Aboriginal Spirituality By Despina Ikik Jamie Liddell Zack

Aboriginal Spirituality By Despina Ikik, Jamie Liddell, Zack Lopez, Tamkin Naghshbandi , Rachel Tam

Timeline

35, 000 - 15, 000 BCE Scientists theorize that people migrated from Asia to North America over the Bering land bridge

1000 CE The first recorded meeting between Europeans (Norse) and Aboriginal peoples in Newfoundland

1784 CE the leadership of Joseph Brant, Mohawks settle on the Grand River after being displaced following the American Revolution

1800 CE 1815 CE The code of Handsome Lake dies, Handsome Lake is developed Aug 10

1830’s CE Creation of residential school system

1876 CE Indian Act is passed 1884 CE 1970 CE Potlatch ceremonies A residential school are banned by the federal government is turned into the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford, Ontario

1990 CE Elijah Harper stops Meech Lake Accord The Oka Crisis explodes when plans for a golf course clash with Aboriginal sacred burial grounds

1998 CE Canadian Government expresses profound regret to Canada’s Aboriginal peoples for past mistreatment and issues Statement of Reconciliation

1999 CE The new territory of Nunavut is created

Origin � Cannot pinpoint an origin/founder of Aboriginal spirituality � Origins are ancient beyond record, theory says they “came out of this ground” � Archaeological evidence supports that Aboriginal people migrated from Asia to North and South America by land bridge over Bering Strait (between Alaska & Russia), approx. 35, 000 years ago

Origin � 80% of the world’s Aboriginal peoples live in Asia � 13% live in North/South America �Currently, 800, 000 Aboriginal people live in Canada, some in every province

Key Beliefs �Many Aboriginal’s believe that everything in the world is alive �All things human & nonhuman have spirits or souls Known as Animism.

Key Beliefs � Some say this belief is polytheistic, believing in many gods � Believe in a supreme Creator � Black Elk, born 1863, Sioux holy man from the Great Plains � His theory was that every living thing was related and we were at one with all of them

Symbols

Totem Poles �Link Aboriginal people to their mythical ancestors �They are protective entities (plant, animal or mythological being of a clean individual) �People of the same totem are considered to be close relatives and may not marry

The Tree of Peace �Connects earth to heaven �Integral to the sun dance �The white pine is key for Iroquois because they gather around it to offer thanks to the earth

Dream Catchers �With this device the Aboriginals believe that bad dreams are filtered through the web and displaced into the universe and good dreams are held onto the web for you to hold on to

Medicine Wheel • Made by laying many • • stones in a particular pattern Symbol of healing and connection with the elements All over North America Manifestation of spiritual energy Usually, there are four sections

Key Practices Rituals and Ceremonies

Morning Dance/ Wabeno • southern Ontario • cleanse • Male elders lead • Dance around a cotton wood tree • Gives respect to the Tree of the Universe • This lasts from dawn to noon • A huge feast of meat and fish follows

Sun Dance • in the Great Plains • 8 to 16 days • Summer • Banned in the 1880 s but is practised now What they do: • Prayer • Promises • Dance

Potlatch Ceremony �Northwest Pacific coast �Banned in 1884, ban lifted in 1951 �Celebration of important events �Songs and dance are performed to the Great Spirit �Host distributes wealth �The more they give away, the more prestigious the host becomes.

Sweat Lodge �Great Plains nations �Renews the soul and helps to regain focus �Cleanses bodies �A sauna like dome is built and participants go inside �Prayers and sacred pipes are also shared

Shaking Tent �Sub Arctic to Great Lakes region �Represents the values and beliefs of the supernatural world �Communicate with spirits �Build a cylindrical tent �This is ceremony always at night

Smudging �Practised all over �Cleansing, purification �Burns sweet grass and Tobacco

Oral Teachings �Prayers are passed down through generations by telling and retelling stories and events �Elders and Shamans memorise the stories and become “keeper” who then pass them on to younger generations

Adherence and Influence on 21 st Century �Ancestry: 2001: 1. 3 million report Aboriginal ancestry [4. 4%/ total population] � 2001: 1 million identified as being Aboriginal �Aboriginal fertility > above overall Canadian birth rate

Adherence and Influence on 21 st Century �Medicine: “medicine men” (rarely women) �Medicine men > only people to pronounce illness/disease �Use plants + magic �Methods/ Plants used in 21 st Century : �Lemongrass, tamarind, red ash

Religious Significance �Religion changeable, absorbs elements of other beliefs �“Feeling of oneness and belonging” �Spiritual connection to land �Ceremonies (corroborees): totems, community gathering, story telling, dreaming, storytelling