1. Aboriginal Spirituality
HRT3M
World Religions – Unit 1

2. Aboriginal Populations - World
Approximately million Aboriginal Peoples inhabit the earth
1, 172,790 people identify themselves as Aboriginal in Canada (2006 census)

3. Aboriginal Populations - World
Aboriginal spirituality is most common in Asia. The lowest population of aboriginal people is in Europe.
The Inuit, located in Canada’s north (Nunavut) share their culture and traditions with Alaska and Greenland.
There are Inuit, but a lot of that population practices Christianity.
There is a resurgence of Aboriginal culture throughout the world.

4. Aboriginal People – World Common Beliefs
Animism: my adherents of Aboriginal spirituality believe that everything in the world is alive. All things, human and non-human, have spirits or souls, and that the person or animal lives on after death through the presence of that spirit.
Some observers claim aboriginal spirituality is polytheistic – many believe in a supreme Creator however, power in the universe is also given to other personified spirits who are less powerful. Examples: Inuit “Sea Woman”; Iroquois “Sky Woman”; and the Algonquin “Grandfather” (sky)

5. Aboriginal People – World Common Beliefs and Practices
Aboriginal people exercise their beliefs through storytelling, prayer, art and ritual. These may consist of drumming, chanting, carving, painting and dancing.
Aboriginal Spirituality has no founder, or creator of the religion. During a crisis, an elder or significant person will rise and renew the faith.
Canada declared June 21st to be National Aboriginal Day, in 1996

6. Aboriginal Peoples – Americas Origins
Indigenous People believe they are the original inhabitants of an area “they came from that ground”
Archeological evidence suggests the aboriginal inhabitants of the Americas migrated from Asia to the Americas by crossing a land bridge over the Bering Strait between and years ago.

7. Canada’s Aboriginal People
Aboriginal Spirituality is logical – a cultural extension of survival interaction with their physical environment.
The geographical environment in which they lived defined them
Canada has 6 distinct cultural groups

8. Canada’s Aboriginal Cultural Groups
6 cultural groups in Canada –defined by how they developed in response to their distinct geography
Arctic
Subarctic
The Plateau
The Northwest Pacific Coast
Great Plains
Northeast Woodlands

9. Creation Most tribes have their own unique creation story Oral stories
Turtle Island
Raven and the Clamshell
Animals came from humans- strong link
Creator controls humans, but not other animals

10. Ceremonies The Potlatch Ceremony - Give away things to gain status
The Sweat Lodge
- like a sauna--> made of saplings
- led by an elder
- heals them spiritually and physically
The Shaking Tent
-used by many tribes
-goal is to communicate to spirits

11. Totems Represent their animal/spirit guide For a clan or individual
Same totem= close relatives
Sometimes used to tell stories about supernatural
Carved for Potlatch Ceremony

12. Rituals The Sun Dance - circle = sun--> centre of life
- cottonwood pole is called “Tree of the Universe”
- Piercing Dance
Morning Dance
- dance to give thanks
- feast of fish and meat

13. Symbols/ Images
Traditional symbols and images are an essential part of the Aboriginal culture.
Dream Catcher: If you hang a dream catcher over your bed, your bad dreams will go through the web and into the Universe and your good dreams will be caught in the web.
Eagle: Alerts the Aboriginals of what is to come.
Fire: Symbolizes the heart of The People and is used to cleanse the spirit.

14. Symbols/ Images Continued
Inuksuk: Used for navigation, gives warnings for any danger in open water, and it marks sacred space.
Medicine Shield: Made by warriors as a symbol of protection and strength when hunting and battling.
Tree of Peace: In some Aboriginal religions, the tree is believed to connect Earth to Heaven.

15. Number of Adherents in the World/ Influences in the 21st Century
Just under 1.2 million Canadians reported having at least some Aboriginal ancestry in 2006, representing 4.4 % of the total population in Canada.
Between 1996 and 2006, the Aboriginal population grew by 45%.