The picture in the question is an example of a petroglyph. Petroglyph is a form of rock art that is made by carving into the stone, whereas a pictograph is painted onto the stone. Kokopelli is depicted in the petroglyph above. He is a fertility figure in the Anasazi tribe. He is a symbol of the agriculture god of Southwest culture. Anasazi means “ancient stranger” or “ancient enemy” in Navajo language, that is commonly applied to the early pueblo dwellers who once lived in the Colorado Plateau or Four Corners Area. He traveled to different villages, and brought about changes in the season, bringing about rain and a bountiful harvest for the people. Kokopelli’s flute is used to announce his arrival and the seeds in his bag that he carries are meant to be planted to grow crops to sustain the tribes. He calls the goats to gather and to make baby goats by playing his flute. Therefore, he is seen as the symbol of fertility for all life such as, crops and hopes. Legends suggest that Kokopelli was an ancient toltec trader who traveled routes between Mexico, the west coast, and the southwest.…
First off, the Head Flattening Ceremony. When a male was born the Choctaw would attach a board to the infant's head. This would flatten the heads of the children. This was common, but since the tradition was not passed down throughout the years, the purpose or reasoning behind this is not clear. However, if I had to guess I would say that it is a right of passage. It could also be used as a tool so that they can easily put items on their head to make traveling easier (tribalpedia.com).…
3. How did Geronimo receive the gift of power and what did this mean in the Apache belief…
They attach a spiritual component to their land (Native American Struggles1.) To Native Americans land is not just a piece of grass or dirt, but purely a living being. So, a major concern for the DAPL project is that it is being built on sacred burial grounds that belong to the Sioux Tribe. “This pipeline is going through huge swaths of ancestral land. It would be like constructing a pipeline through Arlington Cemetery or under St. Patrick’s Cathedral,” said Tribe attorney, Dean DePountis (Heim 2). Under the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie, the land that the pipeline is being built on is still the unceded and sovereign territory of the Sioux Tribe (Dakota Access 4.) The Dakota Access Pipeline is appointed to run through the land that was allegedly protected under the Treaty of Fort…
Frightened and in harm’s way, the group prayed to the Great Spirit to help them. And, in response to the prayers, the Great Spirit lifted the ground and rock from under them high up into the sky. From the top of the newly formed Devils Tower, or as the tribe refers to it “Bear Lodge”, and with the help of the Great Spirit, the men were able to defeat the bear and ultimately save the Cheyenne woman. Of course, the Cheyenne are not the only tribe of the plains with a spiritual and cultural connection to the butte. The Lakota are another regional tribe with strong ties to the tower. To them, the tower is considered a sacred site of wisdom and renewal. Because of this, they often held their holy Sun Dances there during each summer solstice. In addition, they prayed to the “Great Mystery”- the essence of Lakota life and spiritualism. They asked for wisdom and personal direction. In return, they fasted, left offerings, and worshipped. Like the Lakota, many other tribes in the region have similar views and appreciation for Devils Tower. The spiritual significance and the ancient devotion the…
Family is a big deal when it comes to the Chippewa tribe. “The Chippewas worked hard to care for one another” (Ditchfield 20). The Chippewas strongly believe that each member born into the tribe is a gift. When children were born everyone in the tribe would pitch in and help (18). Elder tribe members were very popular for telling stories. Children and adults would all gather around the fire to listen to these ancient stories (24), as shown in Figure 1…
There is no specified date or way of identifying the period these carvings were made. However, scholars believe that the Jennings Petroglyphs were carved around 500 to 5000 years ago. It is also known to have been made by aboriginal Indians who settled along the Delaware River. Many glyphs like the Jennings Petroglyph are believed to have served as sacred places for the native Indians. These carvings represented religious, mythological, or supernatural symbols, and “may have been places where medicine men, community, or spiritual leaders went to meditate or receive guidance to lead or heal their people.” Additionally they may have served as teaching rocks or reminders to young people as a way to learn about their culture and the world around them.…
These totem poles represents many things. They mostly represent crest animals such as beaver, raven, bear, killer whale, eagle and many more! These crest animal’s kinship which are group of membership and identity. While the rest of the poles may just be the represent a family’s history.…
The White Deerskin Dance of the Hupa Indian tribe was a ceremonial dance that symbolized the regeneration or renewal of their society, and functioned as an important “part of the ritual calendar that makes up the religious life of the tribe and it expresses the supernatural sentiments of the people in their most poignant form” (Goldschmidt et al., 121). The ceremony served “to wipe out the evil brought into the world by members of the society who have broken taboos” (Goldschmidt et al., 121); as these white deerskins were seen as a sacred mascot “which will protect the owner and his friends from every trouble” (Pierce 9). The dance commenced after a ceremonial ground was selected “between the several places of importance (Goldschmidt et al.,…
For most of my life, the word “Native American” had immediately made me think of feathers, powwows, and a society uncorrupted by civilization. However, in watching the movie Smoke Signals, a movie that depicts the modern Native American culture, I learned many other things. For one, I learned that many of the customs that modern Native Americans have are very similar to my others. I also saw that the family life of the Native Americans in the film had many of the same problems that my family had undergone in the past years such as fighting and not telling along. This film was unlike any that I have ever seen.…
A totem pole is a spirit being scared objector a symbol of a tribe clan family. Or individual Native Americans also use totem poles for the clan's name or what kind of clan they are. Totem poles are carved and made with bog trees and any kind of wood. Totem poles ended at the year 1901. Totem poles are also the biggest but not the only objects that coastal Pacific Northwest used.…
The sun had only been up an hour when Varena rose from her slumber and lingered downstairs to find some food. Only people who take the effort to get up in the morning get to appreciate the morning, and that was something Varena did often, rising hours before her two house-mates and enjoying the quiet time it offered. She went downstairs to Dinis spinning in circles and pulling his hair and Kaiden projectile vomiting on the couch, Plato trying to hold a jar to his mouth.…
Embarrassed, unsure, minimal food, without a clue. These are all things that play a part in both rites of passage. The medicine bag rite of passage is about a boy named Martin that las a Lakota grandpa that's time is coming to an end yet he still needs to pass down the tradition. The Apache girl rite of passage is about a girl that has to go through an intense process to get to her success of being a woman 0f her tribe. My scrutiny of these two stories confess that there are many similarities and differences between the two in addition, there were also some disadvantages and advantages of having the story in a text or video format.…
Therefore, existing societal constructs make it hard to identify with someone chanting, praying and burning grass to alleviate the anxiety of lockdown. “Saving souls with quotes, baptizing in hopes, blowing smoke up four walls, and induction into the club of Sitting Saints, Former Sinners, and Islam Slammers,” are all forms of solicitation, ceremony, social control, and support systems. A purifying ceremony involving the burning of dried and braided sweetgrass before prayer is a custom shared in Native American tribes, said to…
Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.…