Kachinas:
Among the Hopi, masked, costumed dancers that represent gods, ancestors, or spirits.
During religious ceremonies, Hopi dancers would dress up in costumes to symbolize important figures. Parents of the Hopi children would teach their children that the Kachinas were really the god, ancestor, or spirit in order to teach the children to obey their parents and follow the rules of their village.
Kivas:
Underground chambers that the Hopi used for religious ceremonies.
The Hopi people would perform their ceremonies in Kivas. The Kachinas would dance in the chambers during religious rituals.
Mamanatowick:
The supreme king or chief of the Algonquian-speaking peoples of eastern Virginia. Powhatam was the first mamanatowick that the English settlers dealt with.
The Mamanatowick dictates the entire tribe of people. He has control over all the people. He owned all the precious metals found and most of the animals and produce.
Mantu:
Among the Naskapi, the soul of nature, animals, and humans. The soul of a person is referred to as the "Great Man."
The Naskapi people believed that everything had a soul. In order to survive, they believed that they needed to be in favor of the souls. Everything in the world has a soul and people must be friendly with the souls in order to gain the support of the souls to survive.
Mista'peo:
Among the Naskapi, the Great Man-- an individual's soul that lives in the heart; it is a person's essential self. It reveals itself in dreams.
The way to get in contact with one's soul is through Mista'peo, the Great Man. This soul helps people to become moral and helpful.
Monotheism:
The belief that there is one deity.
Monotheism and henotheism, the belief that one god is supreme over others, are some what related. Many religions in North America had similarities in that their was a god or gods that was/were higher than others. When Abraham said that El Shaddai (the One of the mountain) is the highest god, he did not say that El Shaddai was the only god, he said that their may be other gods. Abraham is an important figure in Christiany, a popular monotheistic religion.
Myth:
Myths are stories that represent our world and values.
A story of gods acting in a different time. Creation myths are stories of how the gods acted before humans were created, how they created humans, and how they communicate with humans. The word myth in religious studies does not mean untrue.
Okeus:
Among the Powhatans, a god, or group of gods, that caused suffering. His counterpart is the beneficent deity, Ahone.
The Powhatan people were usually more concerned with the powers of Okeus rather than the powers of Ahone. They visited Okeus more often in order to prevent any suffering or failure from happening. He was usually symbolized as a black figure with qualities the Powhatans wished they could have.
CHAPTER ONE NOTES:
The Absolute:
Native Americans usually believed in Henotheism, the belief that one god is supreme over others. Henotheism is a familial religion. Henotheism can be related to Monotheistic religions, such as Christianity. Abraham said that El Shaddai, the God of the Mountain, was the highest god. He said there may be other gods, but El Shaddai is the supreme.
The World:
Everything in the world has a spirit. To the Native Americans, animals had spirits also, so humans had to repect them. The people believed that the animals lost their lives to give life to humans. Humans have to use the animals in every way to respect the kinship between animals and humans. The spiritual connection between humans and animals is their kinship.
Humans:
Humans and animals are closely related. Spiritual strength of a human is essential in most Native American tribes. Totem poles were used as a representative of a people in a tribe.
CONTINUED