Big Bear's Den 
Image of Shawnee Warrior from Osprey Men-At-Arms "American Woodland Indians" By M.G. Johnson Color Plates by R.Hook
For Those of You Coming From an External Link
BE-ZONE'
You have landed on
Turtle Island
You are invited to read my About Me page (and the rest of the site.)
Turtle Island
My Philosophy and My Religion
Page I
An Explanation
"Do not kill or injure your neighbor, for it is not him that you injure, you injure yourself.
But do good to him, therefore add to his happiness as you add to your own.
Do not wrong or hate your neighbor, for it is not him you wrong, you wrong yourself.
But love him, for Moneto ("Master of Life") loves him also as he loves you"
The Shawnee Prophet. Tekswatawa, brother of Tecumseh
I am often asked, because of my heritage,
"What 'church' do you belong to?"
I often answer, somewhat tongue in check, but not completely,
"The church of Star Wars."
This page deals with MY perceptions of the religion of the indigenous people of the Americas. In particular, the people of North America and my beliefs within those perceptions. I say my perceptions of the religion because there is not a lot of "facts" recorded on native religions before the coming of the white man. Religious beliefs, like all aspects of most tribal societies, were oral. Religious beliefs among the various tribes have been in a state of flux since the arrival of the white man and we can only assume that it was that way before his coming as it has been for all societies since the beginning of time. I have talked to many Natives that belive as I do, but I do not presume to speak for any one tribe or any individual other than myself.
Many tribes of this continent refer to this land as an island, an interesting fact since most of the Grandfathers had never traveled more than a few hundred miles from their place of birth and, unless they lived near an ocean, would have had no way of knowing that the continents of North and South America, aside from the istmus of Panama, were completely surrounded by water. Many of the tribes understood the nature of the heavens in relation to the earth. Many understood that the stars were suns of other worlds and the fact that our planet revolved around our sun, that our sun moved through the universe and the universe was infinite.
The Mayan calendar, regarded by many as a marvel of the ancient world, is extremely accurate. (Incidently, I don't believe the world is going to end in 2012. That's just as far as the stone carvers got before they got tired.) The great civilizations of the Americas were among the
most prodigious and skillful builders in the world. Great cities like Cahokia, Teotihuacan, Tenochtitlan, Cuzco, the Acoma and Taos Pueblos, Oraibi and many others rivaled or bested the cities of Europe in size as well as architecture of the same periods. When many of the 'NEW WORLD' places were major cities, London and Paris were nonexisttant or only small villages. Only from an extreme height can the designs on the Nazca Plains or the designs of the "Mound Builders" be identified. I don't attribute this to pre-Columbian European visitors or 'Aliens' or any other non-Native builders, just 'good old Turtle Island know-how.'
Interesting Fact - The title of this page, Turtle Island(2), comes from legends that tell of how this land was built on the back of a turtle with mud brought up from the bottom of the ocean. In different versions the mud was brought up by different creatures large and small, but always with the most noble of attributes and with great selflessness.
Like people everywhere, here on Turtle Island legends developed to teach or entertain. Legends, also developed to reinforce the moral code of society. This is how religions are born. Does it matter if these legends are based in fact? Does it matter whether or not you can prove the existence of each of the figures in the story? Those questions don't even belong in the equation. The only thing that matters is do YOU believe.
Tribal people everywhere believe in nature. There is a natural order to all things. God(s) is/are the one(s) who bring(s) natural order. Breaks in that natural order are bad. Continuation of that natural order is good. The ceremonies of tribal people are to keep that order in balance. Life among the people is kept in balance with their environment. The ideal for the individual is to find their place in the structure of the tribe and thereby maintain the balance of the community. For that to happen the individual must be internally balanced. They must be at peace within themselves and thereby contribute to the peace of the community.
Among the tribes of North America these basic tenants take many different forms. To think that all indigenous people of North America believe the same things in the same way would be like saying all Europeans go to the same church. The boundaries of Europe have to a large degree been shaped by religious wars.
That is one thing very much unheard of among the tribes of the Americas; Religious Wars. Here in the "New World", tribes may fight for territory. They may fight over revenge. They may fight over some slight that one tribe felt they had received from another, but you do not ever hear of a war fought over beliefs. It seems that each tribe understood that ones beliefs were ones beliefs and they did not have to be shared universally. Even within the tribe, each individual was free to believe or not believe as they wished and as long as it caused no disruption to the "natural order" of things it was accepted. If it did interfere, you were free to take others who agreed with you and start your own band, but never was it said that you were wrong for what you believed.
