Aboriginal Spirituality

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Aboriginal SpiritualityOriginsSacred SpaceRitualsBeliefs

What do you know about Natives?

We know that the white man's images of us have little or nothing to do with the reality of Indian life. Most of these images are fictional creations of the white imagination and ignore what we are truly like. Children, and children now grown, have at best a mixed conception of these mysterious peoples whom they meet through history books and the mass media(Cornel Pewewardy, Ph.D)OriginsThe first traces of human society indicate that early people everywhere worshiped consciously and deliberatelySome believe they came out of this ground (origins are beyond record)Worship and religion seem to have emerged with the ability to recognize forces that could not be understood or mastered. Anthropologists recognize that religions existed in the Neanderthal nomadic tribesArranged stones and boulders were positioned in ways that suggest they were possibly used for worshipInside graves and shelters for the dead are bones, tools, ornaments and evidence of food offeringsPaintings and sculptures were located deeply in caves for the purpose of rituals

Peterborough Petroglyphs (Algonquin)

The after life was a great concernEarly humans would smooth sand around graves in order to detect footprintsFrequently, the dead were re-buriedjust in case

Rituals were held for health, offspring, good crops, and fertility. Archaeological evidence supports theory that aboriginal peoples migrated from Asia to North and South America by crossing a land bridge over the Bering Strait (about 35 000 years ago)

Bering Strait TheoryTopper Graphic 2 - Bering Strait v2.0 - YouTube

Around the WorldApproximately 300 million Aboriginal people in the world todayAt the time of Columbus about 100 million indigenous peoples inhabited the Americas (about 1/5 of the human race)Currently over 800 000 Aboriginal people

What makes one Aboriginal? one of the original or earliest known inhabitants of a country or region.having existed in a region from the beginningSacred Time and Sacred SpaceNature is inhabited with spirit beings that can guide humans. These spirit beings are called spirit guides.It is important to get in touch with ones personal spirit guide, and this is done through a vision quest. During this time, a person would stay in a remote area and fast and praySweat Lodges- sauna like structures. The goal of a sweat lodge is to seek a vision of a guardian spiritSome people also induce visions using peyote. This drug creates hallucinogenic visions that put them in touch with their spirit guide.

Sweat LodgeTraditional way of healingDome shaped structure Constructed of saplings, covered with canvas, hides, or blanketsPit in the middle of the floor where heated rocks are placedStones sprinkled with tobacco, Eucalyptus oil is poured over the stones and waterSteam produces sweat which purifies the bodyPhysical cleansing becomes spiritual cleansingSun Dance is a ritual that induces changes in consciousness through pain. They hang from poles attached to pegs driven through skin in their chest.To the aboriginal person, the sacred is all around; in the animals, forest, lakes, etc.

Vision QuestPart of a coming of age ceremonyA boy (or a girl) on the threshold of adulthood would spend time alone in a place where contact with the spirit world was possibleThrough fasting and prayer, seekers of the vision quest hoped to make contact with the spiritual realmThey want to share its power and gain a vision by which to direct his or her life

Sacred StoriesCreation Myth : explains the origins of earth and individual aspects of nature.

Trickster Myth: explains how suffering and misery came to be.

Image from the Polynesian Islands. Trickster stealing the sun.Hero Myth: idealizes the image of the good, brave person

Divine Myth: describes how gods came to be

Aboriginal sky godsCultural Myth: explains how rituals and customs came to behttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlHtzU133NIHow the Rabbit got its TailBeliefsEvery part of the earth is sacredThe air is precious; it shares its spirit with all life The earth is the mother. What hurts the earth hurts the children of the earthAll things are connected like the blood that unites us allThe earth is precious to the gods; to harm the earth is to hate the creatorThe Fours: directions, elements, seasons, ages, tribes (yellow, brown, red, white)

Beliefs continuedThe natural and supernatural are not separatedAboriginals believe in animism- all things (human and non-human) have spirits or soulsNatural elements, such as rocks, trees, lakes and so on can take on mystic significance and have spiritual powerAll things possess a life force and are equal, interrelated and interdependentThere is a supreme creator or Great Spirit called something different depending on the tribeBeliefs continuedNative hunters would often apologize or offer thanks to the animals they needed to kill, a way of paying homageThis belief of connection to animals include the totem animalThis totem is usually an animal that is part of the tribes daily experience and has a special kinship with itCeremonies are used to identify with the animal powers and keep a strong connection to the natural worldCommunity of FaithShaman (religious leader)Chief (political leader)

Elders (make the decisions)

Tribe (followers)

ShamansA shaman is a magic specialist or a witch doctor/medicine manShamans could control spirits. Shaman talked to spirits, spirits talked through the shaman to the communityShamans went into deep trances through drum beating, dancing, self-hypnosis, chanting and drugsspirits could travel through them in this stateSense of EthicsConcern for the common good of the groupCo-operation, generosity between people and respect for the wisdom of children and the elders because they are closest to the Great Mystery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3XoYZgvEH8&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLA64B9B518BCA88A7