Native American religious beliefs

went to a public ceremony. Evidently there are OTHER ceremonies where women and children and non-Hopi can NOT attend.

I was there on a Sunday, then took a trip on a boat, after the ceremony.

I was forced to pay $5 to attend, but 100 of us white folks did that.. and think it was just a show to get $500 for a half hour .........this was in AZ.........about 100 miles from the nearest big town.

and it was not just a show.
They have ceremonies that are open to the public and some that are not
Which Mesa were you on??
You do know that they have 3 right??
I have been there.

Not all people within any one tribe practice the beliefs of their elders. Many NAs are Christian, some are Catholic. Most rituals and ceremonies are private. It would be rare to be invited. I have been privileged to attend a couple of private rituals but I would never disclose any information to which I had been a part since it was private. Be wary of what you find on the net. When in doubt contact a tribal member or a tribal elder for correct information. Many powwows are public. You might try to find one in your area or close to you sometime to visit.

I think I'm quite capable of reading Wikipedia, to get answers like you provided.

Why do so many people who are r non Native American feel the need to comment on other people as if they know it all?

in the Native American Forum

how many Native American religions are there? Sheesh. Do you think anyone has personal knowledge of every single one of them? Where do you think that sort of information WOULD come from, if not from exactly the same type of source that's in Wikipedia?

and some manage to amalgamate both. My great-grandfather was simultaneously a shaman and a deacon in the Baptist Church. I never have quite figured out how that worked.

And that's really OK.

parts of very old practices remain, others are lost or altered

they are like language in that way

I have some familiarity with Hopi life. Many of their ceremonies have been closed to outsiders because of obnoxious behavior. Comments like yours above would be a fairly good example. Your reaction to the privilege of observing a part of their ritual cycle derided because they collected a nominal fee to put up with your intrusion.

The fee is like someone charging a small amount to "give away" something like a puppy or kitten. It helps filter out the worst of the assholes. Jerks who are unwilling to spend even a small amount certainly aren't worth the bother. Even those who pay can still be insensitive, but at least maybe they will shut the fuck up during the event so they can "get what they paid for" instead of wandering off and snooping in places they are not welcome or talking/taking photos when asked not to. That sort of thing.

Viewing other cultures as a form of entertainment vs. observing and learning about them with respect. - the difference between a tourist and a traveler.

Well said, Kali

You put it very well.

There is lots, both in-tribe and "syncretistic" which are usually open to all interested. Look for example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_Church
http://www.nativeamericanchurch.com/

I've participated swet-lodge by Aztec temascalero, in three day swet-lodge, dancing, peyote-seremony of Native American Church and several ayahuasca seremonies. PM if you want to ask more.

... but our 'ceremonies' are no stranger than, say, what any Catholic church would do on any given Sunday. And things have evolved, of course, over the years. There are true believers, agnostics, and atheists just as in the general population.

If you are respectful, you wouldn't be turned away by us Ojibwes. We don't have double secret ceremonies.

Some do and some do not on the res. I am not Lakota but worked many years on the res in SD. I love and respect these people. What has been done to them over the years will never be made right. Some ceremonies are open for everyone to see but others are not.

Native Americans in North, Central and South America had prophets that foretold rather remarkably similar scenarios, and they are consistent with most other world prophecies, including Hindu, Buddhist, and Judeo-Christian prophecies.

Read Native American Prophecies.
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