Native North American Religious Traditions: Dancing for Life
"Despite the proliferation of literature covering modern-day spirituality, this book carves a singular place for itself. It is a personal testament to the fundamental tenets of Native American spiritual beliefs and practice….This is an engaging book, one that can be read quickly and enjoyed immensely. It is a wonderful blend of scholarship and leisure reading. It is highly recommended for all academic and public libraries."-Catholic Library World"Drawing upon three decades of scholarship and participation in Anishinabe, Cree, Pikuni, and Tlingit ceremonies, Paper has attempted a comprehensive introduction to Native North American religions. The first three chapters sensitize readers to the history of colonization and repression, differentiated by region and culture area, and the contemporary revitalization of traditional religions following the decades of Red Power activism and tribal renewal. The author identifies common features in Native religions as a this-worldly ritualized connection with numinous other-than-human beings, and the elaboration of an oral tradition that includes the charter myths of cosmogony, trickster tales, and culture heroes who provide the foundation for Native lifeways and the experiential traditions of dancing for life. Paper devotes chapters to exploring historic and contemporary iterations of ceremonies such as the Anishinabe Midewiwin, Navajo Kinaalda, Muskogee Green Corn Ceremony, Creek Stomp Dance, Kwakiutl potlatch, and the pan-Indian rituals of sweat lodge, shaking tent, and Thirst or Sun Dance. Paper's insightful analysis and suggestions for additional reading provide an excellent introduction for students in Native studies and comparative religion. Highly recommended. All levels/libraries."-Choice