Native American Culture Research Paper

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Growing up I knew nothing of the Native American culture, rituals, or ceremonies. I only knew that my father was a Native American from the Ojibwa tribe. My family practiced Catholicism and went to church every Sunday. I went to a private Catholic School from kindergarten through fifth grade, and I was taught the rituals and ceremonies that are part of the religion. I eagerly studied the scripture and learned all about my faith. However, a pivotal experience occurred after my sophomore year of high school when my dad and I went on a trip to visit his family in Michigan. I finally met the Native American side of my family and experienced their ceremonies and traditions, which initiated my interest in the Native American beliefs.

My father …show more content…
When we arrived, the first Native American tradition I experienced was a homemade sweat lodge. We constructed a large dome out of branches and tarps so we could breathe in steam and cleanse our spirits. It was beautiful to see the stones blaze and pulse like a heartbeat of Mother Earth. The stones were showered in blessed water which created a cloud of steam and blanketed out to everyone. Afterwards, we celebrated our newly cleansed spirits by eating fruits and smoking out of a ceremonial pipe. It was freezing outside but the euphoria of being with my family transcended how cold the weather felt. Also during the trip, my family came together and had a modern Native American burial for my grandparents and uncle. I participated by shaking a rattle and tossing in special herbs onto their urns. We all sang a song to say our goodbyes and to celebrate their lives that they lived on Mother Earth. I witnessed the group blessing the deceased and wishing them peace in their next journey. These experiences are incredibly important to my character development because it sparked my curiosity to explore the traditions and beliefs of my Native American people. From this different view, I established a strong connection with the Native American students on
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