Native American Sacred Hoop Visionquest
Glossary Terminology
All Are Relatives
All people are related and all things connected in the mystery of
Great Spirit. All beings are sacred and worthy of respect and to be treated with reverence and
dignity.
Animal Totems
There are animal totems for the
tribe, for the clan, for the family, for the country, and for the state. Each
animal totem has certain characteristics, qualities, strengths, and weaknesses
that can be utilized to learn valuable lessons and to increase harmonic
understanding of life's circle dance. For those who live in the United State of
America, the tribal animal totem is the bald eagle; for those that live in the
state of California, the clan animal totem is the state animal, the Grizzly
Bear.
Personal Animal totems for an
individual are called Power Animals. They are spirits which protect, help, and
guide one everyday. Animal totem objects when placed in the environment or worn
or carried, create positive energy and result in a blessings and remembrance
linkage with the animal totem that results in constructive lessons and actions.
Clans
The Clan that one is a member of
has profound meaning which impacts all areas of one's life (vocation, marriage,
responsibilities, duties, and familial and societal relationships). Each person
belongs to a clan which is represented by a Totem Animal. Clans usually have
Totem Animals which correspond to where the tribe lives.
For example, Deer for Woodland
tribes; and Buffalo for Plains tribes. There are many ways to determine one's
clan based on tribal customs. In some tribes a person takes their mother's clan;
in some tribes a person takes their father's clan; in some tribes a person
undergoes a visionquest or a fast until the personal clan is known; in some
tribes, one's clan is verified by a Medicine Person with the Gift of Clans; and
in some tribes a child feels connected to and drawn to a clan from infancy.
Cosmology
Although there are many concepts
about the Earth and its dance in Creation among the various tribes, one common
theme is that the universe is comprised of multiple planes linked to a World
Tree with the natural world being in the middle sphere. This tree's roots go far
underground and reach upwards into the sky.
Most creation myths were part of
the oral tradition and feature a Master Spirit who assumes many diverse forms,
including both the masculine and feminine. There are also many spirits who
control the weather and act as guides and caretakers of humanity. Besides the
oral tradition, some tribes preserved their spiritual beliefs in sacred texts...
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