Native Peoples’ Experience

While Christian missionaries translated hymns into the Ojibwe language in order to effect further assimilation, the Ojibwe have translated and adapted Christian hymnals to serve their own cultural context. The singing of these hymns in the Ojibwe language...

During an Apache initiation ceremony, the dress worn by the initiated girl plays a central role in the ritual transformation into womanhood. The components of the dress represent the various elements of the Changing Woman myth. The ceremonial songs...

Historically, the tipi was used as a home, social space, and ceremonial structure. The tipi’s construction, shape, and accompanying art also served to represent humanity’s relationship with the natural and spiritual worlds. Today, few Native Americans...

Sweat lodge ceremonies are common to many Native American tribes. The ceremonies of the sweat lodge include rites of preparation, prayer, and purification. Sweat ceremonies involve heating stones until they are red hot, bringing them into the darkened...

The Native American Church of Jesus Christ is a spiritual movement that integrates the teachings of Christian life with the spiritual and ethical traditions of various Native cultures. A central component of the Native American Church is the sacramental...

Powwows are both ceremonial and celebratory gatherings. Since the inception of powwows in the 19th century, powwows have served as expressions of tribal and Native American identity more broadly. All powwows involve dancing, singing, and drumming...

For the Ojibwe, the drum is the symbol of Native identity and spirituality, that which voices the collective prayers of the people. Drums are given a high level of respect when used for ceremonial functions and they are often cared for by a designated...

For peoples native to the region of the Western Great Lakes, wild rice or manoomin is an essential spiritual, economic, and material resource. The rice harvest itself and the social gatherings that happen around the harvest are essential components of...