The Indigenous Religions Of The World

Different aspects of dances all represent something special and meaningful to each specific tribe. Firstly, the purposes of the Native American’s dances are for entertainment, religious rituals, successful hunts, harvests, to give thanks, prayer, victory, mythology, along with many more. (Weiser- Alexander and Alexander) In the video Native American Indian

A religious leader claimed he received a vision that told him to perform this dance and that it would bring the destruction and rebirth of the world. It also promised that all dead ancestors would rise up to rejoin the living. White Americans feared these dances and the United States government viewed it as an ongoing resistance movement so they had it terminated. The dance came to a catastrophic end on December 29, 1890, at the Battle of Wounded Knee, South Dakota. American troops killed many Lakota people, including women and children who had gathered to celebrate the dance. The United States government also intervened in 1904 when the sacred Sun Dance was officially banned because it was considered corrupt and dangerous. Despite these setbacks, it is important to note that there are still about 700 recognized tribes in the United States today. To discuss further on the rites of passage for Native Americans, we see that the Kinaalda and the Vision Quest are very important to their culture. The Kinaalda is a puberty rite for young Native American girls. “Girls are believed to take on the identity and spiritual qualities of the Changing Woman during the ritual. The Changing Woman was the first girl to ever experience Kinaalda and she is seen as the model ritual for all girls. Because a girl takes on the identity of

Religious belief and practices are deeply rooted in traditions and teachings from sacred scriptures and texts. Indigenous religions are specific to a tribe, region, and cultures that have had various influences in their core religion. Religion is a very personal issue for most people and therefore closely guarded. Studying religion is necessary to have an understanding of the connections and foundations that have been built throughout its history.

For many tribes of Plains Indians whose bison-hunting culture flourished during the 18th and 19th centuries, the sun dance was the major communal religious ceremony . . . the rite celebrates renewal - the spiritual rebirth of participants and their relatives as well as the regeneration of the living earth with all its components . . . The ritual, involving sacrifice and supplication to insure harmony between all living beings, continues to be practiced by many contemporary native Americans. -Elizabeth Atwood LawrenceAs the most important ritual of the nomadic Plains Indians, the Sun Dance in itself presents many ideas, beliefs, and values of these cultures. Through its rich symbolism and complicated rituals we are able to catch a glimpse

Religion is a set of beliefs towards life where it helps describe the truth, purpose, lessons and outlook on life and also beliefs toward a higher authority or creator depending on the beliefs. Aboriginal spirituality is the set of beliefs of spiritual traditions and teachings which is passed down orally through the generations and centuries of believers. Buddhism is the set of beliefs of ending personal suffering and discovering happiness in life to achieve the state of nirvana which ends the cycle of reincarnation. Through Aboriginal Spirituality and Buddhism, there are similar themes in beliefs between these religions such as beliefs upon spirits, the circle of balance and afterlife; in which these ideas demonstrate and distinguish the relation between Aboriginal Spirituality and Buddhism.

I learned that the Sun Dance was the most important religious ceremony of many tribes in the 19th century and it occurred at the time of the Summer Solstice. It would last from four to eight days starting at sunset and then ending at sunset. I learned that everything they, do even when they start and end, has a reasoning behind it. The significance

In Native American religions a dance called the Sun Dance is used as the rite of passage for young men. You men would stick a rod though their peck and dance around a pole of three days as a way to become connected with the Spirit World. The pole is used to show strength and the boys would quickly have to get the rod out by dancing. Another rite of passage in Native Americans religions is the Vision Quest. Young boys and girls partake in this to find their spirit animals. They go into the woods mostly naked and sometimes covered in body paint and fast in the woods for days. Eventually a spirit comes to them, most of the time as an animal but it can be in human form, and is said to be their guardian

When looking at smarts six dimension of religion in comparison to the study of indigenous religions I found that some of the dimensions clearly applied, some did not and other seem to be an antagonist of the dimensions. The doctrinal did not seem to be as important to indigenous religions In the sense the relationship to divinity and their self’s. The mythological dimension was seen as fairly the same, most stories were passed down through word of mouth but there were definite and lasting myths of creation and other religious traditions present throughout indigenous religions. The third dimension appeared to transform into the concept of “taboo” in indigenous religions. The concept of taboo is when something in a specific religion is so powerfully

