Why Are Indigenous Religions Still Considered Indigenous?
Upon reading this chapter I was intrigued. How have these indigenous religions survived hundreds of thousands of years with little to no written text? I understand that most of their teachings were passed down orally or from some form of pictures. However, I cannot help but wonder if maybe parts of the religions were changed along the way. These indigenous religions are usually found in remote parts of the world with almost no access to technology. With that being said, how did we come to know so much about them? The customs, beliefs and ways of the people to which each religion belongs has been revealed to the world; not by the people themselves, but by those that have stumbled upon them. In most cases the outsider has no knowledge of the native language. How do we know the
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Even deciding to practice them here in our technologically advanced regions. When we do that is the religion still considered indigenous? I see these religions as original, uninfluenced by modern society. They seem to be focused on spirits and nature intertwined. The people in my opinion most likely worship all living things in a sense or see the major elements as deities because they want to live in harmony with the universe. Experiences in nature they cannot explain, are viewed as the work of a higher power. I believe they try to please these spirits to maintain a balance and keep them from getting angry. Some examples of these rituals include sacrifice, dance, food and journey. The book “Experiencing the World’s Religions”, Molloy speaks about traditional Hawaiian religion having multiple Gods and Goddesses at represented various elements of the world and universe such as fire or sky. Each deity had its own story and lesson one could learn from them. The people of Hawaii seemed exceedingly invested in their religion, building temples and
Even deciding to practice them here in our technologically advanced regions. When we do that is the religion still considered indigenous? I see these religions as original, uninfluenced by modern society. They seem to be focused on spirits and nature intertwined. The people in my opinion most likely worship all living things in a sense or see the major elements as deities because they want to live in harmony with the universe. Experiences in nature they cannot explain, are viewed as the work of a higher power. I believe they try to please these spirits to maintain a balance and keep them from getting angry. Some examples of these rituals include sacrifice, dance, food and journey. The book “Experiencing the World’s Religions”, Molloy speaks about traditional Hawaiian religion having multiple Gods and Goddesses at represented various elements of the world and universe such as fire or sky. Each deity had its own story and lesson one could learn from them. The people of Hawaii seemed exceedingly invested in their religion, building temples and