"common misconceptions about Native Americans" (rituals, tradition, beliefs)

painted wolf · #1 10-23-2005, 11:11 PM

whoo... there seems to be too many to cover.. but here is a good start.

http://www.bluecorncomics.com/stbasics.htm http://www.bluecorncomics.com/stertype.htm
http://homepages.utoledo.edu/NASA/cm.htm
http://www.hanksville.org/sand/stereotypes/
http://www.media-awareness.ca/englis...portrayals.cfm

Most of what people think they know about Native Americans and our faith is heavily tainted by the centuries of sterotypes and predjudices that have been part of our portrayal in popular and even professional media.

The only way to change this is to ask questions and learn (a process I'll admit I am also doing and will do for the rest of my life) so If you have any questions please ask and I will try to answer as best I can... or at the very least point you in the right direction to learn it yourself.

wa:do

Green Gaia · #2 10-27-2005, 01:32 PM

One misconception I can think of when it comes to Native American religion, is that all Native Americans believe the same thing, when in fact there is a wide range of beliefs, rituals and traditions.

michel · #3 10-27-2005, 01:37 PM

Thanks for the links, Painted wolf; as it happens, I followed a whole series on Brittish television about a year ago which went into many of these myths.

kreeden · #4 10-27-2005, 01:53 PM

PW , you have taken on quite a chore here .

But I believe it is a task worth doing and I wish you the best of luck .

Maize , that is why this is such a task . They were , and remain , Nations . Each with their own culture , religion , customs , etc . It is hard to touch on each and every one . And like any culture , there are all types of people , with all types of views .

For excample , I love the movie " Little Big Man ". One reason I enjoy it so much is that if you watch Chief Dan George"s face , it is as if he goes through the whole movie thinking " I can't believe they are paying me to do this ".

At the same time , some have taken offense to the movie .. Perhaps one would have had to see him in Beachcombers to notice the difference ?

painted wolf · #5 10-28-2005, 06:41 AM

thanks all... it is indeed neigh impossible to pin down anything as definitively "native american faith". It is a long standing joke among many I know that if you get six tribes together at one of our gatherings you'll end up with four or five agreeing how to do something and one or two who believe it should be done the opposite way.

Eaven things that many outsiders would think is somewhat trivial, such as "are barefeet ok in the circle or at the drum?" Some tribes take a great ammount of offence at barefeet in a spiritual setting... some (like me) do not. But it is something I have to keep in mind when I'm at a gathering. Sometimes it seems the only thing we all really agree about is Frybread...

A lot of what you find in books about "native american wisdom" is also very inaccurate. No offence to the New Age movement, I appreciate thier seeking wisdom in our ways.. but a lot of what they think is "genuine" is not.
Things like astrology, crystal 'magic', tarot are given a Native American 'flavor'... eaven 'borrowed' concepts like Totems, "vision quests" and medicine wheels are not the same as they are in the cultures that origionated those things.
Again not to knock anyones personal way of life but it can be frustrating to seperate the 'new age' from the 'traditional' in a discussion of First Nations Religion.

wa:do

kreeden · #6 11-14-2005, 02:43 PM

You agree on frybread ? Now , other then agreeing that it is good , I find that hard to believe .

I have been wanting to get back to this post and ask a few questions ... but I'm not sure if I can without turning it into a debate .

It seems to me that it is very hard to seperate many non-First Nation beliefs from their traditional beliefs . As you have said PW , Native American Spirituality is a growing , evolving sustem of beliefs . Now , I believe that I understand what you are saying . I have watched friends return from courses the their bands have put on about First Nation Spirituality , and have listened to them talk about things like astrology .... thinking at the time that it didn't quite sound right .

And these were sponsored by Bands ! { although I must say that they appear to have gotten better over the years , still much of it appears to be what you call pan-Indian ** .

And it doesn'y help when " Indians " sell theirselves . I have a friend who tours Europe , lecturing on " healing ". His own words once were " It helps that I look Indian ". { he is part First Nation ... , and his wife makes charms and the like to sell , and she is not even part First Nation ** . And there are other ... many others .

I don't know . It just seems so mixed up ... I do wish you the best in getting it all straighten out through . Well , not just you .

But everyone .

Feathers in Hair · #7 11-14-2005, 03:00 PM

Hehee, frybread sounds like something everyone can agree on!

If I may ask, what is your opinion on 'shamans' from other cultures? I know the term isn't exclusive to the Native American tradition(s), but when it's used, it normally refers to someone coming from that culture. Should it be used exclusively in that sense, or is being a "Celtic shaman" okay?

kreeden · #8 11-14-2005, 03:16 PM

I noticed that in one of the links , the guy said that " shaman " wasn't even a First Nation word .... well , the word " word " isn't First Nation neither ...

No PW , I'm not being a pain here . But that really isn't a very stronge arguement . Saying that another term is perfered , now that makes more sense .

I guess that what I'm trying to say is that there are many different meanings to words , and the like . To me , Shamanism is more a view on life then a religion . And I mean no disrespect when I say that Black Elk Speaks is the only book that I have ever read who's story was told by a true Shaman . In fact , I mean that with nothing but respect .

It is just another excample of how confusing this can get ....

painted wolf · #9 11-14-2005, 09:18 PM

Ok, ok... I admit it we still find time to argue over who makes the best and if its best with Wojapi or some other toppings or plain.

generally Shaman isn't used by first nations peoples... we have our own words or simply call our spitritual leaders as they are... holy men, healers, friends.

I agree Kreeden that selling of religion is a major problem and that it isn't only "outsiders" who are doing it. Hucksters come in all shapes, sizes and creeds.

While I realize that beliefs evolve over time, that is the nature of things... I think it is important to remember where those ideas came from and why you choose to adopt them.
Just slapping a native sounding name on something doesn't make it native.
One of the big things that has been happining lately is a rennasance of and return to the "old" ways. Younger generations are discovering pride in who they are and where they came from, many are keen on keeping as close to their ancestors ways as possible. Many are sick of the TV Indian image, and the layers of misinformation that have built up.

wa:do