The Native people of North America believe in God whom they call "The Great Spirit". Knowing that all Gods are in a Spirit form, which is a universal rule of mankind, they felt the presence of the Great Spirit in every object, in every person, and in every place.

The Great Spirit does not take on a human form and could be without gender. Hence, the term Grandfather, Grandmother God is occasionally used. S/he has never revealed itself to humans, only in forms of visions, dreams or in altered states of consciousness: fasting, vision quests, sweats, or during special holy and sacred rituals.

There are prayers but not litany as such because the Natives did not have a written language. Prayers are spontaneous and that's our communion or transmission of thoughts through our speaking. We praise the Great Spirit through chants and we dance in His honour. The sacred offerings burned are: Sweetgrass, sage, tobacco, cedar, corn or birch bark.

We have holy rituals for: death, marriages, name-giving, burials, healing, prayer and worship to only one God. There is no trinity, angels, saints, saviours, or intermediaries. When one prays, it is directed exclusively to the Great Spirit, The Creator and the Maker of all things.

Native traditions or beliefs are based on principles of good conduct and proper behaviour. The code of ethnics are in self respect and the respect of all of God's creation. Native Spirituality does not seperate the body or soul for one cannot be without the other. Therefore, the ones who care for the sick are better described as priests-doctors rather than medicine men or women. Today, the term Spiritual Leader is most common.

Native ways acknowledge the importance of balance and harmony of body, mind, and spirit-soul. The words psyche, mind, spirit and soul, are synonymous for they all mean the same thing according to Native Traditions. When the Spirit is weak, the body is more susceptible to disease. Therefore, herbal medicines and holy rituals work hand in hand.

We were all led to believe that the European Christian Missionaries introduced "God" to the Aboriginal people. Here is some linguistic evidence to the contratry. The language in this case is Micmac, but the concept of God applies to all Aboriginal Languages:

God = Nisgam
Great Spirit = Gji-Nisgam
Heaven = Wasog
Prayer = Alasutmagan

Like other traditions of the world, Native beliefs maintain that the identity of the person's spirit does not die after the change called death, and that our spirit will live forever. Your spirit cannot burn because it's in a form of light-aura. It's transparent, or has no form and cannot be weighed or measured. In all religions of the world, God is Spirit. Hence the Great Spirit.

Native beliefs concentrate on love, compassion, forgiveness and harmony. Our Sacred instructions come from Elders who received their knowledge from their Elders. Respect was of the highest principle. We were instructed to live in harmony with nature and human kind. We were ordered by our traditions to respect Mother Earth who provides for us, all of our needs: air, water, plants, birds, fish and animals. She also provides our basic staples of food, clothing and shelter.

Respect for our women is foremost in Native culture. Like Mother Earth, Native women are the "Givers of Life". They were given that responsibility by the Great Spirit who is the Ultimate Force that created the universe and all life within. Because the Creator made everything, His presence is felt in every object, in every person, and in every place whether it be inanimate or inanimate.

The Circle. When Native pray, we form a circle, we form a circle. When we dance, we dance in a circle to honour our Creator in celebration. Mother Earth is round, the trees are round, our wigwams are round. Each day has a cycle. Grandmother Moon circles her daugther, the Earth and controls the rise and fall of the great salt waters. We use her as a time mechanism. As she controls the tides, she controls the menstrual cycles of women from whence we all came.

During their mensus, Native women were waited on and were forbidden to cook or to work. This was prior to the introduction of Christianity. The women were respected because they were the "Givers of Life". During her mensus, she would flush herself clean by the natural forces only to receive and conceive once more. It was during this period of her mensus that she received great respect. When a young woman reached her time of puberty and is capable of reproduction, a special Sacred Ceremony was given in her honour.

The Elders. The term does not apply to the number of years lived. The title is given to individuals who possess intelligence, knowledge and wisdom on the history, culture, language, beliefs and custom of their people. They are the educators, healers, advisors, consultants, spiritualists, herbalists, mediums, psychics and some are parallel to doctors and psychologists. The term Medicine Man is confusing therefore the name Spiritual Leader is more common that a Priest-Doctor.

In conclusion. For thousands and thousands of years, we, the Aboriginal people, were here. Before the French or the English came, we were here. Before Canada was a Nation, were we here. We had our own beliefs and political systems and land ownership. We had all the prerogatives of nationhood. We respect our distinctive languages. We practised our own religion beliefs and customs. We developed our own set of cultural habits and practices according to our particular circumstances. Our existence in this land predates the coming of European explorers and Immigrant settlers. Our Indian people prayed only one God, the Great Spirit of which there was no other.

Noel Knockwood, B.A. (Elder)
Spiritual Leader and Special Advisor on Native Affairs
Correctional Service Canada

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