how has modern civilation impacted the spiritual lives of the indigenous people?

Question

ARe indigenous religions still practiced today?

Answer 1

Good question.

I can answer for Native American.

Parts of Native religions are still practiced. During colonization some ceremonies were lost because they were considered illegal and thus were not passed down. Most Native tribes, however, still practice many traditional ceremonies.

You can go to 500nations.com to get a list of U.S. tribes and their official websites.

Only in 1993 was the Native American Freedom of Religion Act passed. Until then it was still forbidden, illegal, etc.. for Natives to practice many ceremonies. Even today Natives get crap from government officials for doing so.

Also modern civilization has taken over MANY Native ceremonial sites. The Black Hills, where Mt. Rushmore is, is located on a Native American sacred site. Another example is the Winnemem/Wintu people of California.
www.winnememwintu.us/
They are fighting because the government/state officials want to damn up a river and flood out their puberty rock.
Every year puberty ceremonies are held there and the gov. wants to get rid of it.
Also Natives don't have access to traditional foods which are essential to many ceremonies.

Modern civilization has also impacted native spiritual lives by the upsurgence of "shamans". The term shaman does not correctly refer to Native Medicine Men. Many new agers are taking bits and peices of Native religion/spirituality and selling it. This promotes cultural ignorance. It is called appropriation and spread miseducation. It is an act of White priveledge to not allow Natives to practice their ceremonies but sell pieces of it yourself.

Another common fight today is within the prisons. Prisons are not traditional. The Native Am. Freedom of Rel. Act allows religious freedom even in prisons. Many Natives today are struggling for that to be upheld. For example sweatlodge ceremony is offered in some prisons as well as traditional foods.

That is a start for you.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/nataspir.htm
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/nat/sup/nat_bkrelfree.htm
http://www.lectlaw.com/files/ind03.htm
http://www.nativeweb.org/pages/legal/trapp/index.html

I am a Native woman.

Answer 2

Modern civilization has been doing it's level best to bring all people into the mainstream. It's not like they need their silly customs and religious practices, is it?

Yes, there are still indigenous religions being practiced in some areas of the world `Und zey vill be rooted out und crushed!!!!'
(removing tongue from cheek)