Central Beliefs and Morality In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the power that pervades all creation is called wisdom in the Old Testament (Proverbs 8:22 30). Wisdom is seen as a power present when God made all things. In the New Testament, this power is identified with Christ: In him [Christ] all things in heaven and on earth were created... all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16 17). As you have read, the Aboriginal worldview sees the sacred in all creation in every aspect of humans and the environment. As well, all life is seen as interconnected. However, Aboriginal peoples believe that the world around them is always changing from within. The forces of this transformation, which live among us and within us, seem to work independently of one another. They show themselves in the rising of the Sun, in the movement of the clouds, in the coming of the first frost, and in the growth of plants and trees. In this way, the universe is a complex assembly of powers or spirits small and great, beneficial and dangerous. Humans do not control these spirits. To live, humans must ally themselves to these spiritual powers to keep harmony between them. That is why humans need to learn how these powers act. For Aboriginal peoples, all power comes from a common origin. In other words, the same energy inhabits all things. The Siouan peoples of the plains call this energy Wakan. Wakan Tanka or Wakonda is the Great Spirit. The Haudenosaune (Iroquois) call it Orenda. Orenda is a distinct spirit that, from time to time, attaches itself to an object or animal. The Algonkian-speaking peoples call it Manitou. Manitou is the Great Mystery, the Great Mysterious One, or the Great Spirit. Some things have a greater quantity of this spirit or energy, while other things have less of it. A certain tree, a certain mountain, a certain animal may have more power than others. Learning the power of each thing is central to Aboriginal life. The Great Spirit Aboriginal peoples believe in the pervasiveness of spirit in all things. Some non-aboriginal peoples have suggested that this is a form of animism the identification of the spirit with the objects it inhabits. But, for most The Healing Rock. The Healing Rock by Métis artist Natalie Rostad stands at the entrance to an Aboriginal burial ground on South Point at the fork where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet in Winnipeg. It is covered with 100 paintings and Aboriginal symbols. It is found beside the Oodena Celebration Circle, a site that is 3000 years old. 86 Chapter 3
Aboriginal peoples, the spirit force is fluid. It is there at specific moments. For example, it is there when the eagle is in flight high in the sky, but not when the eagle is asleep. Asked whether stones are alive, or touched by spirit, an Ojibwa elder replied, No! but some are. Aboriginal peoples believe in a Great Spirit who inhabits all things: rocks, land, water, plants, animals, fish, birds, and people. They often address this Great Spirit as the Creator. There appears, therefore, to be a highest God, the Creator, who is one. This Spirit reveals itself in its many manifestations in nature. That is why Aboriginal peoples will also talk about spirits. These are the powers they encounter in everything, particularly the unusual around them. These they encounter when they find their spirit helpers in their vision quests. Like the angels of the Christian tradition, the spirits become the guardians of people s spirit lives. The Trickster Many sacred teachings include a figure who plays an important role in the creation of the world but is not the Creator. The figure is generally called the Trickster and is often credited with giving Earth the form it has today. The Trickster can be both mean and generous. He (because most forms of the Trickster are male) is impulsive, a bungler, a joker or buffoon. He acts as if there is no moral value. He is often a pleasureseeking figure, a troublemaker. The Ojibwa Trickster Nanabush was useful in that he stole fire for humans; he calmed dangerous winds; he invented strategies for hunting. He also helped to restore Earth after the great flood and taught the people how to live again according to the original instructions given to them by the Creator. He is at times helpful quite often accidentally. He at times has great power, somewhere between the human and the divine. Fast Fact God is understood as the Creator. Prayer is a significant ritual in Aboriginal spiritual traditions and is usually spontaneous and personal. The purpose of praying is to recognize God s greatness and to express thanks for all the Creator s gifts. The Haida Trickster Raven. In this sculpture, The Raven and the First Men (1980), by Haida artist Bill Reid, Raven is shown helping deliver the first humans (the Haida), who emerged from a clam shell. Trickster Wisakedjak Cree Winabojo, Waynabozhoo, Nanabojou, or Nanabush Ojibwa Glooscap Algonquin Sedna Inuit Raven Haida Trickster Glooscap Mi kmaq Flint, Sapling Haudenosaune (Iroquois) Tricksters from Different Aboriginal Cultures. The presence of tricksters in many Aboriginal spiritual traditions reflects a belief that the world is a mixture of good and bad but also that, through the sometimes painful actions of tricksters, good may result. The Story of Canadian Aboriginal Spirituality 87
Make It Your Own: The Grandfather Teachings The Seven Grandfather Teachings were the teachings given to the Anishinabeg early in their history. The first elder was given gifts of knowledge by the seven grandfathers to help the people live a good life and respect the Creator, Earth, and each other. Wisdom is to cherish knowledge. Love is to know peace. Respect is to honour all of the Creation. Bravery is to face the foe with integrity. Honesty is to be sincere when facing a situation. Humility is to know oneself as a sacred part of the Creation. Truth is to know all of these things and live them. Activities 1. Create a poster that compares the Seven Grandfather Teachings to the Eight Beatitudes. Show how each of the Grandfather Teachings matches a Beatitude of Jesus. 