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First Nations Religious Ceremonies

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Religious ceremonies were how the First Nations cultures expressed their beliefs. They often consisted of singing, dancing, drumming, and prayer. There are many different types of ceremonies and each one serves a different purpose and meaning. Each tribe performed different versions of these ceremonies and had unique ones of their own. Some of the more popular ceremonies that were practiced was the sweat lodge, the Pipe ceremony, and the Sun dance. Each of these had a significant meaning to the First Nations people of the prairies.

The sweat lodges were a way to purify the mind, soul, and body and rid oneself of negative energy’s and have a clear mind. It was often preformed before big ceremonies like the Sun Dance or the Vision quest. …show more content…

This religious ceremony was a way to gain spiritual renewal in ones’ self. Once the beseecher (the one searching for personal help from the spirts) gathered enough offerings, he would present them to the Elders and Medicine man who could perform the ceremony. The ceremony lasts four day beginning at sun set and ending at sun set. The construction of the Holy Lodge was simple but important. A tall tree was chosen cut down and placed in the group. 10 or more poles reached out from the center and formed a circular dome lodge. The top was covered in leafy branches to act as a roof. Often the center pole was flourishing with gifts and offers such as cloth, hid, beads, and later guns for the Creator. In the fork of the middle shaft bundles of sticks and leafs were placed, it formed a nest. The nest represented the Thunderbird who was the Creators messenger. The tepees were arranged around the lodge also in a circular pattern. After to Lodge was completed the ceremony would begin. The men who willingly want to contribute in the festivities had to fast sustain from sexual relations and had to sweat in the sweat lodge in order to have a pure mind and soul. The male dancers were arranged on one side of the lodge along the side. With a barrier of brush separating the viewers from the dancers, women were on one side and men on the other. Drummers and singers along with the Elders were seated around the center of the lodge, were there was sweat grass and sage burning in front of a buffalo skull alter. Singing and blowing a whistle made of eagle bone, the dancers looked up towards the pole so their gaze could be swept into the sky of the Creator. Some men danced though the whole ceremony only drinking the water from rain if it happened to rain, others only took part in smaller amounts. Many prayed along side the dancers but this was also a time to be

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