Unit 1 aborginals Flashcards
animism
- aborginial ppl believe everything in the world is alive
ex: rocks, plants etc
polytheism
aboriginal ppl believe in supreme creator, however power in the universe is given to other things
ex: Inuit “sea women”
Ninian Smart 6 dimensional religions
DEMERS
- Doctrinal dimension – many religions have a system of doctrines(means set of beliefs on divinity(godliness) & ultimate reality
- Mythological dimension – myths are the sacred stories which pass from generation to generation, explain the belief of humans, gods, universe
- Ethical dimension - in every tradition you will find sets of rules, judging a person good or evil
- Ritual dimension – this is the way where ppl in community re-enacts its myths and expresses its beliefs through action.
- Experiential dimension- rituals, prayer, worship to bring feelings of security and comfort, awe, mystery, ecstasy.
- Social dimension – a religious tradition that is social. The teachings and practices is passed through social organization of churches, temples, mosques or monasteries.
Morning Dance
2) Potlatch
3) Smudging
4) Sweat Lodge
6) Powwow
7) Sundance
Morning Dance: dance from dawn to noon, practiced by south ontario Ojibwa during SPRING EVERY YEAR
- before ritual, they fast and cleanse themselves
- after dance: eat meat and fish
- give thanks to each tree “tree of the universe”
potlatch: gift-giving feast to celebrate marriage, births
-giving gifts
distribute wealth to poor
Smudging: burning medicine herbs to make a smudge/smoke, goes onto the face
- as smoke rises= prayers go up to spirit world
- negative feelings lifted away
Sweat Lodge: purifies mind and heart
- symbolizes the innocence of a child and mother earth(the womb of a mother)
- talk, pray, meditate, sing, tell stories in a CIRCLE
Powwow: celebrate their heritage, language
-drumming dancing symbolizes mother earth
sun dance: symbolizes renewal of dedication to great spirit
- fast 4 sacrifice
- sacrifice by piercings and ripping them off
Great Spirit
Trickster
Spiritual teachers and leaders
medicine wheel
- abor ppl believe all things have spirits(animism)
- great spirit is known as creator
Trickster: plays important role in creation but not the creator
- trickster can be both mean or nice
- trickster invented new hunting ways, calmed dangerous winds, helpful accidentally
Spiritual teachers & leaders
- certain man/woman have greater power than others
- that person is known as shaman they use powers to help hunt, making rain and healing
Medicine wheel: circle represents the cycle of life and teaches younger generations
- 4 directions that organizes (spring summer fall winter)
- elements in the universe 9water,fire,air)
Turtle island CreationStory
peope couldn’t get along so creator flooded the earth
- nanabush and some animals survived
- nanabush wanted to bring earth from deep in the water
- the animal: muskrat got a piece of earth and gave it nanabush and died
- the turtle decides to carry the burden of the earth in recognition of the rat
- wind blew and spread the earth to island North America
- turtle centre of creation
Navajo Creation story
- first world layed in darkness with 6 beings
- first man,first woman, salt woman, fire god, coyote begochiddy(child of sun)
First world
- begochiddy planted mountains but still no light
- bego planted a seed growing into a second world
2nd world
- there was cat ppl in the 2nd world fighting with the first beings
- then the first beings left
3rd world
- bego created animals, rivers, first beings made babies
- coyote found a baby= child of water monster
- water monster became angry and made rainstorms
- water rose to 4th world
4th world
- all bego creations went up and everything was created again
- became the home of the navajos
raven and the light story
old man living with daughter owned all the light not letting it open cuz he think daughter was ugly
- raven wanted to steal the light
- raven turned himself into a needle and the girl drank him in the water
- girl got pregnant when the raven turned into a boy, gave birth
- raven begged grandfather and raven opened each box everyday
- raven opened the last box and turned into a bird taking the light putting it everywhere
ojibwa believe after death
1 year process
Death feast
Feast in fall
Banquet
The wake
round dance
- those who die need to leanr how to become a spirit, takes 1 year to learn
- death feast happens after 1 year is passed
- feast in fall is to remember the dead ones
- banquet(a place) is held to honour dead ones
- body goes through physical transformation
- spirits communicate to humans w/dreams or ceremones (sweat lodge, sun dance)
- the wake: is a ceremony returning the body to mother earth
- round dance: is a ceremony to connect with spirits and allow them to fly and dance to the northern lights