The term 'Shaman' is of Siberian origins and, in my opinion, should not be ascribed to Aboriginal Americans. I am not a "doctor" as many but not all of the religious leaders were in the past. The idea of the "Medicine Man" is purely a White Man concept. I am an "Elder," as defined by my teachers and as ordained by the Universal Life Church. I am a member of the Oklevueha Native American Church and a Pipe Carrier. I am a Sweat Lodge Priest entitled by both the Apsaalooke (Crow) and the Lakota of the Oceti Sakowin (Teton Sioux) to pour Sweats. In Past Times there was one person to take care of the religious needs of the people and possibly a different person to take care of the physical needs of the people and that person in either case need not be a 'MAN" at all. Priest or Priestess, would be the more accurate terms for any person administering to the spiritual needs of any Native community.
What do I Believe, Exactly ?
I believe that Wishi-Manitou, the Creator, is God and God is the Creator of all.
Wishi-Manitou can appear to us in any manner chosen.
I believe that Wishi-Manitou has given us the power over our own lives and
rarely interferes with our day to day activities.
I believe that Wishi-Manitou controls ALL in the environment around us.
I believe that, when asked, Wishi- Manitou will guide us in life, but only as a counselor.
We still have free will.
I believe that each individual has the right and the obligation to choose for themselves,
hopefully with divine guidance, what they believe and how best to celebrate those beliefs.
For me, there are very few absolutes in life, but among those are the
right to Life and Death, Liberty to Believe and Do as we wish 
and the Pursuit of Happiness as we as individuals define happiness
as long as it does not infringe on the right of others to the same.
For me, marriage is between men and women,
not to be entered into without conviction and not to be ended
without just cause and careful deliberation.
Each individual must make the final decisions
about their own physical and mental well being.
Neither society, nor any individual,
may determine what is best for you.
The "Law" of Wishi-manitou is inviolate.
If you chose to violate that law you must be willing to pay the consequences.
The pillars of my beliefs are
Faith, Respect, H0nor, Charity, Forgivness, Humility & Gratitude.
Taken from the
Oklevueha Native American Church..
Do some of these Laws look familiar?
They should!!!
Truth is truth and rules are rules no matter what you call God or what society you live in.
Beyond the laws for me, enumerated above, there are many rules that society imposes on its members.
I believe that we have the right to decide whether or not we wish to obey those rules,
pay the consequences, or remove ourselves from that society.
The following speech sums up my outlook on philosophy, on religion, on LIFE!
"So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about their religion;
respect others in their view and demand that they respect yours.
Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life.
Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend,
even a stranger, when in a lonely place.
Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living.
If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.
Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death,
so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time
to live their lives over again in a different way.
Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."
Tecumseh of the Shawnee
If you believe as I do, or would simply like to learn more,
we can begin an e-mail discussion.
(I DO NOT PROSELYTIZE. I seek not converts or followers.)
If you would like me to officiate at a wedding or any other ceremony,
contact me and we will make arrangements.
****************************************************************************************************BACK TO TOP
Turtle Island - Native American Teachings and Camps
Affiliated Organizations: Universal Life Church
Other relevant sites: Seeking Naitive American Spirituality
(follow the links at the bottom of the SNAS page for even more info)
Rituals of Healing... A Summary of Native American Religions Alternative Religion or Cult?
Evaluating Religions as Dangerous Cults American Indian Spirituality and Sacred Rites
Religious Tolerance
If you have any questions or wish to discuss a ceremony, you may reach me by email at:
shemaqua@bigbearsden.org
by writing
Shemaqua
127 - A King Henry Way
Williamsburg, VA
23188-1903,
by calling me at 757.253.6999,
or by sending up a smoke signal, using a drum, or communicating telepathically.
(I wouldn't count on those last three. You may not be a good sender or I may be otherwise occupied.)
Pipe graphics provided by
Copyright Statement: All text content on this site is the property of the owner of this website and any use
is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Many of the graphics copyrights are retained by
their owners and are subject to the same copyright protections.
Use of any of the information presented on this site without the website owner's consent is strictly prohibited.
Copyright © 2005-2010 Donald E. "Shemaqua" Warden II All Rights Reserved