Paul Roussos
1/25/13
1/25/13
American Indian Ritual Study
History, Society, and
Culture:
Located in the
Pacific Northwestern territory, the Chinook Native Americans are one of the
most well-known Native American tribes. Their region spreads throughout the
coastline primarily on the northern side of the Columbia River. Their earliest knowledge
of existence dates back to at least twelve years before the arrival of Lewis
and Clark around 1793. They were a vast and lively population of people
consisting of approximately 1,112 in 1855.
The culture of
the Chinook people can be seen through their activities primarily with fishing
for salmon along the coast as well as trading goods ranging from fish, fur and
even slaves. Their place of resting consisted of homes along embankments of the
Columbia River spanning all the way towards the Pacific Ocean. Within their
resting place, the women in the society could be seen conducting bead work as
well as making clothing items out of animal remains. Women were the primary
care givers of the children while the men fished for salmon and hunted for
large game consisting of deer and other wildlife.
Throughout the
society there was a constant feel of leisure and need for entertainment. They
were a very peaceful group of people which rarely would be seen conducting in
violent and harmful behavior. Entertainment throughout the Chinook villages
consisted of ritual dances where people dressed top to bottom in beads and extravagant
attire. Their ritual dances were seen not only as a source of entertainment but
as well as a problem solving method in order to resolve conflict.
Individual Spirit
Quest Ritual:
The ritual known
as the individual spirit quest has been a part of the Chinook religion and
tradition since their existence. The Chinook villages consisting of many close relatives
were led by a senior elder who was thought to have been well respected in the
community. The senior elder who was respected in the community conducted the individual
spirit quest which was an even undertaken by every citizen whether male or
female. This ceremony conducted in the adolescent stage began with a series of
prayers and traditional statements of the elder and medicine man of the society.
With the traditional items included in the spirit quest, the ceremony seeks for
the adolescent to acquire a guardian spirit that will give them hunting,
curing, and numerous other powers while at the same time to bring them good
luck and to teach both song and dance. Singing ceremonies with the elder and
medicine man were a demonstration of receiving this gift.
After contact with the Europeans however, many of the villages and close knit societies found along the Columbia River were separated. With the separation and absence of some societies in the Chinook region, there were few that continued on. Chinook societies still believe in the importance of this ritual as it has become part of Chinook descendant’s religion.
After contact with the Europeans however, many of the villages and close knit societies found along the Columbia River were separated. With the separation and absence of some societies in the Chinook region, there were few that continued on. Chinook societies still believe in the importance of this ritual as it has become part of Chinook descendant’s religion.
Work Cited
"Chinook."
Chinook. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.
<https://umdrive.memphis.edu/g-sig/www/chinook.htm>.
"Chinook
Indian - Enigmatic Tribe of the Columbia River." Chinook Indian -
Enigmatic Tribe of
the Columbia River. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.
<http://www.chinookindian.com/>.
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