Native American Spirituality

History: Native American peoples arrived on the N. American continent approximately 60 thousand years ago by crossing a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska. These people spread across the continent, adapting their lifestyles and their faiths to match the varying new environments in which they lived. As a result, the particular beliefs of various Native American tribes can vary widely.

The arrival of Europeans marked a turning point for many Native American cultures. Their spiritual beliefs and culture were supressed, and many were forcibly converted to Christianity. The beliefs of many native cultures are still being supressed by the Canadian and US governments.

Deities: Most Native American cultures recognize a dual divinity. The Creator who created the world and is recognized in ritual and prayers. and the Trickster, a hero or mythical individual who teaches the culture, proper behavior, and provides for the tribe.

Most tribes also recognize spirits, lesser spiritual beings who control the weather, interact with humans, or dwell in the Underworld. Simultaneously the Creator and the spirits may be perceived as a single spiritual force, as in the unity called Wakan-Tanka by the Lakota and Dakota.

Beliefs: Most Native Americans do not regard their spiritual beliefs as a 'religion' in the same way that Christians or other organized faiths do. They see their spirituality as an integral and seamless part of their being and their culture.

Generally, most North American tribes believe that the earth was created by a single individual, in some cases the father of the tribe.Some tribes believe that the animals were once human, leading to a strong reverence for animal life as kindred people. Most tribes believe that humans are an integral part of the natural world. Thew see no distinction between men and animals or plants, as they are all a part of the natural order of things.

Practices: Most tribes in North America have healers known as 'shamans' (shaman is an Icelandic word referring to healers in Aboriginal cultures around the world. The term is NOT used by Native Americans to refer to themselves). Spirits may be encouraged to occupy the Shaman's body during public lodge ceremonies. Drum beating and chanting aid this process. The spirits are then asked to depart and perform the needed acts. Other times, Shamans enter into a trance and traverse the underworld or go great distances in this world to seek lost possessions or healing.

Other practices of some tribes include the Vision Quest, a journey made by boys in the tribe to aid in the direction of their lives, and ceremonies that help to renew the tribe, help in hunting, and aid the tribe in their lives.

Scripture: Although some tribes did keep written records, most traditions of the Native Americans were passed down orally, often in the form of stories and parables.

Because the native tribes generally do not recognize their faith as an organized religion, no central scripture is recognized in the way that Christians recognize the Bible. The stories, songs, dances, and crafts of the tribe pass their spiritual identity and culture from one generation to the next.

Controversy: The treatment of the Native American culture by the US and Canadian government has been a source of controversy for generations. Restrictions are still in place that keep some tribes from practicing their faith, and others have been stripped of their cultural identity by generations of government-forced conformity to European tradition.

Some Native American tribes use peyote, a psychoactive drug, in religious ceremonies. This use is protected under the US constitution as a form of religious worship, although considerable opposition to the practice has been mounted by various Christian groups and from within some tribes.

Return to Basics of Human Belief