Native American Religious Traditions Book

Foreword 7

Preface 9

Timeline 12

Map 15

1: Religion in Action: Transcendence,

Thanksgiving, and Transformation 16

Religion on the ground 19

The Lakota Sun Dance 19

First Salmon ceremony on Puget Sound 25

The Diné Kinààldá 30

Conclusion 38

2: Philosophical Foundations: Religion

as Relationship 40

Lakota origins 41

Sacred power on the Northern Plains 43

To renew one’s life: Inipi 45

Crying for a dream: Haŋbleceyapi 45

Coast Salish traditions 47

The role of Transformer 47

Guardian spirits and spiritual power 50

Foundations of Diné traditions 54

Diné emergence 55

Diné notions of power 57

Conclusion 60

3: Defending Sacred Ground: Assimilation

and Resistance in the Colonial Era 62

1812–1960: Termination, assimilation, and removal 63

Indigenous responses: Reconstructing religious

and cultural life 69

The Lakota: The Ghost Dance 71

The Coast Salish: The Indian Shaker Church 75

The Diné: The Long Walk 79

Conclusion 82

4: Contemporary and Traditional: Native American

Religious Traditions Today 84

The American Indian Movement: Contemporary

political activism 84

The Native American Church 88

Contemporary Lakota spirituality: Situating the Sun Dance 90

Coast Salish longhouse spirit dancing 95

Diné chantways and sand paintings 97

Art Focus: Diné sand painting 98

Conclusion 104

5: Sovereignty, Ecology, and Religious Freedom

in the Next Millennium 105

Cultural survival: New Age appropriation, intellectual

property rights, repatriation, and sovereignty 105

Art Focus: Contemporary Coast Salish art 108

Ecological survival: The Black Hills, Devil’s Tower,

old growth cedar, and Black Mesa 115

Conclusion: Toward a global indigeneity 124

Notes 127

Glossary 134

Pronunciation Guide 136

Suggested Further Reading 137

Index 141