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Native American Spirituality

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Many followers of Native American spirituality, do not regard their spiritual beliefs and practices as a "religion" in the way in which many Christians do. Their beliefs and practices form a integral and seamless part of their very being.

Estimates of the numbers of Native North Americans at the time of the European arrival/invasion in what is now the United States and Canada vary between 1.2 to 12 million. By the end of the 19th century, the number of Native Americans had been reduced to 250,000, mainly exterminated through imported diseases, dislocation, slavery, mass murder, genocide and suicide rates that were many times the national average. ₁ Many of the survivors converted to Christianity. A resurgence of Aboriginal faith is currently underway.

Topics covered in this section:

	Native American: Quotations, Introduction and origins   The LDS Restorationist movement's view of Native American origins
	Development of Aboriginal culture. Adsorption of Native beliefs; Tribal recognition;
	Beliefs of Native American tribes, from the Arctic to the southwest
	Books and web sites dealing with Native American spirituality and culture

Reference used:

The following information source was used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlink is not necessarily still active today.

1. Guenter Lewy, "Were American Indians the Victims of Genocide?," History News Network, 2004-NOV-22, at: http://hnn.us/

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Latest update and review: 2012-JAN-21
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