Additional Aboriginal PPT Part 11

The Story of Canadian
Aboriginal Spirituality
Part 1
Aboriginal Peoples in Canada Today
• Canadian Aboriginal peoples have a long, rich, and varied history and are
diverse.
• Over 1 million people in Canada are Aboriginal, and the population is
growing quickly.
– 8 out of 10 Aboriginal people live in Ontario and the Western
provinces
– 54% live in urban centres
– 10% of Winnipeg’s population is Aboriginal
• The term “Aboriginal peoples” is broad and includes First Nations, Métis,
and Inuit.
• First Nations peoples include many groups.
• There are differences between the names used by the peoples
themselves and those used by others.
• There may be variations in spellings because spoken terms were written
down in many forms.
The History of Aboriginal Spirituality
• Aboriginal peoples in Canada live in diverse environments, and have a great
variety of rituals, symbols, and practices.
• Their spirituality is deeply connected to physical environment, including
animals and plants, and life is seen as interconnected.
• Until recently, most Aboriginal cultures have been oral, relying on memory
and memory keepers.
• Their history has been passed down orally and through archaeological
findings.
• Despite diversity, Aboriginal peoples share a lot the same worldviews of
indigenous peoples everywhere in the world.
• They show a deep sense that all that exists—trees, animals, humans, the
earth—is alive.
European Contact and Aboriginal Spiritual Traditions
• Contact between Europeans and Aboriginal peoples had a range of impacts.
• Aboriginal peoples helped early Europeans by teaching them survival skills.
• Many Europeans considered their own ways “civilized” and Aboriginal ways
“uncivilized.”
• Aboriginal peoples were expected to give up their ways.
• Reserves were created and land was set aside for specific First Nations
peoples to use.
• In 1857, the Gradual Civilization Act was passed to assimilate Aboriginal
peoples into European culture.
• In 1876, the Indian Act allowed the federal government to set up residential
schools for Aboriginal children, which were run by Anglican, United,
Presbyterian, and Catholic churches.
• In 1885, the potlatch ceremony was banned.
• In 1895, all Aboriginal ceremonies, dances, and festivals were banned.
Recent History
• Many banned Aboriginal ceremonies continued in private, and the ban was
officially lifted in 1951.
• The territory of Nunavut, created in 1999, was the largest land claim
settlement in Canada’s history.
• Aboriginal spirituality has become recognized as an official religion; the eagle
feather can now be used in the provincial justice system instead of a Bible.
• Residential schools were closed after the public became aware of the cultural,
physical, and sexual abuse that occurred there:
– the federal government and the churches involved have apologized to
Aboriginal peoples
– a Truth and Reconciliation Commission is documenting the legacy of
residential schools
Aboriginal Peoples in Canada Today

• Many Aboriginal people are trying to address the negative impacts of contact.
• They are reviving Aboriginal spiritual traditions and practices within an
increasingly secular society, and integrating Aboriginal spiritual heritage with
Christianity.
• Many Aboriginal Canadians who are Christian are struggling with the question
of whether they can be true to both religions.
Rituals
• Traditional spiritual practices of Aboriginal peoples have a strong relationship to
the physical environment and an underlying belief that all life is
interconnected.
• Some rituals are done daily, others mark special events in a person’s life or
seasonal or community events.
The Sacred in Daily Life and Environment

• Traditional Aboriginal spirituality believes that everything is filled with spirit
power.
• Being attentive to the physical environment helps people to see the power in
the environment.
• Prayer is important:
– God is the Creator; praying recognizes God’s greatness and expresses
thanks for the Creator’s gifts
– Prayers come in a variety of sung and spoken forms, usually
spontaneously from the heart; some involve offering a gift or sacrifice
– Prayer is done before and after actions such as waking, sleeping, hunting,
planting, and harvesting
• In earlier times, time was set aside for praying, fasting, and making sacrifices to
charm evil spirits that played havoc with the hunt or caused sudden storms.
Smudging
• This is a holy act that is a part of many rituals.
• Sacred herbs are burned in a shell or earthen bowl, and the smoke is brushed
over the participants.
• It is used to purify people and places, such as before a wedding or powwow.
Sacred Pipe Ceremony

• This is one of the most powerful and sacred spiritual rituals.
• The pipe symbolizes unity and harmony of the world.
– The bowl of the pipe represents truth, and the stem represents the way
we are to live in harmony and balance with all of creation.
• Smoking the pipe stresses the unity of everything.
The Sweat Lodge

• Sweat lodge ceremonies purify the body, mind, spirit, and heart and restore
right relationships with self, others, and the Creator.
• The sweat lodge is a sacred space.
• It is a closed structure with a pit where heated rocks are placed.
• The sweat leader pours water on the hot rocks to create steam.
• Participants sing, pray, talk, or meditate as they sit.

Additional Aboriginal PPT Part 11

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Additional Aboriginal PPT Part 11

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The Story of Canadian

Aboriginal Peoples in Canada Today

The Sacred in Daily Life and Environment

Sacred Pipe Ceremony

The Sweat Lodge

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