Amerindian Culture
| So much of what people "know" about Native Americans comes from unreliable sources, like novels and movies. Much of the information floating around out there and even in text books has filtered down to us from the dime paperbcak novel of the mid and late 19th century. Most of these sources were created by people that had never seen an Amerindian, let alone understood their culture. |
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THE PEACE PIPE: The pipe is one of the most sacred and important items used by Native Americans. Traditionaly pipes were called Calumets, not "peace pipes." Peace pipe was a label added by Euro-Americans during the late 1600's. Original pipes were not the guady deer antler contraptions often seen today in New Age shops and tourist centers, but were made of stone or clay. The traditional forms varied and was most often made in the shape of an effigy ( bird, animal etc) rather that a "T". In fact there is a pipe at the Cahokia Mounds Center in the shape of a human big toe! This is a good illustration in understanding effigy pipe use. Native Americans did not have mythical gods like so many books tell us,( see my philosophy page) but instead made their pipes and other religious artifacts into shapes that reminded them of what they were praying for. My grandfather taught me to use my pipe with this teaching: "The pipe is our most sacred item. It is sacred because there is a person to use it in a sacred manner. The person is sacred because they are made by the creator and part of the creator is in them. Without a person to use the pipe this way it is nothing more than a rock and a stick. The act of using the pipe in a sacred way gives the pipe it's power." In other words, like all forms of prayer, it is the faith that makes it work. This is why pipes were made in symbolic forms, to aid in the users concentration of faith. A healer or even an athlete might very well make a pipe in the shape of a big toe. Archaeologist should understand how Amerindians think before they write the book on them. |
| See what Native Americans looked like before the reservation period. |
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The term "Medicine Man" and "Pow-Wow" are other misnomers commonly heard today. Info on these will be added soon!
