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Native Spirituality

Native Spirituality. Rituals. Some images taken from Encounter World Religions. Morning Dance. Performed by Ojibwa of southern Ontario Also known as “ Wabeno ” Pays homage to the “tree of the universe” All fast and cleanse themselves beforehand

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Native Spirituality

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  1. Native Spirituality Rituals Some images taken from Encounter World Religions

  2. Morning Dance • Performed by Ojibwa of southern Ontario • Also known as “Wabeno” • Pays homage to the “tree of the universe” • All fast and cleanse themselves beforehand • Male elder plays the drum, leading the dance around the tree

  3. Morning Dance (cont’d) • It lasts from dawn to noon • The drummer signals each dancer to touch the trunk of the tree and give thanks • At midday, the ritual ends with a large feast of meat and fish

  4. Potlatch Ceremony • Made illegal by the Canadian government in 1884 – they believed it contributed to idleness and seemed “backward” and wasteful. This ban was lifted in 1951. • Includes feasting, distributing wealth, sharing songs and dances. • It is used to celebrate an important event (such as marriage, naming an heir, etc.)

  5. Potlatch Ceremony (cont’d) • The more wealth that a host gives away, the more status the host will gain. • The Great Spirit is honoured through songs and dances.

  6. A Potlatch Today Potlatch Dancers

  7. A carving depicting a potlatch

  8. The Sweat Lodge • The purpose is to renew the soul and regain focus. • The ritual cleanses both the physical and spiritual body.

  9. The Sweat Lodge • The Shaman directs the building of a sweat lodge: a dome made of saplings, covered with animal skins, cedar or tarpaulin to make it airtight.

  10. The Sweat Lodge • Heated stones are placed in the center and water is sprinkled on the stones (like a sauna).

  11. The Sweat Lodge • Intense heat causes perspiration and cleanses the body. • Prayers and sacred pipe are shared. • Elder or Shaman coordinates the ceremony.

  12. Sun Dance • Banned by the Canadian government in the late 1880s • Identifies the circle as an important symbol, acknowledging and respecting the sun as the giver of life. • Performed in the early summer.

  13. Sun Dance • Dancers dance around the “tree of the universe” (often a wooden pole) • Some dancers embed sharp wooden hooks deep into their chest and connect the hooks to leather straps that lead to the top of the pole.

  14. Sun Dance • They dance, pull back, and tear their flesh. • The scars become a witness/ symbol of their faith

  15. Sun Dance • The body becomes an offering/ sacrifice to the Creator • They believe that if they suffer, others will not (from famine, disease, etc.)

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