Native American Religion Research Paper

When most western people think about Native American or African religions there is a certain stigma that comes with the topic. This is in part because there is a lot of misinformation in the world about Native American and African religions. When most westerners think of African religions they think of voodoo and black magic. Likewise, the view of Native American religions is still looked at through the lens of the pilgrims who wrote about Native Americans as being savages and less than human. These stereotypes were all formed from a lack of accurate information. African and Native American religions are very similar. It is difficult to find a lot of accurate information on African and Native American indigenous religions because of the lack of written history but there is a lot of oral history that has been passed down from generation to generation. From this information, it is clear that Native American and African religions have many more similarities than they do differences. Three of these similarities will be discussed in this paper. The first topic of discussion is the similarity between African and Native American people when it comes to their perception of the spirit world. Following this topic are the similarities between Native American and African views on the afterlife and finally, the diversity of beliefs within African and Native American religions.

Native American resistance against European assimilation dates back to the colonial period. Governmental pressures for adaptation and eradication of customs, communities, and identities through various federal policies gave Native Americans a valid reason to fight and preserve their culture. During the 1880’s, the United States government managed to confine Native Americans on poverty-stricken reservations with limited resources and supplies (Young, 1990). Although these conditions caused reservations nationwide to suffer, it produced a necessity for movements to end injustice and abuse. Tribal leaders attempted to reassert their independence and create new spiritual

As I mentioned above, everything began with Christopher Columbus discovering America in 1492. History is non-fiction, and perhaps the most concrete example of this non-fiction is the story of the beginning of the Indians. Native American mythology contains may different types of character including heroes, tricksters, and more. These characters can have both good and bad qualities, and fall into many categories. For example, creator gods usually restore order, but in some stories can be destructive. Tricksters can even be considered the hero in some stories. (Myths Encyclopedia, 2007). Indian stories are born from experiences and beliefs. Ross also states that “Native American societies are based on the concept of interdependence. Interdependence

Native Americans, such as Navajo and Cherokee, have been in the United States for the past 12,000 years (Horowitz, 2012). Although those are the two most

When the Europeans came to America they impacted the Native American religions in many different ways. The Native Americans had to adapt to Europeans, but they also kept to their original ways. Even before the adaptations, the Native Americans and Europeans had similarities including: believing one god and one main evil spirit, believing in an afterlife, and they both believed in the immortality of the soul. Even though the Natives believed in one god, “Master Spirit”, unlike the Europeans, they believed that the god could assume a variety of forms and both genders; Native Americans also believed in many lesser spirits. Other differences were that Natives passed their beliefs down verbally instead of documenting everything in a book or books. As a result of exposure to Europeans, Native American traditions gradually intermixed with Christian beliefs. One example of the influence of Christianity on Native American rituals is the adaptations to the Sun Dance. Before the Sun Dance was primarily practiced in the Upper Plains and the Rocky Mountains and performed at the summer solstice. The dance was often practiced differently for each tribe, but the Eagle, helping bring body and spirit in harmony, is an important symbol for all tribes. There are many similarities for each tribe including: specific songs and dances that

While the Native Americans and the Africans inhabited two different continents, their belief system has a plethora of similarities pertaining to their core values. The basis of their religion also, in some ways, epitomizes modern day religion such as rites of passage. Their differences are shallow in context when it comes to what they view as sacred and holy and including religious rituals that are performed for a specific reason or transformation. Both Native American and African mythologies center around the ideology of harmony, balance, and cyclical nature of all beings through animistic symbolization. To a certain degree, all outsiders or nonnatives who study the belief systems of indigenous religions have found that indigenous religion is more than just a religion or belief system but rather an inherent way of living. To name or label indigenous beliefs as “religion” or any other is to have a bias based on our own views of transformation and ultimacy.

Across America, countless tribes and cultures have been practiced for centuries. There is so much diversity amongst these people ranging from the north eastern Iroquois to the south western Hopi people. Even though these people live in such different lifestyles, many of the indigenous tribes have similar perspectives on the world, especially after western expansion during the 1800's. Tribes, no matter where they are geographically, all have some sort of tradition or ritual that they do which can be for spirits, new and old, or for the people themselves. Three individual indigenous people who are some of the more well-known in modern day standards are the Hopi, Navajo, and Lakota people. All of whom live in different locations across North America.

Countries that were colonies have a lot of history beyond that. The United States is one of those countries. Maybe the history in The US is more complex than many other countries. In this Land Native American fought against British, immigrants fought against each other, also colonists fought against colonizer. Boston tea party is one of the most satiate events of history.

This essay will be examine the US government’s effort to “deal” with the Indians from 1877 through 1900 to include warfare, treaties, and the Reservation System. Indian Territory was a promising land with a lot of investing potential for railroad and mining, the perception of American’s ethnocentrism (white supremacy), and Americans think that Whites were more evolved than the Indians because they were more intellectual and educated than the Indians, so the US’s government put in their efforts to forcefully “deal” with the Indians to settle both parties’ interests.

“Man is not at peace with his fellow man because he is not at peace with himself; he is not at peace with himself, because he is not at peace with God.” Thomas Merton

In the beginning the settlers created the heavens and the earth. For, America was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the continent. Or was it? Why is it that people automatically assume that America started when the settlers arrived, and that there was nothing before? Sure we can read the cute Native American mythology, but aside from that we don’t talk about America before the settlers. Would you like to hear more about the settlers, how America was before they arrived, and are you willing to learn of the holocaust that our history books aren’t willing to tell us about? Good, then keep reading.

Several Native American tribes called North Carolina home. Many still do today and haven’t moved much from their original places. The Cherokee are still over by the Appalachian Mountains and the Meherrin continue to be located in Hertford. Some are around but aren’t in the same area we originally knew them to be or just aren’t here (or recognized I should say) anymore such as the Tuscarora tribe from the coastal area that decided to move north when things got rough. Even the Croatan tribe isn’t recognized as a present day tribe and they were said to play a huge part in history here in eastern North Carolina, with the whole “lost colony” thing.

Culture is intertwined throughout out everything that Native Americans are. Their religion, way of survival, justice system, holistic views, and so much more, comprise their culture. Over the past 200 plus years, Native Americans have been subjected and forced to conform to European derived ideology. This has impacted Native Americans culture from a past, present, and future perspective. These perspectives will be addressed as well as combined into one.

The myths, stories and purpose of this cluster of stars differs immensely among the American Indian tribes.

Native Americans ways can be super spiritual. I find the Native American one of the most interesting cultural, but it happens they are the least I known about. I want to focus on is the traditions, rituals and mystics as well. Native Americans cultures and traditions are related to specific individual tribes. These are the indigenous people of North America. I will discuss the Lakota Sundance first and the healing rituals scared Native American ways.