1 February 2019

Dr. Sillin 

ENG 334 

Now that we’ve concluded our reading of House Made of Dawn written by N. Scott Momaday, I am left with one question: how big of a role do ceremonies play in the novel? The answer it seems is quite a lot. Abel who after returning from the European theater is stricken with mental trauma. To combat this, he attends a few indigenous ceremonies which aid in his recovery. While it’s unclear if the ceremonies help Abel in the long run, the ceremonies administered by the “Priest of the Sun” are something to look at. Since faith, in my opinion, only works if someone invests emotions in a set of ideals propagated by any given faith system — Abel’s mental relief from the ceremony shows us as readers his emotional investment in his ancestral faith. Of course my opinion of the book is that it represents one big ceremony since Abel begins the book by running then ends the book by doing the same action for the same reason. 

However, the blending of judeo-christian faith with indigenous Native American faith is also very interesting as it changes the native “sun” ceremony to fit a more christian country. While the actions and the intent of the ceremony may have stayed the same within the text, the text also reveals that new words and phrases were adapted into the preexisting sun prayers as a result of influential christian culture. The question then becomes: does that influencing culture change the indigenous people? The answer is not really, but then again, if the words are changed does that affect how it is interpreted? And in turn, does that affect the meaning of the original ceremony? 

To a certain extent I feel this novel was a response to that cultural influence. N. Scott Momaday skillfully responds to the influence by accurately portraying how it had subtly changed native faith. And although the novel as a whole portrays the life and ordeals of Abel as he traverses a new world; Abel clings to what he know which is this strong sense of faith within his native community.  
Here I have posted a picture of modern first nation people preforming a burial ritual link right below. The link leads to a group or company that specializes in doing

http://www.friendsaf.com/native-american-tribal-funeral/ 

      

02 March 2019

Dr. Sillin 

ENG 334 

Burial traditions are a key component of any society. How different groups of people choose to honor and mourn their dead varies drastically between different geographical locations — and the indigenous people living on what is now the United States are no exception. However, how has modern forms of American culture influenced and manipulated indigenous burial traditions to fit their own predisposed misconception? Furthermore, how do these misconceptions deviate from the actual traditions and ceremonies indigenous people practice? 

When I think of indigenous misconceptions in popular American culture I immediately think of hollywood’s depiction of indigenous tradition through film; more specifically, I think of Kevin Costner’s 1990 film Dances with Wolves. Within the film, there are many native stereotypes. For instance, the character “Kicking Bird” played by Graham Greene is considered a “wise man” since his character often philosophizes life’s natural phenomenons. What’s even more interesting is how the character “Kicking Bird” has power over those who mourn for lost loved ones. Within the confines of the film, the viewer sees Kicking Bird regulate when widowed wives are able to remarry within the tribe. This control over female sexuality and reproduction is far from the truth and actually has a deeper meaning. 

According to Joanne Cacciatore author of “Appropriate Bereavement Practice After the Death of a Native American Child” the Lakota tribe, which is the tribe in Dances with Wolves, uses a butterfly to symbolize the sprites life after death. This is where I believe the movie got the idea of this “mourning” period. 

I have posted a picture of "Kicking Bird" from Kevin Costner's film Dances with Wolves. The l    

        

             

Cacciatore, Joanne. “Appropriate Bereavement Practice After the Death of a Native American Child.” Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. vol. 90, iss. 1, 2009, pp. 46-50. 

Dr. Sillin 

ENG 334 

03 March 2019 

Gender Identity and Indigenous Rituals

In my personal studying of indigenous rituals, I’ve come to find that gender can be very influential in how indigenous ceremonies and rituals are performed. In the book Two-Spirit People, collaboratively edited by Sue-Ellen Jacobs, Wesley Thomas, and Sabine Lang, a wide range of topics are covered. The book includes topics of gender, gender identity, and the mixing of gender when it comes to practice of rituals are all documented within the book. This post will be about how gender is perceived in indigenous rituals and how gender plays a role in the execution of rituals. 

 I think that it’s pivotal to reflect on our own societies use of gender and how it differs from how indigenous societies use gender. In fact the book brings this to light on page two-hundred and eighty: “it is common for television or the newspaper to reduce the whole person to one-dimensional social roles (husband and wife), or modes of production (lawyer, teacher, or farmer), or sexual relations (e.g., the homosexual)”. Here the author talks about how modern media tends to reduce people to their basic functions in society. On the other hand, In indigenous culture many things are taken into consideration when someone is considered a religious leader. In fact, some religious leader may find it necessary to change persona by changing their clothes. In some cases this leads to male religious leaders dressing up in traditional female robes and vise versa.  The book talks about this on page two-hundred and sixty seven: “Cross-dressing may be required in the performance of ritual acts, for example by the Blackfoot holy man Four Bears (NisoXkyaio) who died in 1889 (kehoe 1995). Four Bear was pitied by the moon (for the Blackfoot, a feminine aspect of the holy). When calling upon this power to aid those who appealed for his help, Four Bears would put on a woman’s dress and might require a supplicant to suckle at his 🤬”. Effectively, the author is trying to illustrate how gender is interchangeable when it comes to religious ceremonies and rituals. 

Here I have posted a picture of a “Gitksan woman Shaman” from a website dedicated to preserving the history of the first nations of Canada as an example of the gender neutrality clothing associated with ceremonies and rituals. The link is listed below if you would like to know more. 

    

05 March 2019
ENG 334 

Dr. Sillin 

Ceremonies and Rituals in Creations Stories 

Through these post, I’ve extensively talked about indigenous rituals and ceremonies. But where did these ceremonies and rituals come from? In fact, many indigenous rituals and ceremonies are steeped in tradition from early creation stories passed down from generation to generation orally. So what do these ceremonies entail? And how are they related to old native tradition? 

In the book Spirits of the earth: A guide to Native American nature symbols, stories, and ceremonies written by Bobby Lake-Thom in 1992, Thom records many indigenous creation stories and tells the significant ceremonies and rituals associated with these traditional stories. For example, Thom writes about a story that involves the image of a crane or egret. Thom writes “He brings peace, stability, harmony, and good luck. He is graceful, tactful, and direct. The feathers from these birds are used in healing ceremonies to take away negative energy and anger, and to bring peace and harmony to a situation”. Indigenous tribes are repeatedly personifying characteristics of animals. Another example of this personification would be the human characteristic of strength and foresight associated with an eagle. It is said in the same book that if two or more eagles were to appear while one is praying or performing a ceremony that, then that person's prayers have been answered. The book also explains the significance these ceremonies by stating they invoke a “specific kinds of spirits and energies” and that many animal objects are used in ceremonies to mimic the action of that animal and bring their spirit to them. 

Lake-Thom, Bobby. Spirits of the Earth: a Guide to Native American Nature Symbols, Stories, and Ceremonies. Plume, 1997.