Native Rituals

When scholars study religion, the tendency exists to focus on the mythological aspects of the religion in an attempt to understand the major underlying concepts present. However, an equally rewarding study often can be accomplished through the careful analysis of the religion's ritual aspects. This is especially true when studying North American Indian religions where there is an abundance of elaborate rituals that play a significant role in their culture. By closely examining the details …

…Sioux. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1953. Coorigan, Samuel W, ed. Readings in Aboriginal Studies Brandon, Manitoba: Bearpaw Publishing, 1995. Hultkrantz, Ake. Belief and Worship in Native North America. Ed. Christopher Vecsey. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press, 1981. Robicsek, Francis. The Smoking Gods: Tobacco in Maya Art, History, and Religion. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1978. Steinmetz, Fr. Paul B., S.J. "The Sacred Pipe in American Indian Religions." American Indian Culture and Research Journal. 8(3): 27-80, 1984.