We used to be like you...

This is something I've been thinking about for a long time, and as I'm probably heading to America shortly (where, hopefully, I can meet some Native Americans in flesh ) I'd like to bring it out here, to see what any Native Americans (and, indeed, anyone else) here think about it.

It has been a growing acknowledgement of mine that the original peoples of Europe (referred to widely as Celts and Germanic tribespeople, although they were just as diverse as the peoples of Pre-Columbian America and just as disunited) had many similarities in their religion, lifestyle and way of looking at knowledge to some of the nations of the Americas. Although the differences are many, the similarities are quite interesting in spite of this. The general religious idioms seemed to be consistent - a focus on animism and the reverence for heroic figures (and heavily regulated, ritualised warfare) in the past as well as nature spirits (one only has to think of the Sidhe and Fairies of European myth to think of animistic spirits). Cardinal directions, something I have heard is important for the Nahuatl and Lakota religions at least, was also of fundamental importance for the Celts of Ireland and elsewhere. Oral information was favored over the written word among the Celts. Visions and dreams and the use of ritual herbs, dancing and music was also noticeable. However, more cannot be said, as little is known of Celtic symbolism and ritual beyond what can be gleaned from archaeological sites (efforts that I am not sure should be undertaken).

Now, many of these things are shared with other animistic societies throughout the world. This is true, but there also seems, for me, to be a feeling that something more exists beneath this similarity. It especially rung true when I heard that the Ancient Irish believed that their afterlife existed far across the western ocean - and the next landmass you hit when you travel west of Eire is, of course, North America. Was there a spiritual bond between the two groups of nations? Was there any migration between the two? Did Celtic Monks (one thinks of the voyage of Brendan) ever reach North America with their boats, and ever bring and recieve religious insight from those they met (as some historians now say)? I guess, with the destruction of the indigenous Celtic religion being so total, we'll never know. The arrival of the two Romes, first Imperial, then Ecclesiastical and the incredibly destructive (culturally speaking) events of the past few hundred years in the Celtic fringe (such as the highland clearances and the Potato famine, which read much like what was going on across the Atlantic), have all but annihilated the ancient European spiritualities. Although it is true that pieces of them are still with us today, they are pretty much subsumed in what is essentially a foreign ideology; designed to benefit the powerful in Rome, but adopted by later forces, from Kings to Capitalists.

The sum of all this is that I feel incredibly saddened when I look at the achievements of the Eurocentric White culture we find ourselves in. It seems to me that the modern world, with all its technology and positivism, is actually the result of a people acting out a worldview which is essentially foreign to them. Most white people are descended from the originally rural-dwelling northern europeans, rather than the urbanised south. We are living out the dreams and orchestrations of a crowd of people who lived and died in the citadels of the Middle East and Mediterranean Basin, snake oil sold to us by the Romanisers, rather than those from whom we are descended. I would think that many of the spiritual ills of the west are due precisely to this disparity. There is more to genetics than genes as Terry Pratchett said, and deep within our souls, I think the average office worker still has the heart of a Celt inside him. Our entire society is structured to teach us that certain things - material wealth, power, security and individuality - are the font of happiness, when in fact, it appears, we yearn for social relatedness, a good fight and a spirituality that has more wisdom than wishful-thinking.

This has sailed perilously close to the whole "You Native Americans are pure and undefiled noble savages!" fallacy, but that isn't what I mean. I don't think that there is something inherently "better" about the way "traditional" Native American spiritualities are. I don't believe that where Whites are now is a progression (or regression) from an original, perfect state, which the Native Americans retained. Rather than further forward or back on a straight line of development, I feel that we whites (or rather, our views) are just in a different place, with different priorities and goals. The problem for me is, that these goals are not the ones that are right for our (spiritual) sort of people. This doesn't mean we shouldn't take responsibility for the evils we have done in the name of "Truth" or "Progress", but I feel the time has come for us to accept that we have been living someone elses dream rather than our own. We are lost in the truest sense.

But yet, all converting to Native American spirituality would still be the same thing - living another's spiritual life. We need to get in touch with ourselves again. So my question, which I have got to in a very roundabout way, is this: How does the (or a) white man get in touch with his ancestors? How do we find the path we used to travel again?

I'd love an answer

Jonathan

Osiyo. You have some very interesting thoughts. To answer your question, I think the best way we can get in touch with our ancestors is to learn about the cultures we descend from. Learn about those people and those cultures that make you who you are. It is hardly possible for a white person to retain all of the customs, traditions, and practices of their native ancestors. I mean, a white person cannot live exactly as their ancestors lived. But you can keep some of their traditions and practices in your daily life. Then you'll have a nice mix of ancient and modern. I think that would make one's ancestors proud. I myself am part American Indian, and though I cannot live or walk the same path of a full-blood, I still attend powwows, I still dance in the Circle. I speak the language of my ancestors, I go to water, etc. etc. Keeping with the traditions of my ancestors, and some modern American Indian customs allows me to be in touch with not only my ancestors, but also myself. It helps me learn who I am. Does that answer your question at all, or am I way off?

That's quite helpful actually. Although, it still leaves me with a problem - the ancient practices of our ancestors are almost totally lost. I mean, Celtic reconstructionists find it very difficult to even guess at what the significance of what we do know is. So although doing what our ancestors did is the next step - I need a way of finding out precisely what they did first, heh

Elvendon said:

That's quite helpful actually. Although, it still leaves me with a problem - the ancient practices of our ancestors are almost totally lost. I mean, Celtic reconstructionists find it very difficult to even guess at what the significance of what we do know is. So although doing what our ancestors did is the next step - I need a way of finding out precisely what they did first, heh

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I see how it would be more difficult for one of Celtic descent than Native American descent. Fact is, we just know more about some cultures than others. Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about Celtic anything. That's one difficult situation you have there. I guess just go on what you do know, try your best to stay in touch with your history, and learn all you can as time goes on and more is discovered.

This is a topic that I have given much thought to over the years . I am of Celtic desent , yet my family has lived in North America for close to 300 years .... I am either Celtic , nor First Nation { North American Indian } . Yet I walk the same earth as both did . The land that I know however , is North America .

My point is that most , of not all , ancient people had one thing in common . They lived much closer to the Land then we do today . Cultural views of the Land did tend to differ though . And continue to do so today . I doubt that many , if any Sioux living today has much in common with a Sioux Warrior who lived 500 years ago . How , their life style is very different at least . Even for those who do go back and live off the Land . The world has changed . The Land it's self has changed . Such is Life .

That is not to say that we can not learn from the " Old Ways ". Be they Celtic , First Nation , or the Sami People of northern Finland . They can teach us how to get back in touch with the Earth .... which is much more then going put and hugging a tree . Although that could be a start .

Studying the history of our cultures gives us an idea of where we came from , but who we are is uaually quite another matter . Studying the culture of the People who lived on the Land before us .... gives us an idea of the connection to that Land they had , and perhaps that we should share . Shows us a Respect for the Land that we seem to have lost .

BTW Elvendon , not to start a debate , but the Sami People are usually believed to be the oldest People in Europe , not the so called Indo-Europeans . It seems that we invaded Europe before we did the same to North America .