Customer Reviews

Native North American Spirituality of the Eastern Woodlands: Sacred Myths, Dreams, Visions, Speeches, Healing Formulas, Rituals and Ceremonials (Classics of Western Spirituality)

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Anthropologist Elisabeth Tooker has provided here an excellent understanding of Native North American spirituality with this book. Most of the focus is on the southeastern areas of the continent, but that does not manage to detract from the book's ability to convey understanding of what went on in traditional Native American life.

The language is very easy to read and logical, making this very good reading fo a beginner. Indeed, there is almost no technical terminology in thw whole book.

The early part of Tooker's book is devoted to a study of the cosmological viewpoint of the various tribes mentioned in the book. The book shows very clearly how, from the perspective of the Native American tribes, and how myth describe events in the "sky world" ie. the world above Earth. The Winnebago tribe do not base the existence of spirits on sight and hearing, but in terms of what is felt.

The last two-thirds of "Native North American Spirituality Of The Eastern Woodlands" deals with actual Native American rituals. In very clear language, stages of long ritual are described in a way that even a novice on this subject will always be able to understand. At the same time, the rituals are explained very well, with purpose of even such actions as the sluaghtering of deer being well-explained. There is a particularly moving description of what a Winnebago father will teach his child how to reach their "destination" on a spiritual quest via fasting and helping one's fellow men. There are also accounts of offerings of tobacco and other drugs.

On the whole, this work should be read by all interested in Native American spirituality, especially if you have little knowledge.

This book is fully researched and is full of information. I found it to be more like a research text and rather dry reading. Haven't been able to get too far into it. My interest lies in the later chapters.