Ceremonies and Religion
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The Puebloan people’s religion varied slightly among the different tribes but, overall, was fairly similar. The Hopi’s spiritual beliefs were centered around the idea that their ancestor’s spirits migrated through three underground worlds before arriving on earth, the fourth world. When they emerged from the depths of earth they were offered a choice in foods. They chose an ear of short blue corn representing a life of hardship, humility, and hardiness because the short blue corn is extremely hard to successfully harvest but is the most durable. The planting and harvesting of the corn was a connection to their earliest ancestors and creation of the world. They believe that their ancestors made an agreement with spirit being Masau-u, allowing them to remain on earth as long as they kept harmony among people, maintained the land, and provide water to their crops. Religion was deeply interwoven in their culture including farming, storytelling, dances, art, architecture, and every day activities.
The Puebloan people had many different ceremonies that often included singing and dancing. The ceremonies were unique to the individual tribes and each had roles for leaders, singers, dancers and spectators. Their traditional dance costumes were striking. They used masks, textiles, and body pant in there rituals. For music in their ceremonies they used gourd rattles, wooden drums, and rawhide. Many of the dances were preformed by men who would sing and dance in honour of seasonal changes or duties related to hunting in winter or harvest in autumn. Others dances related to the bringing of rain, and most Pueblos preformed dances in honour of buffalo or deer. All there ceremonies were based on their religion, honouring and worshiping the gods and asking for good fortune in the months to come.
The beliefs communicated in the Puebloan religion were basically a blueprint for understanding and surviving a harsh dried landscape. Watering ones plants and taking care of the environment was both a moral imperative and ensured their survival in the desert. They celebrated the landscape and found all that they needed within it to create their elaborate ceremonies.
The Puebloan people had many different ceremonies that often included singing and dancing. The ceremonies were unique to the individual tribes and each had roles for leaders, singers, dancers and spectators. Their traditional dance costumes were striking. They used masks, textiles, and body pant in there rituals. For music in their ceremonies they used gourd rattles, wooden drums, and rawhide. Many of the dances were preformed by men who would sing and dance in honour of seasonal changes or duties related to hunting in winter or harvest in autumn. Others dances related to the bringing of rain, and most Pueblos preformed dances in honour of buffalo or deer. All there ceremonies were based on their religion, honouring and worshiping the gods and asking for good fortune in the months to come.
The beliefs communicated in the Puebloan religion were basically a blueprint for understanding and surviving a harsh dried landscape. Watering ones plants and taking care of the environment was both a moral imperative and ensured their survival in the desert. They celebrated the landscape and found all that they needed within it to create their elaborate ceremonies.