2. Create a poster that displays seven wise sayings that your elders (parents, guardians, grandparents, aunts, and uncles) offer you to help you live a good life. The notion of an intermediary or helper to the Creator in the creation of the world is widespread. In Christianity, the priest Arius (from Alexandria in Egypt, in the third and fourth centuries) proclaimed that Christ was such an intermediary. Christianity rejected his position. The Church could not accept Christ as someone between the human and the divine. Christ is both fully human and fully divine. Shaman An Aboriginal spiritual leader Spiritual Teachers and Leaders Aboriginal people pass on to each other their knowledge of the spirit powers through teachings mainly oral teachings. In addition, they perform a number of rituals that keep the world in balance. Certain men and women possess a greater quantity of power than others. They are more able to deal with these powers than other people in the community are. Such a person is known as a shaman or, in some areas, a medicine person. Traditionally, the shaman uses these powers for the benefit of the community: helping hunters find their prey, making it rain for farmers, making love charms, but especially healing the sick. The shaman functions as a physical and spiritual healer and performs ceremonies for healing, and for the spiritual needs of the people, using special knowledge of appropriate medicines and herbs. The shaman also remembers and tells the spiritual teachings of the community for example, by telling in a chant how Earth was created. These are sacred teachings; often Aboriginal peoples will let non-aboriginal peoples know their creation teachings, but will not train them in how to chant the teachings. It is as if the shaman in his or her chant is presiding over the creation of Earth. It is like an incantation or formula. In the ritual, Earth is recreated. Spiritual Teachings In Aboriginal spiritual traditions, beliefs and sacred teachings are generally passed on within communities and within families orally and through example. The many Aboriginal peoples who live in Canada have diverse traditions. Discussed below are some examples: The Medicine Wheel In the medicine wheel the circle represents the continuous cycle of life and the connection among all species the cross points in the four directions The powers of the four directions organize everything that exists: the seasons (winter, spring, summer, fall); 88 Chapter 3
the races (red, white, yellow, black); the elements of the universe (water, fire, air, earth); the stages of life (child, youth, adult, elder); the aspects of the human personality (spiritual, physical, mental, emotional); and more. Elders use the medicine wheel as a tool for teaching younger generations about who they are, where they come from, their place in the world, and how they are related to each other and to all that lives and breathes. Time, Shelters, Drums, and More Circles Time is considered to be circular divided into its four seasons. The circular symbolism of the cosmos is found everywhere. Encampments are generally circular. Meetings involve forming a circle. Traditional shelters (for example, igloos, teepees, and wigwams) are circular. These encampments mirror the universe, and each shelter is a replica of it. Drums are sacred objects of different sizes, types, and purposes, and are used in ceremonies. They represent the heartbeat of the nation and of Mother Earth, the pulse of the universe. The heart and the drum share the same purpose and responsibility: providing life through its beat. The circle is sacred. Dancing intended for the renewal of all creation is done in a circle. The sacred pipe is passed from one to the next in a circular motion. Aboriginal peoples see the circle everywhere because they see the powers of the universe operating as a circle. Ethics What distinct ethics (moral principles) guide life for many Aboriginal peoples in Canada? According to some sources, here are some core ethics: Do not interfere. Modelling behaviour and showing by example are valued. Ordering, giving advice, cajoling, telling someone what to do, and interfering with someone s behaviour in a demanding way are not. The community is important. Community members are expected to do their jobs and do them well for the community. Everything is shared. One takes only what one needs from the environment to survive, ensuring that there is enough left over for others in the community to use. Similarly, everyone is equal, not to be left out. Douglas Cardinal. Architect Douglas Cardinal designed the Canadian Museum of Civilization. It is located in Gatineau, Québec. Catholics believe that when priests perform certain actions with certain words (for example, in the ritual of baptism), then the person who receives these actions is changed. In the case of baptism, he or she is now a Christian. But, it is Christ s Spirit that is acting to bring about the change, not the priest s personal power. The Majorville Medicine Wheel in Southern Alberta. Physical medicine wheels, or sacred hoops, consist of stones placed in a particular pattern on the ground. The most common pattern resembles a wagon wheel: a centre of stones connected by spoke-like lines of stones to an outer ring of stones. The Story of Canadian Aboriginal Spirituality 89
Check Your Understanding 1. In point form, describe Aboriginal beliefs about spirit, the Great Spirit, and the Trickster. 2. What are three additional central beliefs, and who teaches them? Think About It 3. From pages 86 to 89, choose two or three central beliefs. In daily life, what might be examples of living these central beliefs? What similarities and differences do you see compared to some central beliefs you know well? 4. How could you learn more about the central beliefs in a specific Aboriginal community? Making It Personal 5. Have you, or has anyone you know, ever experienced what Aboriginal peoples call power or spirit? Describe the experience. Fast Fact Traditions vary from one part of the country to another. For example, in northern climates, when an Inuit boy killed his first seal or caribou, the family might hold a modest feast. Family Life In traditional Aboriginal life, before the Europeans arrived, how families lived depended on the traditions developed within their nations and in response to their environments. For example: People of the Plains (for example, Piegan, Blood, Blackfoot) lived in small groupings in the winter, then joined in a communal hunt in the spring, and gathered for the sun dance in the summer. Women and men had distinct roles, and girls and boys learned these from an early age. The women made, owned, and set up the teepees that were so important to the communal hunts and gatherings. In contrast, in what is now southern Ontario, five or six families might live in each Iroquoian longhouse in a village of a hundred longhouses. The people hunted, fished, and gathered, but also grew food crops, so family life and spiritual traditions involved planting these crops. Wherever they lived, children would observe family members and elders, learning by example and through sacred teachings and cultural practices, such as the vision quest. In general, men would marry when they could provide for a family; women typically married when they reached puberty, by which time they had learned their traditional tasks. 90 Chapter 3 Aboriginal Agriculture. Sacred teachings tell about the Three Sisters planted near the longhouses: corn, squash, and beans.