Religion in Native American (Indian American) - Essay Example

Native American Religion Religion, by definition, is a system of beliefs held by a group of people, and usually explains about supernatural phenomena like the existence of a supreme being, origin of life and death and people, and to some, life after death (Beck 23). It is a guiding tenet in the lives of those that subscribe to it, and usually is a reflection of the cultural beliefs of the concerned group of people. Religion is a complex phenomenon that has been in existence from as early as the start of human civilization. It is estimated that human civilization began more than 10, 000 years ago, and from this time, religion has continued to shape human history and relations (Nelson 225). When religion is mentioned, notable sects like Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism emerge, but there is more to religion than these 4 main religious groups. In the contemporary era, over half of the population of the world practices some form of religion, and this may be one of the major religions or an indigenous one. In most societies in the 21st century, religion has continued shaping the lives of people and having a considerable impact on social tenets like politics and culture. Therefore, religion is a significant part of human beings that cannot be avoided on a day to day basis. Moreover, the ever increasing cultural and ethnic diversity has led to the birth of a wide array of religions in practice. For this reason, it is vital that man understands all world religions as a way of appreciating others and understanding them. This essay discusses Native American Religions, how they are practiced and the cultures related to them. Today, Native Americans practice a wide array of religions ranging from Christianity to indigenous ones, or even a combination of the two. Long before the Europeans had conquered North America, the land was home to thousands of Native Americans of many groups. These groups lived in simple villages and their means of livelihood was through activities like fishing, farming and hunting. The communities were made of different tribes, each with its own language and form of communication. Scholars have estimated that at one time, there were over 2200 languages in native North America (Hartz 12). Due to this widespread diversity, these communities came up with ways of communicating in the form of sign language, among other things. There is no concept as “native American Religion” since the Native American communities had different ways of life and religious beliefs, which could not be combined to one single religion (Nelson 226). Instead, some similarities can be derived from these different religions just like in the contemporary era; there may be similarities between Christianity and Islam or between Buddhism and Taoism. For one, the Native American Religions are not systemic as compared to organized religions. These do not have official buildings and administrative hierarchy or any form of organizational structure. Secondly, these religions have no leaders like the central figures who have shaped major religions like Buddhism and Christianity. Therefore, there is no historical figure like Jesus or Allah in Native American Religions. Despite this, these religions qualify to be real groups since the followers believe in supernatural phenomena and are guided by these beliefs. For instance, a common belief among the indigenous tribes of North America is that all earthly living things have souls and a spirit. Moreover, all the tribes hold the land and water with importance as they are sacred and lead to a sustainable lifestyle. Therefore, in as much as the tribes are different and varied in beliefs, there seems to be some similarity in terms of appreciating religion as a guiding principle in life (Hartz 20). Most North American indigenous religion followers do not consider their practices as being religious. Instead, they consider these practices as spiritual traditions and sacred ways. This is because; religion is a term associated with European, Middle East and Modern American institutions based on concepts of prophets, holy texts and monotheism. These concepts are alien in the indigenous religions of North America since these tribes have stuck with their original religious practices. The practices of these tribes are based on their traditional knowledge and natural laws. Currently, there are 4 million American Indians and 562 native tribes in the US (De Loria 76). Based on this, the degree of diversity in terms of spiritual traditions is quite immense, and it is difficult to single out a particular traditional American religion in the current era. The cultural diversity among these tribes is vast and is due to the differences in philosophical, linguistic, artistic and ethnic ideals. The diversity is also complex because these tribes all faced different colonial masters, and each was shaped based on the nature of the colonizers and how they were able to respond. The variety of Native American religions is unfathomable. This ranges from the Inuit Traditional Shamans, Yaqui Syncretic Catholics to the Lakota Sun Dancers (Gill 78). Despite the wide diversity, major Native American religious practices can be grouped into the traditional religions, major religions like Christianity, syncretic and pan-tribal