Studied by 79 people
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more than what number of people in Canada are Aboriginal?
1 million
how much did aboriginal population grow from 1996-2006?
45%
what fraction of aboriginal peoples live in Ontario and Western provinces?
8/10
aboriginal men or women who are recognized for their knowledge, wisdom, experience, and insight
elder
elders are the oldest members of the community t/f
false
what does potlatch mark?
significant events in a family, like the birth of a child, the death of a relative, or a chief taking office
what do potlatches do for the host?
increase thier standing in the community
what do potlatches highlight for the host?
their generosity, wealth, and power
what do potlatches involve?
giving gifts of blankets, bedowrk, or crafts as well as singing and dancing
what did pope benedict do in 2009?
express his sorrow / apologize for abuse aboriginal people suffered in residential schools
who met with the pope?
Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine, aboriginal elders, and residential school survivors
what are the closed structures built around a pit called?
sweat lodges
what are sweat lodges heated by?
rocks
what do they do in sweat lodges?
pray, sing, talk, and meditate in silence
what does the sweat lodge do?
purifies body, mind, spirit, and heart
what does the sweat lodge restore?
the right relationships with self, others, and the creator
long uncut hair is...
sacred
cut hair can be a sign of
mourning
hair is sometimes...
braided
the three strands of the braid signify
body, mind, and spirit
those who have died need to relearn what it is to do what?
be a spirit
time required from death to becoming a spirit is
one year
during the year between death and becoming a spirit, what happens on earth?
a death feast is held for the spirit of the person who passed
are death rituals the same for all aborignal peoples?
no
in cree tradition, the body undergoes _______ transformation, but the _____ remains unchanged and ascends into another realm to join its ancestors
in cree tradition, the body undergoes physical transformation, but the spririt remains unchanged and ascends into another realm to join its ancestors
cree believe spirits have the power to
reveal themselves to and communicate with humans (through dreams or visions)
what is the wake?
a ceremony for returning the body to mother earth
a ceremony to commune with spirits who have passed to the spirit world (important part of cree tradition)
the round dance
what does the round dance let family and friends do?
allow the spirit of the deceased to fly free and dance w the other spirits in the northern lights
what was adopted by non-Aboriginal people who called it thanksgiving?
harvest feast
what is harvest feast
the celebration of the harvest from the field and forest each year
what does harvest feast recognize?
the spirits that acted on their behalf to give them food
harvest feast is a time to...
renew the earth through prayers, chants, and dances
the creator
Highest God; the one
wakan tanka
Lakota name for the supreme reality
the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the catholic church
Kateri Tekawitha
when was Kateri beatified?
1980 (she lived 1656-1680)
What is Kateri informally known as?
Lily of the Mohawks
What does Kateri do now?
Works to improve relations between Aboriginal peoples and the Church and incorporate Aboriginal spiritual traditions into the Catholcic tradition
time is considered
circular
circular shapes are involved in many
rituals and events
residential schools ran by which level of government?
federal government
Siouan people call the Great Spirit
Wakan Tanka or Wakonda
Iroquois call the Great Spirit
Orenda
Algonkian speakers call the Great Spirit
Manitou
who is the sun dance celebrated by
peoples of the prairies
when is the sun dance celebrated
June or July during the full moon
when did the sun dance begin
when a warrior's vision quest showed him a new way to pray to the Great Sprirt
what is the purpose of the sun dance
renewal of dedication to the Great Spirit
four days before the sun dance ceremony, what do the dancers do?
purify themselves
what do the dancers do during the four days of the sun dance?
fast
final stage of the rite of sun dance involves ______ the body and tearing away from the ______ to sumbolize a renewal of the quest for the spirit
final stage of the rite of sun dance involves piercing the body and tearing away from the piercing to sumbolize a renewal of the quest for the spirit
a dance of renewal for restoration of right relationships and healing of all creation
a powwow
a powwow is a community celebration of
singing and dancing
the powwow takes place in a ______ blessed by a spiritual leader so that the place within it is holy
the powwow takes place in a circle blessed by a spiritual leader so that the place within it is holy
dancers and singers enter the circle from where and move in the same direction as what?
the east where the sun rises and move in the same direction as the sun
drumbeat is symbolic of what?
the rhythm of creation, heartbeat of mother earth, and the mothers heartbeat heard in the womb
the objiwa celebrate the feast of death when?
each autumn
the feast of death is held to remember
everyone who died the previous year
who holds a feast of death for the entire village?
each family who has lost someone
where is the food placed in the feast of the dead?
in an open area outside
a place is set at the feast of the dead for who?
the deceased, whos spirit remains with the family
when do aboriginal people go on vision quest?
during puberty
vision quest is what?
an intense, solitary spiritual experience
who is vision quest for?
those seeking direction in life
how long do young people prepare for vision quest?
around a year
only when do young people embark on vision quest?
when parents/elders believe they are ready
young people must partake in vision quest in order to do what?
be accepted as adults in the community?
The Creator for indigenous people is the equivalent of who for Catholics?
God
most powerful and sacred ritual for Canadian Aboriginal peoples
sacred pipe
what does the pipe represent
unity and harmony of the world
to smoke the pipe in a ritual is to give back the world what?
its unity, peace, and harmony
before lighting the pipe, what does the pipe carrier pray?
the whole universe and everything within be transferred to the pipe
when the pipe is lit what is all that it contains delivered to?
the fire, which is the great spirit
what does the stone bowl of the pipe symbolize?
truth
what does the stem represent?
harmony and balance
the bowl represents
the woman
the stem represents
the man
what does the ritual of the sacred pipe emphasize through its use of earth, fire, water, and air?
oneness and unity
how many families might live in one iroquian longhouse?
five to six
broad term that includes first nations, metis, and inuit
aboriginal peoples
inuit means
the people
an ojibwa narrative telling how seven prophets came to the anishinabe
the seven fires
what did the prophets in the seven fires leave the people with?
seven predictions about their future
what act was passed in 1857 to assimilate aboriginal peoples into european culture?
the Gradual Civilization Act
in 1876 what act allowed federal gov to set up residential schools?
the Indian Act
who were residential schools run by?
Anglican, united, Presbyterian, and Catholic Churches
what does the circle of the medicine wheel represent?
the continuous cycles of life and the connection among all species
where does the cross of the medicine wheel point
in the four directions
what do the powers of the four directions organize?
everything; the seasons, the elements of the universe, the stages of life, etc.
the medicine wheel is used by elders to teach younger generations what?
who they are, where they come from, their place in the world, and how theyre related to each other and everything else
the eagle is considered what?
the messenger of the creator
what of the eagle is held in high regard?
the feathers
the eagle feather is what?
the link between the people and the creator
a physical and spiritual healer who peforms ceremonies using knowledge of medicine and herbs
shaman / medicine person
what else does the shaman do?
remembers and tells the spiritual teachings of the community
in the courts of nunavut they allowed aboriginal people to do what rather than sit on opposite sides of the court
sit in a circle
the identification of the spirit within objects it inhabits
animism
a holy act that is part of many rituals
smudging ceremony
what is burned in a shell or earthen bowl, to have its smoke brushed over the participants of the smudging?
sacred herbs
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