Unit 1 - Indigenous Spirituality Flashcards

1
Q

What is this symbol and what does it represent?

A

It is the eagle feather and it symbolizes respect, honour, strength, courage and wisdom.

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2
Q

What is the symbolic idea behind the eagle feather?

A

The eagle flies close to the creator.

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3
Q

The eagle feather symbolizes the “duality of life,” what does that mean?

A

The duality of life means the two sides to life. Examples: man and woman, winter and summer, light and dark.

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4
Q

What does the Wampum represent?

A

It represents the relationship between the Aboriginal people and the “white man”

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5
Q

The most common Wampum has parallel rows of beads. What does this say in words?

A

The rows of beads show that they can live as equals for forever, they can live simultaneously without crossing paths in peace.

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6
Q

What is the symbol of the Dream Catcher?

A

It represents spider webs, catching and filtering all of the bad thoughts away.

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7
Q

What does the Totem Pole symbolize?

A

Totem poles mark a families lineage, it is their crest. It validates the powerful rights and privileges that the family holds

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8
Q

What is a sweat lodge?

A

It is a structure low to the ground made from saplings bent as the frame. It is then covered by a tarp to trap the heat.

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9
Q

What is the purpose of a sweat lodge?

A

It is a spiritual sauna to purify both physically and spiritually.

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10
Q

What takes place in the sweat lodge?

A

Drums, chants, prayers, sharing of ones burdens. Whatever is said in the sweat lodge stays in the sweat lodge.

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11
Q

Sweat lodges are also referred to as?

A

The womb of Mother Earth.

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12
Q

What does the drums represent?

A

It represents the heartbeat of the universe

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13
Q

When should you never play the drums? Why?

A

When you are angry. This is because we want to treat the drums like face of ones grandmother.

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14
Q

True or false. Drums are only used at certain ceremonies throughout the year.

A

False. The Drums are used at all ceremonies and get togethers all year round.

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15
Q

What is a Powwow?

A

It is a special aboriginal dance that promotes renewal and restoration of relationships and the healing of all creation.

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16
Q

What do you do at a Powwow?

A

Members of the community come together to sing, dance, and celebrate their identity, heritage and language.

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17
Q

What is a Vision Quest?

A

It is a coming of age ceremony.

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18
Q

What does one do during the Vision Quest?

A

Participants purify in the sweatlodge and go to a hilltop or peak and endure the elements for 3-4 days with no food or water. They wait for their vision, it could be a bird or animal, this vision gives them an understanding of themselves and what they want to do with their life.

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19
Q

How long do vision quests take? What happens if they do not get a vision in that time period?

A

Vision quests take 3-4 days in length because they need to survive the elements without food or water. If they do not have a vision they must wait and do another vision quest the next year.

20
Q

Define Animism.

A

The belief that everything in the world once had a life, that nothing is inanimate. Animals and plants and natural forces are all energized by a spirit.

21
Q

The wheel of life displays…

A

the meaning of wellness.

22
Q

How many dimensions of wellness are on the Wheel of life?

A

8

23
Q

If you have a balanced wheel of life, what does that mean?

A

It helps determine if you are focusing on one of the spikes of the wheel more than any others, this creates an unbalanced wheel. To have a balanced wheel one must equally spend time on each dimension

24
Q

What does the Medicine Wheel mean?

A

It teaches us about equality and respect for all four directions of the Earth.

25
Q

What are the three Medicine Wheel reflect?

A

It reflects interconnectedness, creation, and balance of all living things.

26
Q

What are the four sacred plants?

A

Tobacco, sage, cedar, and sweetgrass

27
Q

What is smudging?

A

It is a holy act, a way of purification.

28
Q

How does smudging work?

A

Sacred plants are burned in a shell and the smoke is brushed over the eyes, mouth, body etc. Fanned out with an eagle feather, for good words, thoughts, and actions.

29
Q

What is the smoke in the smudge used for?

A

It’s to promote positivity, and get rid of negative thoughts and feelings. The smoke then travels up to the creator.

30
Q

Explain their Cyclical worldview.

A

The world is constantly changing in reoccurring cycles. The circle is a power symbol and is seen in repetition of nature.

31
Q

What are Creation stories?

A

They are stories of how the world and its people were created. Every different Indigenous community has different creation stories.

32
Q

In Indigenous spirituality what does Interconnectedness mean?

A

Everything in the world living and non-living, is interconnected. Humans need to balance with the Earth and all Creation.

33
Q

True or false. Is everything sacred?

A

True. All humans, plants, animals, natural forces and objects are all invested with a spirit.

34
Q

What is intergenerational trauma?

A

It is the physical, spiritual, and emotional scarring of past events that has occurred within generations.

35
Q

Explain the Residential schools.

A

Residential school was mandatory for all indigenous children to try to assimilate them into the Christian culture. The children as young as 4 were taken far away from their parents, they were punished if they spoke their native tongue.

36
Q

When did the last residential school close?

A

It closed in 1996.

37
Q

What are the five common threads that all Indigenous communities share?

A

Sacredness, interconnectedness, cyclical balance, Mother Earth, and Animism.

38
Q

What is the Grandfather Teachings?

A

They are Creation stories, with seven animals representing the seven teachings.

39
Q

Which teaching does the animal The Beaver represent?

A

Wisdom to cherish knowledge.

40
Q

Which teaching does the animal the Bear represent?

A

Courage to face foe with integrity.

41
Q

Which teaching does the animal The Wolf represent?

A

Humility to know oneself as a sacred part of the creation.

42
Q

Which teaching does The Sabe represent?

A

Honesty to be sincere when facing a situation.

43
Q

Which teaching does The Eagle represent?

A

Love to know peace.

44
Q

Which teaching does The Turtle represent?

A

Truth to know all these things and live with them.

45
Q

Which teaching does The Buffalo represent?

A

Respect to honour all creation.