The Spiritual Side of the Native Americans

The Navajos The number four plays an important role in traditional Navajo philosophy. In the Navajo culture there are four directions, four seasons, the first four clans, and four colors that are associated with the four sacred mountains. The four directions also are represented by four colors: White Shell represents the East; Turquoise, the South; Yellow Abalone, the West; and Jet Black, the North. In most Navajo rituals there are four songs or multiples thereof. When there is disorder in a Navajo’s life, such as an illness, medicinemen use herbs, prayers, songs, and ceremonies to help cure patients. There are more than fifty different kinds of ceremonies that may be used in the Navajo culture—all performed at various times and for specific reasons.

Paiutes Paiutes often prayed and conducted rituals to influence the spirits of nature and to show respect and gratitude to them. The Paiutes' believed that there was one most-powerful spirit being, often called simply the "one who made the earth". Many parts of the natural world were visible aspects of this spirit. These included the sun, to which most Paiutes prayed at sunrise, noon, and sunset; and the Coyote and Wolf, seeing the good and virtuous Wolf and wicked and silly Coyote as two necessary sides of the same all-powerful creator. There were other supernatural beings also part of the Paiutes’ world, such as the Thunder People and Water Babies.

Goshutes Many of their native religious ceremonies and practices have been retained; however, because of the scarcity of resources in their homeland the Goshute have few ceremonies in comparison with other Great Basin Indian groups. The round dance was known and primarily used to obtain assistance in making seeds grow; less frequently it was used as a social dance.

Shoshones They looked upon the earth not just as a place to live; they called the earth their mother because she was the provider of all they needed for their livelihood. The mountains, streams, and plains stood forever, they said, and the seasons walked around annually. This belief is consistent with the Shoshone practice of moving with the seasons. Because the Shoshone had no written record, storytellers held very prominent positions and could recite detailed histories and stories of the Shoshone people.

The Utes The Utes celebrate the Bear Dance to celebrate the coming of spring and the awakening of animals from their long hibernation. The Bear Dance brought Ute bands together to enjoy the abundance spring provided. It was a time for trade and courtship and continues to be the main social event of the Ute tribe. The Utes also adopted the Sun Dance and Peyoteism during the 1890s to strengthen their spiritual ties to their land and ancestry.