Religious Patterns- Sacred Myths and Rituals
What role do language and place play in the practice and continuation of myth and ritual? Choose a specific ritual to answer this (rite of passage, a healing ritual, a ritual of renewal)
Language is a powerful vehicle for cultural and religious expression amongst many communities. Among many other factors that differentiate different cultures, including race, traditions, religion, and language, are the most potent. The ancient people of Apache people, for instance, used language during the girls’ rites of passage to train strength and endurance. The use of language to express religious and cultural identity means that language can also be used to represent certain rituals.
A good example is the sala, which is a prayer by Muslims. Sala is usually recited in Arabic even by communities whose native language is not Arabic. Another factor that makes Muslims use Arabic during sala is because they feel that it brings them closer to God. Unlike secular languages that only relay earthly things, Muslims use language as a tool for expression. (Huston, p83).
Also, place plays a significant role in the practice of religion and the extension of myth. A good example is the native Iroquois language practiced by North American residents. The residents are taught that the Iroquois language is the language of earth, hence can be used to connect to the natural world. The people who speak Iroquois, for instance, have such a connection to their language. Whenever political leaders gather for functions, be it ceremonial, political, or social, they must speak specific words (Huston, 81).
What role do animals and plants play in the teachings and revelations of the sacred through storytelling and ritual?
For most people, a plant, which is a gift of Mother Earth, is a source of food. However, for some Indian tribes, plants are more than just a source of food. For them, plants such as maize and corn have ritual significance. Also, Native American people have a history of using plants for spiritual purposes. Specifically, the native North American tribes have used the plants for certain ceremonies and curing. Equally, sage was used for purification purposes, whereby locals would bathe in smoke to symbolize purification. Further, chewing roots have been used by natives to relieve headaches and sore throats, just like tea from specific tribes has been used to ease indigestion. Finally, tobacco, both in wild and cultivated forms, was used by certain tribes for ritual purposes (Zimmerman and Molyneaux, p110-112).
Furthermore, some native tribes in North America use animals for ritual and storytelling purposes. One of the reasons for this is that animals are holier than human beings. The holiness attached to animals is because they are closer to the ground than human beings. Such tribes have used animals to tell religious stories. Also, old Indian healers have been able to do what modern science has not achieved using animals. Birds’ and animals’ lifestyles also provide a guideline on how people ought to live. The overriding reasoning behind these efforts is that humans are not visitors to Earth (Huston, 23).
Considering the rate of language extinction, imagine a world where all people only speak English. Why would this launch a “spiritual” crisis? Whether you speak more than one language or not, how would this affect your identity?
Languages are increasingly becoming extinct by being replaced by socially, politically, and economically relevant ones. For instance, immigrant communities kill their heritage languages deliberately to benefit from economic opportunities in their new areas of residence. As much as this development aids activity in the modern world, it also poses a severe identity crisis.
I feel that language extinction may promote extreme persecution by people from the dominant language. A good case example is in the case of students in the US and Canada who have had to abandon their languages for English. Given that these students could not speak English fluently, they are discriminated against by their native colleague students who speak English fluently.
Works Cited
Huston Smith, et al. A Seat at the Table: Conversations with Huston Smith on Native American Religious Freedom. Berkeley, Calif.; London, University Of California Press, 2007.
Zimmerman, Larry J, and Brian Molyneaux. Native North America. London, Macmillan In Association With Duncan Baird Pub, 1996.
National Geographic. “Girl’s Rite of Passage | National Geographic.” YouTube, 31 May 2007, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B3Abpv0ysM.
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Discussion 4
Following the readings, analyze the following:
What role do language and place play in the practice and continuation of myth and ritual? Choose a specific ritual to answer this (rite of passage, a healing ritual, a ritual of renewal)
Religious Patterns- Sacred Myths and Rituals
What role do animals and plants play in the teachings and revelations of the sacred through storytelling and ritual?
Considering the rate of language extinction, imagine a world where all people only speak English. Why would this launch a “spiritual” crisis? Whether you speak more than one language or not, how would this affect your identity?
Choose at least two specific tribes as examples to support your answers.