Rituals. 78 Chapter 3 NEL. Fast Fact. The Sacred in Daily Life and Environment

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1 Rituals Inuksuk. In the Far North, Inuksuit might be used for navigation and communication. They also have spiritual meaning. Fast Fact Four plants are considered especially sacred to the Aboriginal peoples of Canada: cedar, sage, tobacco, and sweetgrass. Which of these plants might grow naturally in your environment? As you read earlier, Aboriginal peoples, their traditional environments, and their traditional practices are diverse within Canada. However, traditional spiritual practices have the following in common: their strong relationship to the physical environment their underlying belief that life is interconnected Some rituals, such as prayer, may be everyday actions. Some rituals mark special events in a person s life, or they mark seasonal or community events. The Sacred in Daily Life and Environment In traditional Aboriginal worldviews and spiritual beliefs, all is sacred and everything is connected. Everything is pervaded by spirit power. All life is a manifestation of spiritual reality. Everything comes from the spirit. When we leave this life, we return to the world of the spirit. Spirit is what connects all living things. For these reasons, traditionally, every action involves the sacred and every aspect of a person s physical environment holds power. Being attentive to the physical environment as someone must be to live from the resources of the land helps one to see the power in the environment. As Walking Buffalo, a Sioux, said, Do you know that trees talk? Yes, they talk; they talk among themselves and to you if you take pains to listen. Prayer has always been an important part of Aboriginal spiritual practices. God is understood as the Creator. The purpose of praying is to recognize God s greatness and to express thanks for all the Creator s gifts. Individuals, families, and groups celebrate with a variety of sung and spoken prayers, usually spontaneously, from the heart. Some prayers can involve offering a gift or sacrifice. 78 Chapter 3

2 A Prayer of Thanks is used to communicate with the Creator before and after actions such as waking, sleeping, hunting, planting, and harvesting. In earlier periods, time was often set aside to pray, fast, and make sacrifices to charm the evil spirits that played havoc with the hunt or caused sudden storms to arise. When I was 10 years old, I looked at the earth and the rivers, the sky above, and I could not but realize that they had been created by a great power. I was so curious to understand this power that I questioned the trees and the brooks, and it seemed to me that the flowers looked at me, and I wanted to ask them: Who created you? I looked at rocks covered with moss; some seemed to have the features of a man, but they could not answer me. Then I had a dream, and in the dream one of the small round rocks appeared to me, and it said the creator of the whole universe was Wakan Tanka and that to honour him, I ought to honour his works in nature. All my life I have been faithful to the sacred rocks. I have lived according to their principles, and they have helped me in my problems I know that I am not worthy of talking directly to Wakan Tanka. I talk to the rocks, and they intercede for me. Brave Buffalo (Sioux) Aboriginal Peoples and the Church. Much Aboriginal spirituality is derived from nature, but many Aboriginal people now do not live on the land. In fact, more and more Aboriginal people are living in cities, where their connection to the natural environment is harder to maintain. In the cities, including in urban Catholic parishes, Aboriginal peoples are making great efforts to revive spiritual traditions. In this photo, First Nations representatives from Ojibwa, Mohawk, Cree, and Algonquin Nations celebrate the installation of Archbishop Terry Prendergast in Ottawa. The First Nations people are members of the Kateri Native Ministry of Ottawa. The Kateri Native Ministry works to improve relations between Aboriginal peoples and the Church, and to incorporate Aboriginal spiritual traditions into the Catholic tradition. be used to purify people and places, for example, before an important event such as a wedding, powwow, or healing. Because smudging is a holy act, the ashes are holy, too. Traditionally, as a sign of respect, after the ceremony the ashes are returned to the earth in an area where they will not be walked on. Fast Fact Many Aboriginal peoples perform smudging ceremonies, using a variety of different plants. Meetings of Métis people often open and close with a prayer and smudging ceremony. Smudging Smudging is a holy act that is a part of many rituals. Sacred herbs are burned in a shell or earthen bowl, and then the smoke is brushed or washed over the eyes, mouth, ears, hands, heart, and whole being of each participant. The cleansing smoke from smudging can Stirring a Smudge Pot. Terry McGurrin of Edgewood Farms near Brockville, Ontario, stirs a smudge pot with an eagle feather during a blessing ceremony. The Story of Canadian Aboriginal Spirituality 79

