The term Aboriginal refers to the indigenous, traditional, preliterate religions found worldwide. These peoples have a long history as undisturbed cultures where their religion and culture flourished prior to the invasion of colonial societies. These peoples often have in common an animistic belief in spirits dwelling in all nature, creation myths, shamans, rituals and a religious system that permeates all of their life.
Native Americans
There is a difficulty in grouping the myriad of Native American tribal beliefs into one study as each group has its own history, culture and beliefs. Anthropologists have made arbitrary categories of Native Americans into seven groups for study. These groups, however, do not have a common language history or may not have the most characteristics in common: Eastern Woodlands, Southeastern, Plains, Plateau, Great Basin, Southwestern, and Northwest Coastal. Language groups of North American Indians are divided into Algonquian-Wakashan, Nadene and Penutian which includes the Athabascan group, Hokan-Siouan, and Aztec-Tanoan. See:
Kennewick Man -- What is the oldest culture in North America? There are very ancient remains of hominid culture found at Calico, California (up to 200,000 years ago). There is also Kennewick Man in Eastern Washington State, the skeletal remains of a modern hominid man from approximately 8500 years ago. His features are more Caucasion-looking than Native American with teeth appearing South Asian, but so much is yet unknown of his race or origins. See:
Inuit of the Arctic
Sedna, Inuit Goddess of the Sea
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The myth of Sedna, Inuit Goddess of the sea, is a myth shared by the Inuit and other North Pole peoples. After several trials and contests with her father over whom she should marry, Sedna's father throws her in the sea from his boat and as she tries to climb back in he cuts off her fingers, one by one, so that she cannot grasp the boat. The fingers become the sea mammals and Sedna, falling to the bottom, becomes the goddess of the sea and sea life. |
Inuit in Greenland
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Inuit sled dogs in Canada |
Plains Indians
Iroquois
 
Iroquois masks: red warrior mask and mask to scare evil spirits
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Native American Sacred Texts:
Founding Fathers: Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, Geranamo, Chief Joseph
from:
Chief Seattle's famous speach (Suquamish tribe): |
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Native Australians
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The Aborigines of Australia, Tasmania and the Torres Strait Islands have claimed that land for more than 50,000 years, the oldest continuing culture in the world, as the archaeological evidence shows. Like the Native Americans, they compose over 500 cultural groups speaking various dialects and languages. |
Religion:
Dreamtime: |
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Native Melanesians
Papua New Guinea female
New Guinea warriors |
Papua/New Guinea
Melanesians are the oldest of the Pacific Islander groups and differ genetically from the Polynesians and Micronesians. The Papuan Melanesians share an ancestory with the ancient Australian Aborigenes, and arrived perhaps from the Indonesian archipelago 50,000 years ago. A culturally diverse society, Papua-New Gunea alone has over 800 languages and as many dialects.
History :
Mythology:
Cargo Cults:
Religion of the Pacific Islanders: |
Native Polynesians
 Hula dancers, Hawaii
Tiki sculpture, Hawaii |
Maori Warrior, New Zealand |
Reading
Read chapter 9 prior to the next class
Terms to Know
Aborigines = indigenous people also referred to as Native Peoples, First Peoples, First Nations, or autochthonous "sprung from the earth"
Mana = the supernatural power that an individual leader holds, found among Melanesians and Polynesians
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