aboriginal spirituality

what does the harvest feast do?

renews the earth through prayers, chants, and dances. it recognizes the spirits that acted to give people their food

t/f indigenous people believe the great spirit is the creator

true

how has the indigenous population changed?

grew by 45% from 1996 to 2006

how many indigenous people live in urban centres?

54%

how much of winnipeg's population is indigenous?

10%

what is the purpose of the sweat lodge ceremony?

to purify the body, mind, spirit, and heart, and to restore right relationships with self, others, the Creator, and all of creation

what is a round dance?

a ceremony to commune with spirits in the spirit world

what does the harvest feast celebrate?

the harvest from the field and the forest

who is kateri tekakwitha?

the first indigenous person to be declared blessed. was beatified in 1980 by pope john paul ii

what are some names of the great spirit?

-siouan: wakan tanka or wakonda
-iroquois: orenda
-algonkian: manitou
-often referred to as the creator

what is a sun dance?

a ceremony celebrated by peoples of the pairies

how did the sun dance ceremy originate?

when a warrior's vision quest showed him a new way to pray to the great spirit

when does the sun dance take place?

during the full moon of june or july

how many people in canada are aboriginal?

more than 1 million

how many indigenous people live in ontario and western provinces?

8 out of 10

what is an elder?

indigenous man or woman who is recognized, respected, and consulted for their wisdom, experience, knowledge, background, and insight

t/f elders are the oldest people in the community

f

what happened in 2009 between the first nations and the pope?

pope benedict xvi expressed his sorrow over the abuse suffered by some at residential schools

what is a sweat lodge?

a closed structure built around a pit in which heated rocks are placed. it is a sacred space and is sometimes called the womb of mother earth

what happens during the sweat lodge ceremony?

water is put on hot rocks to create steam and the dark moist setting helps you return to childhood. people sing, pray, talk, meditate, and reflect for up to several hours

what does hair length symbolize?

-long, uncut hair can show belonging to a specific FN
-long uncut hair can be sacred
-cut hair can be a sign of mourning

what does hair style symbolize?

-3 strands of braid symbolize body, mind, and spirit
-braids can show belonging to a specific FN

what do indigenous people believe about death?

-those who have died need to relearn how to be a spirit, usually taking 1 year

what is a wake?

a ceremony that returns a body to mother earth

when are prayers of thanks given?

-before and after actions such as waking, sleeping, hunting, planting, and harvesting
-when an animal dies

when is the harvest feast?

harvest time, aka fall

what do non-indigenous people call the harvest feast?

thanksgiving

describe indigenous beliefs about the great spirit

it inhabits all things in nature, including rocks, land, water, plants, animals, fish, birds, and people. it reveals itself through nature

what is time considered?

circular, and divided into 4 seasons

what level of government oversaw residential schools?

federal

what is the purpose of a sun dance?

renewal of dedication to the great spirit

describe the process of a sun dance ceremony

-4 days before, dancers purify themselves through a ceremony like sweat lodge
-sun dance takes 4 days
-final stage, body and mind are pierced and then they dance. symbolizes a renewal of the quest for the spirit

describe the census figures from 2006 of indigenous people

-more than 1 million aboriginal people in canada
-aboriginal population grew by 45% from 1996

what is a powwow?

a dance of renewal for the restoration of right relationships and the healing of all creation, and a community celebration and a time to get together to sing, dance, and celebrate identity, heritage, and language

describe the powwow

-dance takes place in a holy circle blessed by a spiritual leader
-dancers and singers enter circle from the east, where the sun rises and move in clockwise direction, the way the sun moves
-drumbeat symbolizes heartbeat of mother earth

how do dancers and singers move durng a powwow?

enter circle in the east (where sun rises) and move clockwise (direction sun moves)

what does the drumbeat symbolize in a powwow?

heartbeat of mother earth

describe the ojibwa feast of the dead

-celebrated every autumn to remember everyone who died in the past year
-each family who had a death hosts a banquet for the village
-food placed outside and a place is set for the deceased

what is a vision quest?

