I saw a show today called "Surgery Saved My Life" on the Discovery Channel, and a Native American family's son had to have a brain tumor removed. I can't recall which tribe they belonged to. Anyways they had requested for all removed tissue to be given back to them so they could bury it in a ritual that would complete the healing process for the son (the mother was a medicine woman). They believe that the soul still exists within the remains and should be handled as such. My question is do all Native religions believe this? Or is this common only among specific tribal cultures? Is there any more info behind this belief, because after the short explanation the mother gave, I feel there is more information behind it and she just shortened it for the t.v. Thanks!
2007-01-18 09:28:21 · 6 answers · asked by hayaa_bi_taqwa 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am a full blood Apache. There are more tribes than one can count and even more Ceremonies. Not all tribes hold this belief.-----They don't necessarily believe the persons soul is in the remains but that the remains represent the individual and are treated much the way 'sacred' objects are treated. You don't just throw them in the trash. You ceremoniously 'dispose' of them.
2007-01-18 09:40:48 · answer #1 · answered by ? 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
According to Lakota/Dakota tradition the soul has four different attributes:
Ni yun: the breath of life
Sicun: the Spirit Helper... depending on the belief depends on whether it's believed the Spirit Helper chooses the child before birth or at birth... etc.
wana'gi: The shadow
ton: like your "power" or what makes one "holy" or not, like a "spiritual quality"
So you see, it can get quite complex. The best idea, if you're truly interested from the side of Native Spirituality is to research individual people's ways of believing in "spirit" and "soul". Washte? (good?) It's my hope I've helped you out a bit.
_()_
2007-01-18 10:12:55 · answer #2 · answered by vinslave 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If it wasn't ignorance then I guess they were doing it just for fun. In which case, I'm not sure at what point they declared it no longer fun to discriminate and conquer the native Americans.
2016-05-24 04:35:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is a common belief by most Native tribes that the spirit exists within the organs of the body...I have heard and read of tribes such as the Lakota and Sioux burning the internal organs of animals they hunted and many tribes used funeral pyres rather than bury their dead...
2007-01-18 09:36:20 · answer #4 · answered by techteach03 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have heard this before and in a way i hold a similar belief
that for every physical part of us , there is a spritual counterpart
although not to the extent of tumours ... however each to their own
but i can understand this way of thinking though
i am unsure if all natives believe this or just a few
2007-01-18 09:38:27 · answer #5 · answered by Peace 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i'm not sure but it is a good question anyway i have an open question to muslims in my profile if you care to answer
2007-01-18 09:34:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