3 Fast Fact For some Aboriginal peoples, many ceremonies are considered sacred and not to be photographed or taped. In some cases, however, a community s elders may give permission to do this for the good of the community. Sacred Pipe. The carved wooden pipe bowl and stem used by Algonquin First Nations. It was sometimes referred to as the peace pipe. Sacred Pipe Ceremony The Sacred Pipe ceremony is one of the most powerful and sacred spiritual rituals for Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The pipe symbolizes the unity and harmony of the world. To smoke the pipe in a ritual is to give back to the world its unity, peace, and harmony. Before lighting the pipe, the pipe carrier prays that the whole universe and all it contains be transferred to the pipe. When lit, all that the pipe contains is delivered over to the fire, which is the Great Spirit. Everything is dissolved into the cosmic unity of the Great Spirit. The stone bowl of the pipe represents truth. The stem represents the way we are to live in harmony and balance with all of creation. The bowl, with its hole for accepting the wooden stem, represents the woman; the stem represents the man. Joining the bowl to the stem symbolizes a union and a balance between male and female aspects of the world. Because smoking the sacred pipe involves all the elements of earth, fire, air, and water (condensation in the stem), it again stresses the oneness and unity of all creation. The Sweat Lodge Many Aboriginal cultures have a form of sweat lodge. The sweat lodge ceremony aims to purify the body, mind, spirit, and heart, and to restore right relationships with self, others, the Creator, and all of creation. For this reason, the sweat lodge is considered a sacred space, a place of spiritual refuge and healing. It is sometimes called the womb of Mother Earth. A sweat lodge is a closed structure built around a pit into which heated rocks are placed during the ceremony. The sweat leader pours water onto the hot rocks to create steam. In this dark, moist setting, participants return to the womb and the innocence of childhood. Here they sing, pray, talk, meditate, sit in silence, or reflect on creation stories. Sweat lodge ceremonies can last for several hours. Sweat Lodge. This photo shows a sweat lodge with a teepee in the background. 80 Chapter 3

4 Life-Cycle Rituals Birth and Naming Rituals Most Aboriginal people go to great lengths to give the right name to each child. To learn the right name of a child, the name-giver (often the child s grandparent or an elder) enters into a time of fasting, meditation, prayer, or dreaming. The name revealed by the Spirit is then given to the child in a special ceremony, which the child s family, relatives, and friends attend. As a person matures, this name may change. The name expresses the identity of the person, which consists of his or her relation to the spirit power. Puberty In most Aboriginal communities, young people go on a vision quest an intense, solitary spiritual experience for those seeking direction in life. Young people prepare for about a year and go on the vision quest only when parents or elders believe they are ready. Traditionally, young people must undertake the vision quest to be accepted as adults in the community. Catholic Connection At the beginning of his ministry, after Jesus was baptized by John, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days (Luke 4:1 2). During his stay in the desert, Jesus had a spiritual experience that prepared him for his mission. How is this experience similar to the vision quest? Location for a Vision Quest. The circle sets off the space for the vision quest. A person in search of spirit helpers will spend three to four days in a spot such as this without food, with a little water, trying to stay awake. Dreamer s Rock on the Whitefish River Reserve near Manitoulin Island in Ontario (shown here) is a place often used for vision quests. Make It Your Own: The Vision Quest During a vision quest, the young person prays and goes without food and sleep, and eventually encounters a spirit helper through a dream, vision, or phenomenon of nature. The spirit gives insights into the person s future life role. The spirit helper may appear in various forms often in the form of an eagle, a bear, or another animal. After the vision quest, an elder interprets the vision. Activity 1. Based on this understanding of a vision quest (and possibly additional research), create a storyboard to tell about one young person s vision quest. Be sure to include the following: a special or sacred location fasting and prayer the vision: the arrival of the spirit helper and the spirit helper s teachings the return home the elder s interpretation The Story of Canadian Aboriginal Spirituality 81

5 Aboriginal Hair. Long, uncut, braided hair worn by Aboriginal people is often a spiritual or cultural statement about belonging to a particular First Nation. Hair Some Aboriginal peoples consider long, uncut hair, worn by men and women, to be sacred. Generally, hair is braided, and among some men, three braided strands signify the body, mind, and spirit. The length and style are not uniform, but braids or uncut hair generally signify that the style worn is of spiritual and cultural importance to the individual and reinforces his or her sense of belonging to a particular First Nation. For some, cut hair is a sign of mourning. In what other traditions do you know about hair having special significance? For example, covered, long, short what might it mean among people you know? Death Death rituals, and the beliefs that underpin them, vary among Aboriginal peoples. Some examples are described below. Those who have died also need to relearn what it is to be a spirit. The time required for this transition is slightly different for each person, but tradition requires a waiting period of one year. At that time, a Death Feast is held for the spirit of the person who has left. Today, the Ojibwa celebrate the Feast of the Dead each autumn to remember all who died during the previous year. Among traditional Ojibwa, each family who has lost someone during the past year holds a banquet for the entire village. The food is placed not necessarily on the table, but in an open area outside. A place is set for the deceased, whose spirit remains with the family. Cree, who honour the circle of life, also honour death. In their tradition, the body undergoes physical transformations, but the spirit remains unchanged. It ascends into another realm to join the ranks of the ancestors who preceded it in death. Separation from the body does not mean that all ties to people are gone. Cree believe spirits have the power to reveal themselves and communicate with humans in dreams or visions, or when called upon to do so in sacred ceremonies, such as the sweat lodge or sun dance. Thanks for Successful Hunt. Typically, when an animal dies including when it has been hunted for food traditional belief requires giving a prayer of thanks. 82 Chapter 3

