what's your favorite native american ritual?

Answer 1

The sweat lodge is a ceremonial sauna used by native americans. they use willow branches to make a small hut and cover them with dirt then animal hides or even clay to keep the heat in.

During the ceremony, the participants encircle the stone pit inside the lodge. The medicine man, leader of the ceremony, receives the glowing hot stones from the firekeeper and places them in the pit. when enough stones have been placed in the lodge, the medicine man closes the door and pours water on top of the stones to fill the lodge with steam. This happens three or four times, with periods of between ten minutes to an hour spent sweating in the lodge.

Rituals and traditions vary from region to region. They often include prayers, drumming, and offerings to the spirit world. Some common practices and key elements associated with sweat lodges include:

* Orientation – The door usually faces the fire, forming a duality between the lodge and the fire. This duality is, in many traditions, symbolic of the male-female or heaven-earth dualities. Directions usually have carry distinct symbolism in Native American ceremonies. The lodge may be oriented within its environment for a specific purpose; for example, a lodge constructed near a lake could be run with the intention of connecting to the spirit of the lake. Placement and orientation of the lodge within its environment often facilitates the ceremony's connection with the spirit world.
* Construction – The lodge is generally built with great care and with respect to the environment and to the materials being used. Many traditions construct the lodge in complete silence, some have a drum playing while they build, other traditions have the builders fast during construction.
* Clothing – In traditional lodges, participants wear a simple brief garment or towel and nudity is frowned upon.
* Offerings – Tobacco, sweet grass, redcedar, and other plants are often used to make prayers, give thanks or make other offerings. They can be smoked in a peace pipe or cornhusk pipe, sprinkled on the hot stones or offered to the fire. Prayer ties are also made in many traditions to set the intention of the lodge, show gratitude, purify one's self before the lodge, summon support from the spirit world, and other such purposes.
* Support – In many traditions, one or more persons (sometimes called "dog soldiers") will remain outside the sweat lodge to protect the ceremony, and assist the participants. Sometimes they will help tend the fire and place the hot stones, though usually this is done by a designated firekeeper.

Answer 2

My favorite ritual of Native Americans- is any ritual to heighten the awareness, shift ones center-point and become a death defier, a traveler, teacher and shaman.

Back on the ground however, the native Americans never got 99% percent of those "fat checks" for the agreements made by the ol' U.S. pretty much the contracts seemed to vanish in musty old wooden sheds that had a habit of getting hit by lightening, and the agreements the Native Americans had just turned up missing. The words "Too bad" is what the govt mostly had to give.

I think the debt owed to these people is so big it boggles comprehension. When lives (not just land) are taken wrongly, how can that be paid back? I say more power to you, if you want to have casinos and whatever on soveriegn lands, you should and must-

The rest of us, if we are not impressed by the spirituality of Native Americans- then you better do some studies and learn your self up. The Europeans called native Americans "barbarians" while being far more brutal and violent.
-typical-

Answer 3

I can't say that I've really looked into Native American traditions, but I really do find the culture very interesting. From what I've seen of their rituals, anyway, I'd have to say that their dances are the most interesting -- I do realize that there are different types of dances surrounding different rituals, but this element of a ritual is my favorite part, I suppose you might say.

Answer 4

The ritual where you get a fat check from the government for them taking your land.

Answer 5

my father is full blooded Native American Indian....of the Blackfoot people and I do not find any ofthe rituals something I would participate in.....Go with God the only way .....Jesus is Lord

Answer 6

when I was 16, I went through a Mohawk naming ceremony to become an honorary member of the tribe. It was a cool ceremony

Answer 7

When you all sit around the campfire and pass around the feather. I love to hear the stories and the feel of the atmosphire.

Answer 8

Cursing White Men for stealing their land.

Answer 9

Sweat Lodge! It is for purification and healing, some of you here
should give it a try and NOT make fun!
What a lot of undereducated goofs!

Answer 10

I am Cherokee. I have lots of favorites. The one I love the most is the spirit dancing. It really touches my spirit.