Native American Culture

Kickapoo Indian holding a Prayer Stick

A comprehensive illustrated guide to Native American Culture with pictures and videos. Containing facts and information about customs, traditions, dances, culture, habits, values, social institutions, religion, behavior characteristics  achievements and lifestyle of Indian nations, people and tribes including the Apache, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Comanche and Sioux. Learn about traditions, rituals & ceremonies including the Ghost Dance.

Native American Culture
A comprehensive and illustrated guide to Native American Culture and the culture of the Native American and the indigenous people of North America. The above picture shows a Native Indian from the Kickapoo tribe holding a Prayer Stick and the picture to the right depicts a Blackfoot
Medicine Man in the guise of a Skinwalker. All of our articles are accompanied by pictures, paintings and many have videos - all bringing the Native American Culture to life and enabling a better understanding of each of subjects covered.

Native American Culture - What is Culture?
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings that characterizes a group of people in terms of their beliefs, practices and behavior. These patterns of behaviour and beliefs are practised across social units in a population and endure across generations of Native American tribes. The culture and history of the Native Americans of North America are referred to on most pages. Discover facts and information about the beliefs, rituals, traditions and ceremonies of the Native Americans including the mysterious Skinwalkers, Vision Quests, Power Animals, the Thunderbird and the Supreme Being referred to as the Great Spirit. Fascinating facts and information about Native American Culture. For additional facts refer to
Native American History

Blackfoot Medicine Man - Skinwalker

Blackfoot Shaman as a 'Skinwalker'

Native American Culture
This section covers a variety of different subjects with articles about Native American culture. Articles include Native American religion, beliefs, customs, traditions, dances, ceremonies, rituals and festivals.

Native American Culture
Native American Mythology War PaintNative American Religion
Meaning of AnimalsMeaning of ColorsMeaning of Trees
Mythical CreaturesMeaning of FeathersThe Trickster
Power AnimalsTalking SticksKachinas
Monsters & Mythical Creatures ListGreat SpiritKokopelli
Medicine ManTotem PolesMeaning of Culture
TotemismTribe TotemsThunderbird
Animal TotemsShamanAnimism
FetishismVision QuestShamanism
Animal Spirits Medicine BagSmoke Signals
SkinwalkerSpiritual Journey Medicine Wheel
Trance StateSweat LodgeStar Chart & Astrology
Spiritual HealingMedicine PouchPotlatch Ceremony
Astrology Symbols ChartHerbal Medicinal PlantsHerbal Remedies
Chart of Herbal Herbs SmudgingPrayer Stick
Smudge SticksKivaThe Hopi Prophecy
Soyal Solstice CeremonyHorse War PaintHerbalism
Indian Horse CultureMedicine LodgeHopi Kachina
Native Indian DogsAmerican Indian MusicThe Great Mystery
Buffalo / BisonCounting CoupPow-wow
Peace Pipe (Calumet)Native American DanceDreamcatcher
 

Native American Culture - Stone Age Culture
The life styles of Native Americans ranged from nomadic, semi-nomadic to static. They lived in separate tribes across the vast continent of North America and despite this many of them shared similar beliefs and culture.
The Native Americans had  occupied North America for thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans. Their North American culture and pre-historic Stone Age lifestyle and culture had never altered in all of this time. The Native Americans had never undergone the changes and transition to the Bronze Age culture or the Iron Age culture. Their weapons and tools were all made of stone, they had not experienced the use of metals, their culture was a primitive one.

Native American Culture  - Religion and Beliefs - Animism
The primitive religions and traditions of the Native Americans was based on the culture of Animism.
Animism was a commonly shared doctrine, or belief, of the indigenous people and various Indian Tribes of North America. Animism is a religion based on the spiritual idea that the universe, and all natural objects within the universe, have souls or spirits. In this religion it is believed that souls or spirits exist not only in humans but also in animals, plants, trees, rocks etc. This belief and culture is also extended to natural phenomena such as thunder storms and rain and geographic features such as mountains, caves or rivers also possess souls or spirits. The Native Americans had no science to explain nature which led to their belief that the sun, rain, and other forces were controlled by spirits. In religion the Native Indians worshiped animals, plants, the sun, rain, and wind refer to Power Animals and Animal Spirits. In festivals, ceremonies and prayers they tried to gain the favor of these gods.

