Native American Sacredness Essay

Native Americans have a profound and interconnected relationship with nature and the land. This is an essential part of their cultural identity. Sacred sites are where ceremonies and rituals are performed to express their spiritual devotion and play a crucial role in Indigenous communities. Over time, colonization and the influence of a dominant Western culture have diminished Native American areas of worship and their sovereignty. In order to protect these Indigenous sacred sites, it is vitally important to reexamine the current Environmental Justice framework since it does not consider environmental justice for Indigenous peoples. What sacred means varies depending on a person’s culture, religion, or way of life. The concept of sacredness

It provides a framework for living ethically and gaining a better understanding of the world and its gifts. If we live in a secular age, we will destroy our already dwindling relationship with nature. Indigenous peoples often hold a deep spiritual and cultural connection with sacred sites. These sites allow them to connect with a divine holy spirit or with their ancestors, who, in some instances, died at those places during historical events often as a result of human violence. There are often stories associated with these landmarks that have been passed down throughout Indigenous cultures. As a way to honor and remember the past, these sacred areas are used for ceremonies and rituals to take place. In Vine Deloria’s text Sacred Lands and Religious Freedoms, she states, “Since time immemorial, Indian tribal Holy Men have gone into the high places, lakes, and isolated sanctuaries to pray, receive guidance from the Spirits, and train younger people in the ceremonies that constitute the spiritual life of the tribal community” (Deloria, 1). It is the role of medicine men to keep Indigenous cultures and societies from disappearing altogether and perform their work in these sacred