in  fact  we  are  more   common  than  one  may  think.     The  Nacirema  people  are  much  like  modern  society  Americans  but  uphold   ancient  traditions  and  language.  Myself  being  of  Native  American  culture  I  could   relate  with  some  of  the  descriptions  given  in  the  article  written  by  Mr.  Miner.  Most   people  have  the  misconception  that  Native  Americans  believe  in...

Words: 520 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Research

...develop a research question that lends itself to further exploration and debate—a question you genuinely want to know the answer to. Try to pick a research question that is neither too broad (covering too much) or too narrow (covering too little). It should be broad enough to be discussed in a short research paper. Part 1: Complete the Research Plan |What is your general topic or area of interest? |My general topic area of interest is Native American Culture. | | | | | | | |What is it about your general topic that interests you? |The thing that interests me the most about native American culture is | | |their wedding rituals and newborn rituals. | |What questions do you have about the topic that you would like...

Words: 935 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Essay On Native American Religion

...Native religions have similar characteristics for their religious beliefs than those that are not indigenous. Both have set worship sites, life goals and rites and rituals they partake in. However, just as Christianity and Hinduism are different in their beliefs, the beliefs of Native Americans also vary based on the tribe they are associated with. Native American tribes have a long, established relationship with nature and the animal population. Depending on the tribe they belong to, the Native Americans might believe in a number of different gods or spirits which are usually linked to nature and their dependence on it (Molloy, 2009). The Great Spirit is well known throughout many indigenous tribes, to be a collection of spiritual energies,...

Words: 522 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Native American Indians Religious Beliefs and the Impact on Healthcare

...April 2015 The Native American Indian with Respect to Healthcare and Religious Practices Carrie Johnson The American Native Indian culture has used alternative medicine and tribal rituals for many centuries. This culture has used natural remedies to treat and cure diseases and aliments within their tribe. The term “Medicine Man” is coined from the Native American Indian tribes. The person who held this title was generally an elder of the tribe. The inflicted person(s) would seek out the elder or “Medicine Man” to treat their sickness. The tribe will use natural substances and tribal rituals as their source for treating diseases and illnesses. A few examples of natural elements are plants and root extracts from their demographic region. Examples of customary rituals could include: chants, dances and prayers. Another unique custom of the tribe is the involvement of the tribe in rituals to treat the sickness of a tribal member. Cultures that exist outside of the tribe may have some difficulty understanding their cultural beliefs and alternative practices, but these practices have been around for centuries. The following are census facts and demographic statistics of the Native American Indian: “Total American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) alone population: 2.9 million or about 0.9 percent of the US population. About 32% of Natives are under the age of 18, compared to only 24% of the total population...

Words: 882 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Alternate Gender Roles in Native American and Hindu Societies

...Alternate Gender Roles in Native American and Hindu Societies Sara Boater Anthropology 101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Cal Overton January 09, 2014 While many cultures have defined societal gender roles that are specifically male or female, there are some cultures that also recognize that some individuals belong to an alternate gender role. Individuals that may participate in alternate gender roles are those that are born as male of female, but identify themselves as being the opposite of their biological sex. These individuals may also be only sexually attracted to members of the same sex as well. Some cultures recognize this alternate gender role, and even consider them to be holy, others may be more judgmental and may even harbor prejudice and hatred. While the reasons that people might identify themselves as a gender that is opposite of their own may be mostly the same from culture to culture, they way that they are viewed is usually quite different. It can also be said that many cultures choose not to even recognize alternate gender roles within their societies,which is usually because these individuals are highly misunderstood. Though many cultures end up fearing what they don't understand, there are two that have at one time embraced and celebrated the people that identified with the alternate gender roles. The Native Americans have their Two Spirits, and Indians have their Hijra. These two cultures may share many similar traits...

Words: 1711 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

How Did Spain France And England Tried To Convert Native Americans

...Spain, France, and England all tried to convert Native Americans in the New world. Spain sent Franciscan Priests who settled in New Mexico and Florida. These men would wear their finest garbs and displayed religious paintings and statues in order to impress the Indians. They would also use torture to scare people into converting but the the biggest reason for conversion was not intended: disease. Disease killed many native people but didn’t affect Spaniards because they were immune to European diseases. The natives took this as a sign that the Catholic God was more powerful than the gods they worshipped so they decided to be baptised. Many conversions were genuine but there were some that were done to avoid death. This meant that some converts...

Words: 287 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

The Aborigine Walkabout vs. the Native American Vision Quest

...The Aborigine Walkabout vs. The Native American Vision Quest Curtis Shane ANT101 Instructor Kathryn Cohan May 12, 2014 The Aborigine Walkabout vs. The Native American Vision Quest There are many different tribes all around the world that have their own individual types of rituals they perform for a rite of passage. This paper will discuss the differences and the similarities between an Austalian Aborigine walkabout versus a Native American vision quest, and how and why the differences may exist. The ancestors of today's Aboriginal people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago. Scientists believe that these first people came by boat from the Southeastern part of Asia which was the closest land that was inhabited by human beings at that time. This consisted from the tropical rain forests to the central deserts. There were probably from 500,000 to 1 million Aboriginal people living in Australia when European settlers first reached the island continent in 1788 (Rose, D 2014). So it’s safe to say these type practices have been around for a very long time. The aborigine were the first people of Australia. “The word aborigine comes from the Latin phrase ab origine, meaning from the beginning. When spelled with a small a, the word aborigines refers to any people whose ancestors were the first people to live in a country” (Rose, D, 2014). Also, the world was not evolved like it is today, so this type of scenario would seem more common and accepted because life was...

