Plains Indians: Encyclopedia II - Plains Indians - Religion

Plains Indians - Religion

Plains Indians - Great Plains Religion

Religion was an important part of a Great Plains Indian’s life, as they believed that all things were connected to religion, as they possessed spirits. Their worship was centered on one main god, Wakan Tanka, or the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit had power over everything that had ever existed, and the Indians thought that by worshipping him, they would get stronger. Earth was also quite important, as she was the mother of all spirits. Spirits were worshipped every day. People sometimes prayed alone, while other times, there were group gatherings in tribes. The most important group ceremony of all was the Sun Dance. In the Sun Dance, Indians danced for four days around a sacred object, and some would inflict harm upon themselves on purpose, all while staring at the sun. They thought this self-sacrifice would encourage powerful spirits to support and defend them. There were also people that were wakan, or blessed, who were also called shaman. To become wakan, your prayers must be answered by The Great Spirit, or you must see a sign from him. Wakan were thought to possess great power, and one of their jobs was to heal people, which is why they are also sometimes called the medicine man. They healed by trying to convince a person that they weren’t sick, or they used drugs, like an old-day version of aspirin and skunk-cabbage to cure asthma. The shamans were considered so important that they decided when to hunt! Plains Indians also thought that some objects possessed spiritual power. One such item was the medicine bundle, which was a sack that carried items that were thought to be important to the owner. Items in the sach might include rocks, feathers, and more. Another thing that was very spiritual was the shield. The shield was the most prized possession of any warrior, and he decorated it with many paintings and feathers. The animals that were drawn onto the shield were thought to protect the owner.

Plains Indians - Legends

Great Plains legends featured Buffalo Spirits and the Earth Mother. Men belonged to ritual societies that offered camaraderie, a focus for public duties, and a forum to organize war and hunting parties. Powerful beings communicated through dreams and vision, and the individual vision quest was an important part of life. This involved seeking a spirit guide or seeing an intended purpose to the future and required the performance of certain rituals, such as fasting, or the construction of a sacred space. In some tribes, from northern Mexico, the vision quest was achieved with the use entheogens.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Religion", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki