Indigenous Religions and Art
Totem PolesOne way the people of indigenous religions expressed themselves was by making totem poles. These intricate carvings had many purposes. For example, a totem pole could have been made in order to honor a deceased chief. These totem poles would include carvings that described a chief’s accomplishments in life. A totem pole could also be used to shame someone that owed a debt to another tribe. Many totem poles depicted animals. This could be because the carver believed his family descended from the animal or they had had a recent encounter with it. Most of the time, the meaning of the carving was only understood by its carver,
source: http://www.indians.org/articles/native-american-totem-poles.html |
http://chabdog.com/wp-content/uploads/11-7-totem-poll.jpg |
http://www.hickerphoto.com/picture/native-american-masks-11959.htm
DanceMost native religions exhibit a form of dance in many of their rituals and ceremonies. These dances were usually held in open areas around a large bonfire. They all served a purpose like expressing a recent victory, asking the gods for a bountiful hunting season, and sometimes just for amusement. These dances where usually accompanied by chants, drums, elaborate headdresses, and masks. One famous indigenous dance ritual that is still alive today is the hula that is popular in Hawaii. An example can be seen in the video to the right.
source: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-dances.html |
MasksAnother way many of these cultures expressed themselves was by making tribal masks. Many of these masks were handcrafted and served a purpose in the community. For example, these masks were used in many of the peoples ceremonies and given as gifts. Most of these masks represented animals that could've had a high status among the tribe. There were also portrait masks, who usually portrayed an important person in the tribe like the chief or shaman.
source: http://www.indians.org/articles/native-american-masks.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQin3x3XHJI |
header: http://worldartswest.org/main/edf_performer.asp?i=11