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Soul Of The Indian Sparknotes

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The religious world during the time of colonial expansion was a melting pot of contrasting ideologies. American Indians held a view on religion that was different in every way to what European settlers had believed. Soul of the Indian is told from the native perspective and it elaborates upon the various customs and societal normalities of American Indians during the era of colonization. Soul of the Indian describes what makes these beliefs unique, as well as the fundamental values exhibited through an idea known as the “Great Mystery” Charles Eastman, author of Soul of the Indian describes his own experience in the Santee Dakota tribe; giving a colorful insight into the traditions of his people. American Indians find spirituality in a deep …show more content…

An interconnected relationship with those around you brings importance to community and tribemates. Eastman writes, “The family was not only the social unit, but also the unit of government. The clan is nothing more than a larger family, with its patriarchal chief as the natural head, and the union of several clans by intermarriage and voluntary connection constitutes the tribe. The very name of our tribe, Dakota, means Allied People” (Eastman 13). To the Dakota tribe, family transcends blood and includes all those around you. To be an American Indian is to value those around you as you would value one of your own family …show more content…

Europeans believed in one God that created the world around them, while Indians believed in a world that was alive and ever changing .Europeans believed in an individualistic society where people mostly were alone in the mission of accruing material wealth, while Indians did not believe material goods meant much and centered their focus on those around them and the world in which they lived. Sharing land with Europeans was difficult for Indians, which led to much conflict over desecration of the land they called home. Indians sought to live in harmony with the land while Europeans first settled in hopes of finding fortune in the resources they stole from the

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