Called by many names, religion is just that,a set
of beliefs that guide us to the Creator and other
deities.Religion is a SERVICE and WORSHIP of the
CREATOR and the SUPERNATURAL.A set of beliefs, causes
attitudes, and practices that we hold on to through
faith. It is related to an acknowledged Creator or
Deity that is consciensously remembered.
Many do not believe there is a recognizable native
american religion. Many native americans far removed
from their reservations still believe that the native
americans had no religion. I think the Deities are
counted as Gods and are therefore viewed by some as
equals. Nothing is farther from the truth.
Dieties are additions made possible and necessary
for natives to access the spirit world. My people, the
Pueblos of New Mexico, have 27 Katchinas and are
considered Deities, but they are no more Gods than are
the Figures of Joseph and Mary. These figures are
revered, for they keep the faithful focused on the
real.
Not only are there Fundamentalists and Liberals in
Christianity, but in every religion. My reservation
has them too. I grew up fundamentalist, that is, I
believed everything grandmother taught me as truth and
there was no changing it. As I matured and grew older,
I realized I had to change if I was to live in the
white man's world under the whiteman's laws. The
quickest way for a culture to die, is not to adjust to
the changing world around us. I did not say to change
our culture, traditions and spirituallity, but to make
those changes that allows us to move forward, not
remain static and move backwards.
But, you know,in its pure form,native american
religious rite were few. This greatly changed during
the missionary transition period that imposed
far-reaching affects on customs and manners. The pure
forms of native american religious beliefs and
practices began to disintegrate long before they were
forced onto reservations. The first effect was an
increase of native american cruelty and barbarity. One
such religious rite that fell victim was the
'Sundance' of the Plains Indians. The most important
of their public ceremponies was abused and perverted
until it became a horrible exhibition of barbarism.
Before 1867, the Plains Indian was not required to
mutilate himself to gain favor with his Creator. This
was a post defeated nation's jesture to gain favor
from a Creator some felt had abandoned them to the
mercy of the white invader.
Originally, when a plains warrior found himself in
the very jaws of death he might offer a prayer to his
Father, the Sun to prolong his life. If he was rescued
from eminent death he had to acknowledge the Devine
Favor by making a Sundance.The physical ordeal was the
fulfilment of a vow. It was a thanks offering to the
Great Spirit through the biological parent, the Sun,
and it did not embrace a prayer for future favors.
The ceremony might take place six months to a year
after the making of the vow,usually in
mid-summer.There was a feast and a token give-away,
although the give-away was not essential.
Preparing for the Sundance required much
preparation and the help of many friends. It was an
individual thing. It was not prepared for orher
participants. It was for the reciever of the favor and
his Creator. It rquired the location of the pole,
usually 6-8 inches around and at least 20 feet long.
Tobacco was rubed on the tree and it was cut by an axe
also blessed with tobacco. It was carried in by
warriors, led by a man of distinction. In some
occasions a pipe was filled. A tipi was erected a few
feet away and the pole was raised. A long piece of
rawhide was cut and attached to it was the figure of a
man. Along with the man would be tied a figure of a
bufallo. A bird, representing 'thunder' might be used
in place of the bufallo.The bufallo would be painted
black, as would the bird, had it been used instead.The
man is painted with red clay. The bird or the bufallo
are usually suspended from one end of the crossbar
about two feet from the top of the pole.
The red paint was to signify that the man had been
dead but was allowed to live by the giver of life. The
bufallo represented the support to the man and was a
leading figure in legendary lore.
The man now approached the pole wearing only a loin
cloth and his moccasins. His hair was loose and daubed
with red clay. He must drag after him a bufallo skull
representing the grave from which he had escaped. He
became a dancer who was cut on the chest just enough
to draw a little blood and cause very slight pain. He
stood opposite singers facing the pole dragging the
bufallo skull by leather thongs fastened about his
shoulders like straps on a back pack. He danced
without intermmission for a day and a night always
gazing at the sun in the daytime.He blew a whistle
made of a bone from an eagle's wing or from the wing
of a goose.