religions. However, the traditional religions are always taken to be the religion consistent with the Native Americans. Despite the ethnic, cultural, geographic and linguistic diversity of these indigenous traditions, key concepts emerge from all these. For one, the traditional spiritual beliefs are considered animistic and holistic. The concept here is that material and spiritual matters are interwoven and intertwined to get one solitary concept. The concept further states that nature embodies spiritual and sacred energies. The argument here is that everything that is on the earth’s surface and the universe, including the stars, animals, rocks and plants has a soul and is filled with the spirit. This concept is referred to as pantheistic to imply that the universe and all forms of nature comprise of one sacred and spiritual creation (Nelson 226). Therefore, this religion appreciates sacred tenets and appreciates that there is a supreme being that controls the existence of all forms of nature on the earth’s surface. Native Americans consider their religions and teachings to be the “original instructions” since, according to various theories of cosmology; these were the first form of teaching that was given to them in their own language by the Creator during the time of creation. It is for this reason that these tribes have stuck by these languages. Despite civilization having taken over 10, 000 years, these languages have remained intact, thereby contributing to the massive cultural diversity between these communities. These original instructions can be considered to be like the holy texts of major religions like Islam and Christianity. Within these original instructions lie the values, ethics, lessons and various worldviews that advise individual on how to lead a spiritual and upright life. Based on this, the Native Traditions should be considered as any major religion since they have ideals that the members hold dear and which guide them to be ethical and upright beings. The instructions further teach followers on how to lead a smooth life on earth and how they are able to get along well with anyone on the surface of the earth. This further shows the aim of this tradition just like any tradition is to encourage the smooth coexistence of its followers with other people on the surface of the earth (Velie 57). The spiritual values of the Traditional American religions encompass practical science so that individuals are able to survive and are regenerated down generations. Finally, a common spiritual tenet among these tribes is that there exists a Great power in the universe that knows everything including the human mind. This power controls human beings and urges them to do good deeds always. The manner in which this power works is a mystery to all the followers of the religion, by the all believe that this power indeed exists (Gill 112) The people further believe in the concepts of kinship and reciprocity. In these, they believe that they are related to those surrounding them and that they need to reciprocate actions of kindness to their kinsmen who are around them. It has also to be mentioned that these tribes have traditional rituals and ceremonies that are typical of their spiritual way of life. This is in the form of practices like shamanism, animal worship and ritual healing. Through these ways, the tribes communicate with the Great being in the universe and appease the spirits. These rituals are often accompanied by dance, music and sacrifice. As civilization keeps changing humans’ ways of life, one concept that is changed is religion. As people diversify, so does religion. Despite the challenges of civilization and religious diversity, indigenous tribes of North America have stuck with their indigenous spiritual practices. Despite the diversity and evolution of indigenous American tribes, there are similar concepts that ensure that all these can be classified as traditional /Native American religions. Unlike the major religions of the world like Christianity and Islam, the traditional American Religion lacks historical figures and holy books. It also lacks a systematic structure and administrative unit. However, like all religions, they believe in a supreme being who encourages noteworthy behavior. The followers believe that what they follow is derived from the creator, hence, is called the “original instructions”. The followers further believe that all natural beings are sacred and have a spiritual connection. There is also belief in kinship and reciprocity and rituals and ceremonies. It will be interesting to see how long this religion will last in a time when civilization changes all social tenets. Works Cited Beck, Peggy. Sacred: Ways of Knowledge, Sources of Life. Tsaile, Ariz.: Dine College Press, 2008. Print. DeLoria, Vine. God Is Red: A Native View of Religion. Golden, Colo.: North American Press, 2014. Print. Gill, Sam. Native American Religions: An Introduction. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing, 2004. Print. Hartz, Paula. World Religions: Native American Religions. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009. Print. Nelson, Melissa. "Indigenous traditions- North America." Nativeland.org (2008): 225-228. Print Velie, Alan. American Indian Literature: An Anthology. Norman, Okla.: University of Oklahoma Press, 2010. Print. Read More