Aboriginal Spirituality

Aboriginal population statistics

More than 1 million out of 31.62 million people in Canada are Aboriginal (as of 2006)

Aboriginal population growth

The Aboriginal population grew by 45% from 1996 to 2006 compared with an 8% growth in the non-Aboriginal population

Aboriginal population distribution

Most Aboriginal people (8 out of 10) live in Ontario and the Western provinces

Urbanization of Aboriginal people

54% of Aboriginal people live in urban centers

Urbanization of non-Aboriginal Canadians

About 80% of non-Aboriginal Canadians live in urban centers

Elder

Aboriginal men or women who are recognized, respected, and consulted for their wisdom, experience, knowledge, background, and insight

Aboriginal spirituality

The word "religion" is not one that most people use to describe their spiritual practices; some Indigenous peoples prefer the terms "spirituality" or "spiritual traditions"

Potlatch

A giveaway ceremony that marks significant events in a family, increases the host's standing in the community, and highlights the host's generosity, wealth, and power

Pope Benedict XVI and residential schools

In April 2009, Pope Benedict XVI expressed his sorrow over the abuse suffered at residential schools at a meeting between the Pope and Aboriginal Elders

Sweat Lodge

A ceremony that aims to purify the body, soul, mind, spirit, and heart, and to restore right relationships with self, others, the Creator, and all of creation

Hair

Long, uncut hair is considered sacred by some Indigenous peoples and worn by men or women; the style worn is of spiritual and cultural importance

Death rituals

Death rituals and beliefs vary among Indigenous people; the spirit remains unchanged and ascends into another realm to join the ranks of the ancestors

Feast of the Dead

A ceremony held to remember and honor the spirit of the person who has left; celebrated by Ojibwa and Cree

Thanksgiving celebrations

Traditional celebrations to recognize the harvest and renew the earth through prayers, chants, and dances; adopted by non-Aboriginal peoples as Thanksgiving

The Creator

God is understood as the Creator; praying is to recognize God's greatness and express thanks for all the Creator's gifts

Kateri Tekakwitha

The first Aboriginal person to be declared blessed by Pope John Paul II; patron of the Tekakwitha Conference

Time

Time is considered to be circular, divided into its four seasons; Indigenous peoples believe that time is cyclical rather than linear and sequential

Residential Schools

Schools set up by the federal government to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture; run by Anglican, United, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches

Names of the Great Spirit

Siouan peoples of the Plains: Wakan Tanka or Wakonda; Haudenosaunee (Iroquois): Orenda; Algonkian: Manitou

Sun Dance

A ceremony celebrated by peoples of the Prairies to pray to the Great Spirit; involves purification, fasting, and dancing

Census figures of Aboriginal People

More than 1 million out of 31.62 million people in Canada are Aboriginal (as of 2006); the Aboriginal population is growing at a fast rate

Powwow

A community celebration to sing, dance, and celebrate identity, heritage, and language; takes place in a circle and follows the movement of the Sun

Ojibwa Feast of the Dead

Celebrated each autumn to remember all who have died in the previous year; each family holds a banquet for the entire village

Vision Quest

An intense, solitary spiritual experience for young people seeking direction in life; undertaken to be accepted as adults in the community

Naming Ceremony

A ceremony where the name-giver reveals the name of a child in the presence of family, friends, and relatives; the name expresses the identity of the person

Aboriginal Peoples

An umbrella term that refers to First Nations, Metis, and Inuit People; each group has its own distinct characteristics and cultural practices

Indigenous

Refers to native, original, or earliest-known inhabitants of a region

Assimilate

To absorb one group into the culture of another; residential schools were operated to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture

Intra-religious Dialogue

Dialogue, discussions, and debates within a religion; allows for the exploration of different perspectives and interpretations of spiritual practices

Animism

The belief that spirits inhabit objects and natural phenomena; the identification of the spirit with the object it inhabits

Nunavut Legislature

The territorial government of Nunavut, which has three official languages and favors making decisions by consensus

Sacred Pipe

One of the most powerful and sacred spiritual rituals for Canadian Indigenous peoples; symbolizes unity and harmony

Parts of the Sacred Pipe

The stone bowl represents truth, the stem represents harmony and balance, and the joining of the bowl to the stem symbolizes a union between male and female aspects of the world

Longhouse

A traditional dwelling where multiple families live in Indigenous communities; family life and spiritual traditions involve planting crops

Inuit

Refers to Indigenous people in Northern Canada; the term means 'the people' in Inuktitut

The Seven Fires

Ojibwa prophecies about the recovery of Aboriginal tradition and the return of fire to the people; each prophecy refers to a particular time to come

Medicine Wheel

A circular wheel used by Indigenous Elders to teach younger generations about their identity, place in the world, and connection to all that lives and breathes

Eagle Feathers

Considered sacred because eagles are divine messengers; only creature believed to have touched the Creator's face because they soar high in the sky; Can be used in place of a Bible in the provincial justice system

Shaman

An Aboriginal spiritual leader who possesses a greater quantity of power and deals with spiritual powers in the community

Smudging Ceremony

A holy act that involves burning sacred herbs to purify people and places; typically used before important events and the ashes are returned to the earth