Meaning of the Death Symbol
Native American Indians were a deeply spiritual people and they communicated their history, thoughts, ideas and dreams from generation to generation through symbols and pictograms such as the Death symbol. Native American symbols are geometric portrayals of celestial bodies, natural phenomena and animal designs. The Owl symbol represents death but death is also conveyed with other signs and symbols. Other symbols were used to convey the reason for death such as diseases like whooping cough and measles. The white settlers and traders brought diseases such as typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, smallpox, measles, whooping cough and influenza to the Native American Indians. Their population fell from 80 million to under 1 million in less than 500 years. The symbols on this page represent the death of a man and a woman. Any Native American symbols that were portrayed upside down signified that they had been killed.
The Death Symbol - Ojibwa Gravepost
The Ojibwa tribe marked the death and burial of a tribe member as shown in the picture of an Ojibwa Grave post - refer to grave post symbols. This was an unusual custom and not practised by many tribes. The Ojibwa made the graveposts with great care and they often bore pictures or marks (pictograms) telling about the dead man. His totem animal was often represented, usually upside down to indicate that the bearer of the emblem was dead. The gravepost also tells how old the man was, that he was a warrior and a good hunter. A pictogram, also called a pictograph, conveys a story and meaning through pictures that signify and resemble the shapes of physical objects or people. An Ideagram is another form of pictogram which conveys complex ideas, feelings and emotions. A pictogram, such as the one recognised as a family symbol, is a therefore a form of writing which uses representational, pictorial drawings to tell a story.
The Death Symbol - Burial Customs
Many Native American Indians looked upon death as due to bad spirits, to witchcraft, or to violence. Disease was generally thought to be due to bad spirits or to the influence of a Medicine Man. Following the death of a person there were many ways of treating the body. The face was painted almost as if the person were preparing for a feast or a dance. Each tribe had their own death rituals and customs. Funerals took many different forms in graves, by cremation and Scaffold Burials
Assiniboine Burial
The Death Symbol - Mourning Customs
There were many mourning customs following the death of a tribe member. The friends of the dead might wail and scream loudly, cut off their hair, gash their bodies and they would sometimes chop off their finger tips or whole joints - this particularly ritual was shown in the movie "A Man called Horse". Fires were kindled to supply light or heat to the soul on its long journey.
The Death Symbol - Meaning
There were so many tribes of Native American Indians it is only possible to generalise the most common meaning of the Death symbol or pattern. Native Indian symbols are still used as Tattoos and were used for a variety of reasons and depicted on numerous objects such as tepees, totem poles, musical instruments, clothes and War Paint. Indian Tribes also used their own Colors for Symbols and designs depending on the natural resources available to make Native American paint.
Native American Indians - Death Symbol
Native American Indians had a highly complex culture, especially those who lived on the Great Plains.
Their religion was dominated by rituals and belief in a spiritual connection with nature and these beliefs were reflected in the various symbols they used such as the Death symbol.
The clothes, tepees and all of his belongings was decorated with art and included symbols depicting his achievements, acts of heroism, his various spirit guides or the most important events in his life. Every symbol used by an American Native Indian had meaning which can be accessed from Symbols and Meanings.
Death
- The Death symbol of Native Americans
- Meaning, symbolism and interpretation of the Death symbol
- Interesting facts and info for kids and schools
- Pictures, meanings, patterns and designs of symbols
- Native American Death symbol meaning
Pictures and Videos of Native Americans
Death. Discover the vast selection of pictures which relate to the History of Native Americans and illustrate many symbols used by American Indians. The pictures show the clothing, war paint, weapons and decorations of various Native Indian tribes that can be used as a really useful educational history resource for kids and children of all ages. We have included pictures and videos to accompany the main topic of this section - Death. The videos enable fast access to the images, paintings and pictures together with information and many historical facts. All of the articles and pages can be accessed via the Native Indian Tribes Index - a great educational resource for kids.