After the onslaught of Europeans and their
influence, the rite was exagerated and distorted into
a ghastly display of physical strength and endurance
under great pain. Now, instead of the man dragging the
skull by a lariot wrapped around his shoulder, he had
an incision made through the skin on his back, skewers
inserted, a lariot tied to each end of the skewers and
the other end of the lariot tied to the bufallo skull,
which he dragged behind him all day or untill the
flesh tore, releasing the skull. After the skewers
were attached to the back, the man would have
incisions made through his chest just above the
nipples. Skewers would be inserted through and a
lariot attached on each end of the skewers at both
nipples, then brought together in a 'V' and attached
to one lariot and that lariot attached to the pole
(The Spirit Tree). The man would dance all day and all
night in tremendous pain until he either tore himself
away from the pole or was assisted by an elder who
pulled on him until his flesh tore, thus releasing
him. There has been times when the man was elevated
off the ground in an attempt to get the flesh to tear
on its own.
Today, the Sundance is still performed. It is no
longer as a vow or a favor to the Creator, but is
performed to ASK FAVORS of the Creator. Some do it as
a show of sacrifice for their people. But in all, it
has become more of a macho thing and has totally
negated the primary purpose of it creation.
Today, also, many ELDERS, who no longer live on the
reservations induct white men into a Sundance. Some
for money. Some as an honor, but in any event, it has
been basterdized so much it has lost its power.
Perhaps the most remarkable organization ever known
among native americans was the "Great Medicine Lodge".
The conception of the Lodge was a result of the
influence of the Jesuit missionaries. It was
established by the forefathers to resist the
encroachment of the priests. The Medicine Lodge
originated among the Algonquins and extended gradually
throughout native america finally affecting the Souix
of the Mississippi Valley and formed a strong bullwark
against the work of the pioneer missionaries.
Most of the religious rites practiced today have a
strong element of Christianity attached. The only
religious leader of any note today who rose in power
and stature found their claims in the gospel story.
There is no doubt indians held medicine close to
spiritual things. When medicine was practiced
originally it was commonly called rites, but today the
ritual is called healing ceremonies. These rites were
viewed by non-indians as witchcraft. The term was
attached to any religious or healing act the
non-indian did not comprehend or was not in keeping
with their narrow scope of understanding. But yet,
healing by natural herbs was a practice even
non-indians employed. Our medicene employed only
healing bark, roots, and leaves with whos properties
we were familiar.
They were used in the form of a distillation or tea.
The sweat lodge was in general use always.
The Cherokee as we know them today,still believe in
one God. He is called by many names by many tribes,
but He is the same God. The One who created all
people. who desires that we all develop a strong
spirituallity, and that we all live in ultimate
relationship with the Devine Presence in the world.
There are 21st Century Christians who have learned
and follow the same sense of value for spiritual
existence and closeness with their Creator and all
that was created. There are 21st Christians who follow
a loving Christ and desire to become Christ like in
humility and service...The same foundation on which
native american religion began.
None of us comes here in modern native america un
affected by this Christ.Our challenge is to understand
His message of love, forgiveness, respect, justice,
and service to humanity which has been distorted and
abused by many-just as native american religion has
been.If we take the time to examine both with open
hearts we will find that the similarities are amazing.
There have been actions and consequences from both
native americans and non-indians tht have created
riffs, mistrust, and the inability to function as One
Human Family. There are both Christians and Indians
still today who preach love and yet exclude acceptance
into the Creator's family on the faulty ground they
claim in the name of the Creator and Jesus. And from
first hand experience, I can tell you that there are
native americans living on reservations who have no
sense of genuine spirituallity. There are medicine men
who charge hundreds of dollars to perform sacred
ceremonies from their own people. Gifts are expected
because custom requires it. Setting a price BEFORE the
ceremony is performed is not what dedicated medicine
men are about.The people are expected to take care of
their medicine man's NEEDS. There are natives who come
to ceremonies drunk and leave their empty liqour
bottles and beer cans on sacred ground.
We must sage and pray, for this is the way. The
Creator of the Cherokee, the Shawnee, the Souix, the
White, Brown,Black,and Yellow is the same Creator of
all.We should bond with Him and each other and live as
one family in the image in which we were all created.
We cannot go back in time-we can only move forward.
While celebrating the traditions of the past, we have
the unique opportunity to do what has not been done in
two thousand years, LIVE IN A COMMUNITY IN
LOVE,JUSTICE, PEACE AND HARMONY- THE DEVINE DESIGN.
The next e=mail will be a little lighter.Maybe a
little tid-bits about my walk on the 'Red Road' and my
struggle to stay on it. Also my Grandmother's last
ceremomy before she crossed over.