6 Great Plains Death Ceremony. In earlier times, when a Great Plains member died, his or her body was placed on a platform. During this time, it was believed that the person s spirit journeyed into the next world. The body was then wrapped in animal skins or fur and buried with the feet pointing southward (the direction of the next world). Food and tools for the journey to the next world were buried with the deceased. Small buildings were sometimes constructed over the grave to shelter the spirit. The wake, a ceremony for returning the body to Mother Earth, and the round dance, a ceremony to commune with spirits who have passed to the spirit world, are important parts of the Cree grief and healing process. The round dance is celebrated so that the family and friends who remain behind will allow the spirit of the deceased to fly free so that it can dance with the other spirits who make up the northern lights. Northern Lights. The Cree believe that the northern lights (aurora borealis) are the spirits of dead relatives dancing. The Story of Canadian Aboriginal Spirituality 83

7 A Fancy Shawl Dance. A Blackfoot fancy shawl dancer performs at Fort McLeod, Lethbridge, Alberta. The fancy shawl dance refers to the shawl worn by the women. Seasonal and Community Rituals Harvest Feast Each year at harvest time, Aboriginal peoples traditionally celebrate the harvest from the field and forest. This is a way of recognizing the spirits that acted on their behalf to give them food, and of renewing the earth by prayers, chants, and dances. This feast, celebrated particularly by Aboriginal peoples who are farmers, was adopted by non-aboriginal peoples, who call it Thanksgiving. Similar celebrations follow a successful hunt or fishing expedition. The Powwow The powwow is a dance of renewal for the restoration of right relationships and the healing of all of creation. It is a community celebration, a time to get together to sing and dance, and to celebrate one s identity, heritage, and language. As in all Aboriginal rituals, the powwow takes place in a circle. Always blessed by a spiritual leader, the space within the circle is holy. Generally, the dancers and singers enter the circle from the east, where the Sun rises, and move in a clockwise direction in the same direction as the Sun moves. The drumbeat that accompanies many events is symbolic of the solemn rhythm of creation, the heartbeat of Mother Earth and the rhythm of the mother s heartbeat that all hear in the womb. Sun Dance The sun dance ceremony is celebrated by peoples of the Prairies in June or July, at the time of the full Moon. Sun Dance Ritual. Blackfoot First Nations perform the sun dance in Chapter 3

8 According to tradition, the sun dance began when a warrior s vision quest showed him a new way to pray to the Great Spirit. The purpose of the sun dance became the renewal of dedication to the Great Spirit. Participants take part in four annual dances to prepare themselves for the final stage of the rite. Four days before the ceremony, the dancers purify themselves (for example, with a sweat lodge ceremony) and prepare. The sun dance itself takes another four days, during which time the dancers fast. The final stage of the rite involves piercing the body and, in a dance, tearing away from the piercing to symbolize a renewal of the quest for the spirit in one s life. Giveaways and the Potlatch A common festival is the giveaway. This ceremony might celebrate a special event, such as a birth or wedding, or it may commemorate a death. The event involves giving gifts of blankets, beadwork, or crafts to family, friends, or visitors plus ceremonial dancing and singing. On the West Coast, Aboriginal peoples, such as the Haida, have potlatches. These are like giveaways in that they mark significant events in a family, such as the birth of a child, the death of a relative, or a chief taking office. However, they also increase the host s standing in the community and highlight the host s generosity, wealth, and power. Check Your Understanding 1. With a partner or in a small group, create a chart summarizing and categorizing the rituals described on pages 78 to 85. Think About It 2. Consider the government ban on Aboriginal spiritual ceremonies. From your perspective now, why did this happen? Would it ever be reasonable for a government to ban a spiritual practice? In a class discussion, use a talking feather, stick, or stone to have a respectful discussion of these questions. 3. Research spiritual practices and rituals of Aboriginal peoples living in or near your community. If possible, ask to interview an elder. Present your findings respectfully to your classmates. Making It Personal 4. One theme running through Aboriginal spiritual rituals is respect for Earth. Is this a theme in your life and rituals? On a poster, or in a short blog or interview, comment on this theme, your beliefs, and those you have read about so far in this chapter. Potlatch. A potlatch in Kispiox Skeena Valley, British Columbia, is a celebration to redistribute wealth in a community. It highlights the important value of equality among Aboriginal peoples. Fast Fact When the Canadian government banned potlatches in 1887, officials believed that they contributed to poverty among coastal nations. The ban was lifted in 1951, when the government recognized that the potlatch was the main cultural, social, religious, and political institution of the people, and therefore was important to their ability to maintain solidarity and a sense of identity. The Story of Canadian Aboriginal Spirituality 85