Words: 1846 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity

...patients may practice in order to provide competent medical care. Providing medical care should include cultural, religious and spiritual beliefs and values of the patient, in order to provide holistic care for the patient. The belief systems of Buddhism, Native Americans and Jehovah’s witnesses will be reviewed to determine similarities and differences and compared to Christian beliefs as well as the views and beliefs of the author of this paper, and provision of health care and care providers. Spiritual Perspective on Healing Even though the definitions and expressions vary most Americans consider religion and spirituality a large part of who they are. (Klilewer, 2004, p. 4) In Jehovah’s Witnesses and Native American and Christianity there is belief in God as the creator of Heaven, Earth, and the universe, where as with Buddhists this speculation is rejected. ("What do Buddhists Believe?," 2013, p. 3) Buddhists and Native Americans do not believe in prolonging life by artificial means, death should be peaceful. (Bhikshu, 2010, para. 4) For Native Americans maintaining life by artificial means is not encouraged, end of life prayers are said and family is present. ("Guidelines for Health Care Providers Interacting with American Indians," 2010, p. 4) The Jehovah’s Witness believe that reasonable humane effort should be provided to maintain life, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not accept blood products as they believe it is forbidden by the bible in...

Words: 1417 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Death Rituals And Expectations In The Navajo Culture

...Death Rituals and Expectations The Navajo people have a belief that the spirit of their dead would come back to the living if they were not properly buried. The death rituals and expectations for the Navajo Native Americans is a culture that is very sensitive about their dead. The Native Americans needed their dead to be buried rather quickly to make sure that their dead would not come back. The Navajo Native Americans back in the day would clean the dead body and then cover it with a coverlet. They would then put the dead on a horse and head north as far as they could go. The family would find a burial place for their dead and kill the horse so that the dead would have a new horse in the next life. Burial customs require that everything is in order and that all the rituals are followed. One of the rituals is that is a person dies in their home that their home will have to be burned with the body. The surviving family would have to be there at the burning so that they will also be purified along with the deceased (Navajo Death Rituals, 2016)....

Words: 1042 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Native American Culture

...Native American Culture Native American Culture America has always been described as one of the richest cultural regions. If you look at the American culture now, you will find that it has a really huge variety and diversity. And so if you study the history of America, you will find the same thing. America passed through multicultural stages until it reached what it is now. In this essay I will talk about the indigenous people in North America, which called Native American, or sometimes American Indians. First of all, I’m going to talk a little about some facts in the history of Native American people. The Native people were first who lived in this land “America” “They had lived in the land many, many years before white man set foot on their soil”(1). As any other cultures there are prosperity periods and another tragic periods. The period from the 16th through the 19th centuries was a tragic period for Native American. The population of Native American people was declining considerably in that period because of many reasons. The most harmful cause of this decrease in population was the epidemic disease that brought from Europe. An interesting piece of information is that the Native Americans were named “Indian” mistakenly! You would ask how is that? That accidentally happened when Christopher Columbus mistakenly believed that he landed in India. One of the most important aspects in the Native American people culture is their rituals and beliefs. Native American...

Words: 746 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

World Religions

...World Religion 03/24/2016 Understanding Primal, Antiquity, and India Religions There are many different types of religions around the world. Some of them are monotheistic, meaning that they only believe in one God, and some are polytheistic, meaning that they believe in more than one God, or nondualist, meaning that sacred reality cannot be numbered at all. Some examples of these religions are Australian Aboriginal groups, Native American Indians, African religions, Mesopotamian, Zoroastrianism, Greek, Celtics, Germanic, Hinduism, Jains, and Sikhs. Most of these religions have been practiced for centuries and are still practiced today. There are many similarities and many different ways of these religions. However, within these religions, we are able to compare and contrast some of their religious beliefs, their overall ideas, and how they try to satisfy their human needs. Primal definition is, “original,” the Australian Aborigines, Native American Indians, and African religions are primal religions. “Aborginigine,” means from the beginning. Aboriginal religion is best understood for a vision of the nature and how they are linked and connected with nature and everything around it. Aboriginal spiritually entails a close relationship between humans and the lands. They call the beginning of the world the “Dreaming” or “Dreamtime.” In the “Dreamtime,” aboriginal “Ancestors” rose from below the ground to form the Earth and...

Words: 2231 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Faith Diversity

...Running head: A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AND FAITH DIVERSITY A Healthcare Provider and Faith Diversity: An In-Depth Look Christin Cockerum Grand Canyon University: HLT 310V 03/18/2012 A Healthcare Provider and Faith Diversity: An In-Depth Look Healing consists of many variables within individual beliefs and faiths. Whether it is non-traditional faiths or traditional beliefs each one is connected through meaning of a higher spiritual enlightenment. This could include a philosophy or religion base that healing is conducted through mind, body, and spirit that embrace prayers or other components to reach complete healing of an individual. Non-traditional beliefs such as Tibetan Buddhism, Native American and Hinduism can be connected in some aspects to the mainstream religions like Christianity while having differences to the approach of healing. It will be discussed that the non-traditional beliefs on the perspective of healing, the components of healing, the similarities and differences that these beliefs have with traditional Christianity religion. Buddhism Buddhism started out in India and spread throughout Asia. Buddhism can be described as a philosophy seeking religion and it focuses on these principles rather than beliefs. Christianity is the opposite as it is a religion seeking philosophy and focuses on beliefs. Choosing Tibetan Buddhism, there is a concept of well-being, that the mind, body and spirit are achieved in an effective and comprehensive strategy for...

Words: 1626 - Pages: 7