Native American Culture  - The Great Spirit
The Great Spirit is believed by many Native Indians to be a supreme being or creator of life. A divine power that created the world.

Native American Culture  - The Shaman or Medicine Man
The religion, traditions and beliefs of the American Indians were also dominated by the culture of shamanism in which a religious leader, called a Shaman or Medicine Man, acted as a medium between the visible world and the spirit world. The Shamans or Medicine Men had special powers, medicine and magic to heal the sick, control the hunt, and predict the future.

Native American Culture  - Traditional Religious Ceremonies and Customs
The basic idea of Animism religion and culture extended further as people grew to believe that the Great Spirit or spirits were invested and interested in human life, and the Native Indians therefore performed ceremonies and rituals to worship or appease the spirits and this was included in the North American culture. The rituals and beliefs displayed in ceremonies show a blending of interest by promoting and preserving their hunting and farming and the survival of it's people with showing respect to the spirit. Interesting facts and information about culture and traditions including Animism, Totemism, Fetishism, Shamanism.

Native American Culture  - Religious Festivals
Festivals were devised that incorporated this culture and these ceremonies and rituals were held at seasonal periods throughout the year and commonly occurred during important agricultural periods. The festivals often continued over several days and were accompanied by feasting, singing, chanting, music and dancing. The ceremonies and rituals followed at the festivals were handed down through the generation and the culture remained unchanged for centuries.

Native American Culture  - Religious Dances
The culture of festivals and ceremonies included both chanting an singing which accompanied various types of dances. The Native American culture included famous dances such as the Pipe Dance, Deer Dance, Rain Dance culture , Buffalo Dance, Scalp Dance culture, Basket Dance, Dog Dance, Green Corn Dance, Doll Dance, Hoop Dance, Hopi Snake Dance culture, War Dance, Sun Dance and Ghost Dance. Most of these dances were specific to the culture of individual tribes.

Picture of a Lakota Sioux War Dance

Picture of a Lakota Sioux War Dance

Native American Culture
Native American culture and traditions were also related to specific individual tribes. Customs and traditions were adhered to which gave them their own distinct identity. Articles on specific customs and traditions are included in this section and provide facts and interesting information about diverse elements of their culture such as Animism, Totemism, Fetishism, Shamanism, Potlatch, Native American Feathers, Peace Pipes, the Medicine Man culture, Pow-wow, Totem Pole culture, Vision Quest culture, War Paint, Ghost Dance culture , Sun Dance, the Cry Ceremony, Dream Catcher and Medicine Bags.

Native American Culture

  • Native American Culture for kids
  • History, culture, religion and beliefs of Native Americans
  • Native American Animism, Totemism, Fetishism, Shamanism
  • Interesting Facts and information for kids and schools
  • Native American Life, culture and beliefs
  • Native American Culture and way of life
  • Native American Culture for kids

Pictures and Videos of Native American Culture
Discover the vast selection of pictures on the subject of Native American Culture. The pictures show the clothing, War Paint, weapons and decorations of various Native Indian tribes that can be used as a really useful educational resource for kids and children of all ages. We have included pictures and videos to accompany the main topic of this section - Native American Culture. The videos enable fast access to the images, paintings and pictures together with the information and the many facts featured on this subject. Details of all of the articles and pages contained on www.warpaths2peacepipes.com can be accessed via the Native Indian Tribes Index. We hope you enjoy watching the Native American Culture related videos - just click and play - a great educational resource for kids about American Indian culture.

 

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