Religions of Native America
Religion in America
Diversity
550 societies and distinct languages
Cultural diversity
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Eastern Woodland
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Great Plains
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Southwest Pueblo cultures
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Hunter-gatherers of West Coast
Differences in material culture
Differences in social organization
Common Characteristics
No separation between sacred & everyday
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Kinship between spirits, people, natural world
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Shifting of shapes
Common Characteristics
Continuity of sacred & present time
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Sacred origins
Common Characteristics
Power and the spirit world
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Rituals for taking & restoring food
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Controlling & directing the powers of nature
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Interpreting dreams,
visions, and signs
Trance and transformation
The Trickster figure
The sacred clowns
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Funny and vicious
Masked dancers and the spirits
Harmony
The sacred four, five, or seven directions
The sacred wheel
Significant deities
The Sun God of Central America
Significant deities
The Corn god