Sun Dance is a highly sacred ceremony for many sects of Indigenous peoples in North America. The Sun Dance ceremony is practiced mainly within Plains tribes and has survived as a tradition for hundreds of years. The nations amongst which it was created include the seven tribes of the Lakota nation, the Blackfoot, the Cheyenne, and the Arapaho. Over time the ceremony spread to the southern Plains tribes, the Kiowa and Comanche, as well as the northern Plains peoples, such as the Crees of Saskatchewan and Sarcees of Alberta. Many others across the Plains region now practice Sun Dance, including the Ponca, Hidatsa, Ute, Ojibwa, Pawnee, and more. The original name derives from the Lakota term Wi wanyang wacipi, meaning “sun gazing dance.”

The Blackfoot Indian tribes held a major tribal ceremony in the summer, for which all the bands came together. It was called the Sun Dance. By engaging in the Sun Dance, their prayers would be carried up to the Creator, who would bless them with well being and abundance of buffalo. Other than the winter, when a few bands might join together for shelter, this was the only time the entire tribe came

In Eastern Algonquian religion they believed that there was a spiritual world that interacted constantly with the physical world.

Shinto is an ethnic religion that originated in Japanese mythology, they share the same kamis - or gods. Shinto is still a major religion in Japan. Many ancient shrines are still standing and are still fully functioning. People still pray at these shrines and great occasions, such as festivals, still occur. (Alles and Ellwood 1) Hinduism is another modern religion that has roots in ancient mythology and civilizations.

Those who are raised within one religious tradition may find it difficult to understand the traditions of another religion. It is not until one is educated in the basics of the other major world religions, that it is possible to see the many similarities between them. Just as there are many similarities between the countries culturally, the major religions share more things than they are different. In viewing Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism with an open mind, it is easy to see the differences, similarities and ideals that make these religions as widespread as they are.

In Islam it is important to realize that the religion and the cultural traditions are two extremely different aspects of Islamic life (Jaafar-Mohammad). For marriage to be considered an act of worship to Allah, or God, it must be combination of mutual love and respect (Jaafar-Mohammad). Another form of worship is the emotional and sexual expressions shared between husband and wife (Jaafar-Mohammad). “The Islamic term for marriage [is] nikah”, which literally means sexual intercourse (Husain). The Quran also has openly recommended sex, “…when they [the wives] have cleansed themselves [after menstruation], you go into them as Allah [God] has commanded…” (Surah al-Baqarch, 2:222) (Husain). It is said celibacy is forbidden because it is a way for the man and women to connect, strength, and relief stress between themselves (Jaafar-Mohammad). The best explanation the zawj, pair, in marriage is stated in the Quran, “ they are your garments and you are their garments”. This shows the closeness, protection, and support the zawj should have for one another.

Hinduism encompasses a vast sum of traditional religious beliefs, practices, customs, and so on of the Indian people (16). The faith is so deep in tradition, that its roots make it difficult to specifically define the religion. An important theme throughout Hinduism, however, is the understanding of the omnipresence of the divine in every alive being (17). The first way in which Semitic and Indian religions differ in origin is that 1) Semitic religions practice monotheism whereas Indian faiths practice polytheism. Secondly, 2) Semitic faiths are concerned with following the laws of Moses, of walking a straight moral path. Obedience to God’s laws are essential and sins must be repented. Indian faiths did not originate with the same intent, and to an extent, they embrace the insufficiencies of man. They also differ in that 3) Semitic faiths abide closely to the laws of Moses; they do not question the morals and values placed in front of them. It is also very difficult to please God, as it requires the strength to resist temptations to sin. Indian faiths, however, question God, existence itself, and answers relating their place in the world. This open-mindedness is encouraged, and it is relatively easy to be in good favor of the gods (21). Lastly, 4) there is a significant emphasis on nature in Indian religions. Whereas Semitic religions are focused on ethical preaching, the Indian are much more concerned with nature. The Vedic roots of the Indian religions were very focused