FAMOUS PEOPLE - CANADIAN INDIANS

Indian beliefs in Canada

It comprises most often large Amerindian tribes settled in: North East, North West (subarctic, Northwest), Great Plains, Southeast, Southwest, Eastern Woodlands.

The living conditions were very different depending on the environment.

The diversity of the Amerindian people is also expressed in beliefs.

We can nevertheless identify some common points to many Native American tribes:

Among lesser gods or "spirits Auxiliaries" there are the spirits of the wind, fire, thunder, or Wakantanka the god of hunting.

American Indians are animists giving offerings to Mother Earth.

Shamanism is the reading of signs with drugs or devices.

Symbolism: each animal and sacred element must be represented as a totem or signs (circle, cross, triangle).

Native Americans also shared common rituals: A single creator God called "The Great Spirit" which the Indians give the name of Wacondah.

For rites of purification before prayers and ceremonies, they use tobacco and sage.

They also have prayers and trance circles such as:
The Pow Wow
The Dance of the Spirits (The Ghost Dance): Participants repeated the verses to the sound of drums. Incantations can lead to trance.

The Sun Dance is in the Great Plains, to worship the sun during the summer solstice.

It was accompanied by bodily mutilation for volunteers to show their courage and trance.

Wendy.