*No founder; tradition has evolved over centuries, passed down by storytelling
’More than 2 million people in 300-500 different American Indian tribal groups, each with its own culture and responses to specific situations.
| Beliefs | • Creator – some tribes use “God” and “Creator” interchangeably
• Fundamental interconnectedness of all natural things, all forms of life, with the land, or Mother Earth, are of primary importance • Basic sense of community or group/tribe |
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| Daily practices | • Prayers, may include using sacred objects, usually private and without strangers present | |
| Dying and death | • Beliefs and practices vary widely from tribe to tribe
• Body is sometimes prepared for bu^al by family or tribe members • After person dies, some tribes will not touch deceased person’s clothes or belongings |
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| Facilitating
practices |
• Provide time, space, privacy and include tribal spiritual leader
• Do not pretend to be familiar with traditions and do not interfere with them |
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| Food | • After ceremony or prayer, foods consumed will likely be provided by family | |
| Health | • Health care practices intertwined with religious and cultural beliefs
• May believe that III health results from not living in harmony or being out of balance with nature and social and supernatural environments |
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| Holy days and festivals | • Closely related to seasonal changes, the moon, provision of food and other life essentials | |
| Pregnancy and birth | • Pregnant women included in religious ceremonies until delivery | |
| Rituals/ceremonies | • Performed with intent of seeing, understanding, or obtaining a vision of clarity of oneself and individual issues in order to relate to oneself and others
• Prayer accompanied by burning of sacred plants, i.e. sweet grass, sage, cedar or tobacco |
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| Spiritual
instruments |
• No written scriptures; ceremonies and beliefs learned by word of mouth and experience
• Sacred and should not be touched without permission, especially by stranger • Medicine bag: leather pouch usually worn around neck. Do not open or question. • Religious articles carried by elders must not be touched by anyone other than the elder; if inspection is required, an elder should be invited to provide inspection services • A woman should not come near sacred objects during menstruation |
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| Social Structure | • Respect for female and male elders
• Medicine Man or Woman will probably not have identification defining member • Include elder, medicine person, or spiritual leader as colleague to assist in healing process |
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| Symbols | • A great variety of symbols which vary from one tribe to another | |
