|
|
|
To Native Americans all people were related and all things connected in the mystery of
Great Spirit. All beings were sacred and worthy of respect and needed to be treated with reverence and
dignity.
The Clan that one was a
member of had profound meaning which impacted all areas of one's life including vocation,
marriage, responsibilities and duties; as well as, familial and societal relationships.
Each person belonged to a
clan which was represented by an Animal Totem. Clans usually had
Animal Totems which correspond to where the tribe lived. For example, Deer for Woodland
tribes; and Buffalo for Plains tribes.
There were Animal Totems for
the tribe, for the clan, for the family, for the country and for the state.
Each Animal Totem had certain characteristics, qualities, strengths and
weaknesses that could be utilized to learn valuable lessons and to increase
harmonic understanding of the Sacred Hoop. The Sacred Hoop symbolized the Circle of Life and the power of the circle matrix that was the creative foundation of the universe. The sky, the planet, the sun, the stars, the moon, the whirling wind, the nests of birds, the tepees, the seasons, and life cycles followed this circle round pattern.
The Four Powers nourished the blossoming World Tree at the center of the Circle of Life. For the people to thrive and blossom, the Sacred Hoop needed to be whole and unbroken. For those who lived in the United State of America, the tribal Animal Totem was the bald eagle; for those that live in the state of California, the clan Animal Totem was the state animal, the Grizzly Bear.
Personal Animal totems for
an individual were called Power Animals. They were spirits which protected, helped and guided
the individual everyday. Animal Totem objects when
placed in the environment or worn or carried, created positive energy and resulted
in a blessings and a remembrance linkage with the Animal Totem that resulted in
constructive lessons and actions.
There were many ways to determine
one's clan based on tribal customs. In some tribes a person took their mother's
clan. In some tribes a person took their father's clan. In some tribes a person
underwent a visionquest or a fast until the personal clan was known.
Next
Back
|
|
|
Read