-a rite of passage for young people
-an intense, solitary experience for those seeking direction in life

describe what happens during a vision quest

-young person prepares for a year and goes on the quest when parents or elders believe they are ready
-they search for spirit helpers for 3-4 days in the wilderness without food and with little water

t/f you must do a vision quest in order to be accepted as an adult

true

what is the sacred pipe?

the carved wooden pipe bowl and stem used by algonquin FN. sometimes referred to as the peace pipe

what does the sacred pipe symbolize?

unity and harmony of the world

describe the sacred pipe ceremony

-before lighting the pipe, the carrier prays that the whole universe and all it contains is transferred to the pipe
-when it is lit, everything in the pipe is delivered over to the fire, which is the Great Spirit

what does smoking the sacred pipe do?

gives the world its unity, peace, and harmony

what are the parts of the sacred pipe?

stone bowl and stem

what does the bowl of the sacred pipe represent?

-truth
-because it has a hole for accepting the wooden stem, it represents the woman

what does the stem of the sacred pipe represent?

-the way we are to live in harmony and balance with all of creation
-represents the man because it goes in the bowl's hole

what does the joining of the stem and the bowl of the sacred pipe represent?

a union and balance of male and female aspects of the world

what does smoking the sacred pipe represent?

oneness and unity of creation because it involves all 4 elements

how many families might live in one iroquian longhouse?

5 to 6

how many longhouses in one iroquian village?

100

what does inuit mean?

"the people"

what is the seven fires?

-narrative that tells how seven prophets came to the anishinabe
-left the people with seven predictions called fires
-gives life and a sense of responsibility to many

when and how were residential schools created?

by the indian act in 1876 - the federal govt became responsible for educating status indian children from ages 6 to 18 in schools run by different curches

what does the circle in the medicine wheel represent?

the continuous cycle of life and the connection among all species

what does the cross in the medicine wheel represent?

points in 4 directions and represents how the powers of the 4 directions organize everything

how do elders use the medicine wheel?

to teach younger generations about their identity, history, and place in the world

why are eagle feathers important?

sacred because the eagle is viewed as a divine messenger

what do eagle feathers represent?

power and protection

why is the eagle sacred?

because it soars high in the skies, it is believed to have touched the face of the creator

describe how nunavut legislature is related to indigenous canadians

-creation of nunavut in 1999 was the largest land claim settlement in canadian history
-nunavut has a territorial govt that favours making decisions by consensus, a traditional practice among inuit people

what is animism?

the identification of the spirit with the object it inhabits

what is the importance of the smudging ceremony?

meetings of metis people often open and close with a prayer and a smudging ceremony

describe the naming ceremony

-a child's grandparent or an elder enters a time of fasting, meditation, prayer, or dreaming to find the name
-name is revealed by the spirit and is given to the child in the naming ceremony
-names can change over time

define aboriginal peoples

a broad term referring to people who are first nations, metis, and inuit

define indigenous

refers to native, original, or earliest known inhabitants of a region

define assimilate

absorb one group into the culture of another

what is intra-religious dialogue?

-dialogue within a religion
-happens to aboriginal canadians who are christian and struggling to reconcile their identities

what is smudging?

a holy act that is part of many rituals

t/f smudging purifies stuff through the act of burning

f. it purifies through the cleansing smoke

describe the process of smudging

-sacred herbs are burned in a shell or earthen bowl and the smoke is brushed or washed over the participant
-it is holy so afterward ashes are returned somewhere the will not be stepped on

what does smudging do?

-purifies people and places
-happens before important events

what is a shaman?

an indigenous spiritual leader who has more spiritual power than other people in the community

what is a shaman also known as?

medicine person

what does a shaman do?

-pass on knowledge of the spirit through mainly oral teachings
-performs ceremonies for healing

what is a potlatch?

west coast aboriginal ceremony that was banned in 1885

what does a potlatch mark?

important events in a family such as the birth of a child, the death of a relative, or a chief taking office

what does a potlatch involve?

-giving gifts, plus ceremonial dancing and singing
-increasing the host's status in the community
-redistributes wealth in a community and highlights the value of equality