There was a time in the past when the number of different Native American Religion most likely topped over 1,000. While some of them have been well preserved over the centuries, sadly, many have been lost forever. The Religious beliefs, rituals, and practices varied from Tribe to Tribe and region to region. However, there are threads of similarities and common beliefs shared with many of them. The loss and destruction of most of these different religions are of course, due to the arrival of the Europeans and Christianity.

Native American Religions – Animism

The most common shared beliefs among, not only American Indians but, most of the indigenous natives from around the Globe is Animism. The belief that non-human entities such as animals, plants and inanimate objects possess a spiritual essence. The Sun, the Moon, Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water are all examples of things believed to have a Spirit and were worshiped by many different tribes. It is how they went about this worship that varied so greatly. This is a big part of the reason why it was so important to live in harmony with nature in Native American Religion.

Native American Religions – Polytheism

Much like the ancient Greeks, Some Tribes in America would worship a different God for almost everything. Depending on the belief, sometimes there was a hierarchy with the Gods, while with others, each God was of equal importance. Some examples might be, a certain God for Healing another God for giving new life from having children, a God for providing food, or a God for protection in War, and so on. For many Tribes, the Sun God was chief among all other Gods. Also, the Sundance ceremony was a common practice with a great number of Tribes.

Native American Religion vs Christianity

From the 1600’s the European Catholic and Protestant Denominations vigorously sent Missionaries throughout the land to make contact with Tribes and convert them to Christianity. This spelled the end of many Native American Religions. This also had the bizarre effect of creating new blends of different religions by mixing traditional beliefs and ceremonies with Christianity. As white settlement moved west Tribal children were forcibly removed from their families and put into Native American Boarding Schools.

Here they were taught European Christian values, how to speak English and live in white mainstream society. This Government sponsored practice continued clear up until the passing of the ‘American Indian Religious Freedom Act’ by Congress in 1978. Before that time, many of the Indians traditional religious ceremonies had been banned by law such as the Sweat Lodge and the Sundance rituals. Indians were once again, while on their own land, free to engage in any religious practices they so choose. This included the use of traditional Herbs and Artifacts on their reservations.

The traditional practice of smoking Peyote (a Hallucinogen) in a Peace Pipe used by many of the Southwest Tribes was legally restored. Today there is an active effort to restoring some of the lost practices in the religions of old and, a guaranteed freedom by Law to do so.

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