World Religions

Introduction to World Religions Study Guide The sixth rite – Isnati Awicalowanpi is the puberty ceremony. This rite is for girls who have already had their first menses so they will grow up to be upstanding Lakota women. The seventh rite – Wankayeyapi involves throwing the ball. The ball represents the course of a man’s life. A young girl is in the center of a square and throws the ball up in the air towards one of the four corners. Those in the corners vie for the ball, which represents knowledge. Those who catch it are believed to be more fortunate than others. The Lakota are also noted for their dreamcatchers. 2.4 Apache The Apache were not noted for their religious practices. They were not an agricultural society and they did not practice rituals around the seasons as others did. All their energy was focused on survival. They did not practice rituals for marriage and death. In fact, death was considered to be the ultimate foe. Their lives were centered on their “power” rather than spirituality. Individuals were encouraged to seek whatever supernatural attachment they desired. The focus of the people was building their power. Vision Quests The practice of seeking religious knowledge was common. The individual would go into the hills or forest for several days without food and water, and seek a guiding spirit to appear to him. The individual may change his name afterwards depending on the spirit that appeared. Often, this was a rite of passage for young men. Smoke Smoke held a sacred place for Indians; it could be the vehicle for prayers to go upward or it could be used in a smoke house to clean away evil spirits. Indians smoked tobacco and peyote, which is a hallucinogenic that can produce visions that last up to 24 hours. Missionaries Initially, the explorers coming to the New World were interested in profit for the crown. Those trekking to the NewWorld ignored existing culture and religious practices; instead, they believed the inhabitants did not have a god. It was under this belief the Europeans operated, enslaved, and killed those who got in their way in the New World. However, during the “Age of Discovery” in the 1500s, Spanish and French missionaries began competing for the saving of souls of the newly discovered Indians. In 1537, Pope Paul III declared the Indians had souls and were not to be killed or enslaved, but to be converted to Catholicism, thus opening up their souls to salvation. Subsequent letters from missionaries encouraged others to come to the New World and convert the godless Indians. Protestants missionaries soon followed the Catholic missionaries in an effort to “win” souls.

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