Aboriginal Spirituality

2. Aboriginal Spirituality Origins Sacred Space Rituals Beliefs

3. What do you know about Natives?

7. Origins • The first traces of human society indicate that early people everywhere worshiped consciously and deliberately • Some 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 tribes • Arranged stones and boulders were positioned in ways that suggest they were possibly used for worship • Inside graves and shelters for the dead are bones, tools, ornaments and evidence of food offerings • Paintings and sculptures were located deeply in caves for the purpose of rituals

8. Peterborough Petroglyphs(Algonquin)

9. The after life was a great concern • Early humans would smooth sand around graves in order to detect footprints • Frequently, the dead were re-buried—just 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)

10. Bering Strait Theory

11. Around the World • Approximately 300 million Aboriginal people in the world today • At 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 beginning

12. Sacred Time and Sacred Space • Nature is inhabited with spirit beings that can guide humans. These spirit beings are called spirit guides. • It is important to get in touch with one’s 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 pray • Sweat Lodges- sauna like structures. The goal of a sweat lodge is to seek a vision of a guardian spirit • Some people also induce visions using peyote. This drug creates hallucinogenic visions that put them in touch with their spirit guide.

13. Sun 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.

14. Sweat Lodge • Traditional way of healing • Dome shaped structure • Constructed of saplings, covered with canvas, hides, or blankets • Pit in the middle of the floor where heated rocks are placed • Stones sprinkled with tobacco, Eucalyptus oil is poured over the stones and water • Steam produces sweat which purifies the body • Physical cleansing becomes spiritual cleansing

16. Vision Quest • Part of a coming of age ceremony • A boy (or a girl) on the threshold of adulthood would spend time alone in a place where contact with the spirit world was possible • Through fasting and prayer, seekers of the vision quest hoped to make contact with the spiritual realm • They want to share its power and gain a vision by which to direct his or her life

17. Sacred Stories • Creation Myth : explains the origins of earth and individual aspects of nature. • Trickster Myth: explains how suffering and misery came to be. • Hero Myth: idealizes the image of the good, brave person • Divine Myth: describes how gods came to be • Cultural Myth: explains how rituals and customs came to be

18. Beliefs • Every part of the earth is sacred • The air is precious; it shares it’s spirit with all life • The earth is the mother. What hurts the earth hurts the children of the earth • All things are connected like the blood that unites us all • The earth is precious to the gods; to harm the earth is to hate the creator • The Fours: directions, elements, seasons, ages, tribes (yellow, brown, red, white)

19. Beliefs continued • The natural and supernatural are not separated • Aboriginals believe in animism- all things (human and non-human) have spirits or souls • Natural elements, such as rocks, trees, lakes and so on can take on mystic significance and have spiritual power • All things possess a life force and are equal, interrelated and interdependent • There is a supreme creator or Great Spirit called something different depending on the tribe

20. Beliefs continued • Native hunters would often apologize or offer thanks to the animals they needed to kill, a way of paying homage • This belief of connection to animals include the totem animal • This totem is usually an animal that is part of the tribe’s daily experience and has a special kinship with it • Ceremonies are used to identify with the animal powers and keep a strong connection to the natural world

21. Community of Faith • Shaman (religious leader) Chief (political leader) Elders (make the decisions) Tribe (followers)

22. Shamans • A shaman is a magic specialist or a witch doctor/medicine man • Shamans could control spirits. • Shaman talked to spirits, spirits talked through the shaman to the community • Shamans went into deep trances through drum beating, dancing, self-hypnosis, chanting and drugs—spirits could travel through them in this state

23. Sense of Ethics • Concern for the common good of the group • Co-operation, generosity between people and respect for the wisdom of children and the elders because they are closest to the Great Mystery