REV. SHERMAN COOLIDGE; ARAPAHO
Missionary at Fort Washakie, Wyoming.
CHAPTER XXVII. THE INDIAN’S RELIGION; HIS CHARACTER; PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS
Since 1850, the Indian’s belief in the hereafter has undergone a very marked change. It is extremely difficult to find individuals, among most of our tribes, who can give us any clear conception of the Indian’s religious belief. The Navaho preserve much of their original religion, for the reason that these Indians have been remote from contact with the Whites. As has been stated in this book, the greater part of the 28,000 Navaho do not speak English and continue in the faith of their fathers. There are also scattered tribes or bands of other Indians who keep up, to a greater or less degree, their religious belief, have confidence in their shamans, and resort to the white men’s ministers and doctors only under compulsion. But while this is true, the vast bulk of our Indians today have adopted the God of our Bible, and recognize his opposite, the evil spirit. If one takes the pains to read a number of the reports of competent ethnologists who have studied the religious activities of various tribes recently, one is impressed with the complications presented. In fact, it is no reflection on these able and competent workers and observers to state that it is extremely difficult (if not impossible) to cover the Indian’s religious belief in one blanket paragraph or statement. Beliefs vary among different tribes, and we must go far back of the year 1850 would we find primitive American religion, practiced in its purity. We cannot now affirm that the religious life of all tribes is the same; that the deities and spirits are alike.
Generally throughout the United States the tradition of the Thunder Bird obtains, and it typifies the supernatural. In the desert areas, water is more precious than soil, or any other necessity. It is therefore quite natural that the Earth Mother and Water Spirit enter very largely into the religion of that region. Some of the older Sioux, even in recent times, believed in spirits, or ghosts, and any Sioux man or woman having heard the calling of the ghosts at night, prepared himself (or herself) to join his ancestors in the spirit world. Major McLaughlin presents one or two instances in his book[[51]] where Indians have actually given up, taken to their beds and died, firm in the belief that the ghosts were calling.
Doctor Eastman in his remarkable book, “The Soul of the Indian,” defines that indefinite thing, the belief in the supernatural, in a beautiful and striking manner.
The whole subject of religion among Indian tribes comprehends mythology, shamanism, totemism, and the taboo. There is so great variance among the different linguistic stocks as to belief in the supernatural, religious rites and incantations, that one must study extensively did one desire to obtain any clear conception of ancient Indian religion. In fact, the subject is so beset by uncertainties that we may well omit a consideration of it from this volume. Pure Indian religion—generally speaking—does not exist in the transition period of today.
We may defer to scientific workers the conflicting beliefs among Indians of the present. The labors of the missionaries, both Catholic and Protestant, have instilled into the minds of the Indians the teaching of our Scriptures. Missionary labors, having continued for more than two centuries, (and three centuries in some parts of the country) have had their effect, and as I stated above, the Indian today believes as do ourselves. As I pointed out in referring to Miss Densmore’s excellent study of Ojibwa music (page [20]) all the investigators invariably seek out the older Indians and glean from them such fragments as remain of the Indians’ former faith. We never hear of ethnologists talking to educated Indians, and recording their opinions.
Among the Navaho, the taboo is more strongly pronounced than, possibly, among other tribes. The totem and the phratry doubtless had their origin in certain religious beliefs. But these are not observed today, to any appreciable extent outside of the Navaho and the scattered bands referred to. We must consider, in studying the Indian of the transition period, not the exceptions, but that which predominates. This has been my aim. Many of the lesser important customs and taboo (bordering upon the religious side of the Indians’ nature) obtain. As an illustration, the taboo against the mother-in-law is still in effect in many places. Also, certain rites are performed when a death occurs. Such are clearly survivals of more primitive beliefs.
In a general review of the Indians’ religion it must be admitted that while our missionaries and teachers have converted thousands of Indians and these are today faithful members of churches and missions, it is doubtful if the bulk of our 330,000 red brothers has been improved spiritually by contact with the white people. I have presented sufficient number of specific instances in this book to prove that where they meet one missionary, priest or teacher, they come in contact with a dozen white persons ranking spiritually and morally far below American standards.
Along with the Indian’s religion, he possessed a high sense of honor, or responsibility, and integrity. Judge Thomas, long a resident of Oklahoma, informed me of cases wherein Indians under sentence of death, were permitted by the authorities to visit distant villages for a few days. There are a number of such instances on record. The Indians invariably returned and were executed according to law. This occurred many years ago. If any modern Indian, or white man under sentence of death, was released by the authorities, it is doubtful if he would consider himself bound to keep his word.