Overview of Beliefs and Practices
A significant belief in indigenous religions is the human relationships with the natural world. People believed in having a respectful and cautious relationship with nature. They believed in the concept of animism, where everything in the universe is alive. An example of nature worship is the practice of Plains Indians in North America..
Religious Beliefs
Plain Indians praised the spirit of the buffalo that was sacrificed for food. They praised the animal because they believed there was little distinction between human and animal worlds. They also believed they were being watched by their ancestors, and they did not want to upset them.
Source:-http://www.regentsprep.org/regents/global/themes/beliefsystems/animism.cfm |
Practices
A practice among the Plain Indians are the Lakota Dances. The dances took place in a sacred space. The Plain Indians attempted to reach out to their ancestors for guidance and communication. Their dances represented respect for their origins, gods, and ancestors.
http://sites.coloradocollege.edu/indigenoustraditions/6-•-independent-projects/ghost-dance-and-sun-dance/
http://sites.coloradocollege.edu/indigenoustraditions/6-•-independent-projects/ghost-dance-and-sun-dance/
Examples
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On the left you can see the Ghost Dance. The purpose of this dance was to reject negative things of the Western culture, such as guns and war. The dance was performed to revitalize earth, and to get the opportunity to continue contact with the decreased. The dance is executed by joining hands, and dancing in a circle until everyone fell to the floor and reconnected with their ancestors.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PQj-NHp83A |
On the right you can see the Sun dance, which sought to reunite and reconnect the earth and the spirits. In order to complete the ritual male dancers were required to take wooden pegs and insert them on each side of his chest. The purpose of the piercing is for the male to serve a sacrifice and get power and strength to finish the sun dance. The piercing also allows the dancer to give up a piece of his body for the good of his people.
Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vioh7ML75Cg http://sites.coloradocollege.edu/indigenoustraditions/6-•-independent-projects/ghost-dance-and-sun-dance/ |
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Significance
The people sought to defend nature by keeping the peace, and offering sacrifices. In addition to that, the dances allowed the people to reconnect with ancestors, establishing good connections with the spirits. Having those good connections, they knew they were bound to have their guidance and protection as well.
Default Source: http://louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Native-American-Day-Pictures-1.jpg
Default Source: http://louderwithcrowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Native-American-Day-Pictures-1.jpg