spiritual beliefs began? When do you think spiritual beliefs began?

No one knows exactly when or where. But it is certain that people had strong spiritual beliefs in ancient times. http://cavemanchemistry.com/oldcave/shanidar.jpg

Animism was practiced by many peoples during prehistoric times

The term used for those beliefs is ”Animism.” The word “Animism” comes from the Latin anima which means “soul” or having “breath”.

Even today, people all over the globe follow animist beliefs. http://www.newagemultimedia.com/firebrace/performance.jpg

Animism is the belief that spirits inhabit animate (living) things.

objectshttp://www.indiatravelogue.com/images1/wildlife/snake.jpg

Southeast Asia some people believe banyan trees are sacred.

Sacred tree in Indonesia

They create masks to bring the spirits to life. The Bwa and Nuna people of central Burkina Faso seek the help of powerful spirits who live in the wild forests, bush country, and rivers surrounding their villages. They create masks to bring the spirits to life. Dancing these masks on market days and at funerals and initiation ceremonies honors the spirits and brings forth their blessings. http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~bcr/African_Mask_Faces.html

Wishing to control the spirit forces and have their help against the powers of destruction, the Bwa and Nuna create masks that make the spirits visible and put them in touch with the people.

Nuna animal spirit masks depict the nature spirits associated with such powerful animals as the hawk, buffalo, and crocodile. http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~bcr/African_Mask_Faces.html

The crocodile's body is covered with scales in the form of a checkerboard pattern, which represents the separation between knowledge and ignorance. The crocodile maskers dance in pairs, with fluid undulating motions.

Buffalo Mask of The Nuna peoples Hampton University Museum

Spirits can also inhabit geographical landforms featureshttp://www.art3st.com/artprojects/lj/photoproject/nov2004/sunrise-ftpierce-nov2004.jpg

Geographical landforms such as mountains, bodies of water also are important to animist beliefs Ghana has a famous spirit called Mame Water.

In Ghana there is a water spirit called Mami Water The fishermen consider her so sacred they do not talk about her openly.

Natural phenomenon such as lightning thunder, earth quakes can be given humanlike or supernatural spiritual powers Tupan, a god of the Tupi-Guarani people of the Amazon rainforest is a spirit who lives in the sky and is believed to cause thunder.

Natural phenomena can be a good or evil spirit http://earthscience

There are also ancestor spirits. www.newagemultimedia.com/firebrace/Pict0028.jpg

Hopi - Honoring the ancestral spirits http://search. yahoo. com/

A holy burial place for the Tupi-Guaraní of the rain forest of Brazil www.nickwinter.com/.../brazil/iguacu_2.jpg Commissioned by the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center, this totem pole depicts the first Tlingit people to settle in the Sitka area. It is intended to be a public display of unity between the Tlingit clans.

Democratic Republic of Congo – ancestor spirit mask

People believed they had to maintain a favorable (good) relationship with the spirits or else suffer their wrath (anger).

Bali Paying tribute to the spirits of the ancestors. http://blog

Animists also believe that spirits inhabit inanimate (nonliving) objects. http://www.newagemultimedia.com/firebrace/performance.jpg

Saami Sacred Stones in Karelia, Russia Saamis believed that in this stones (seidas) there live spirits that might help if one sacrificed them animals (usually reindeers) and things. http://heninen.net/seid/english.htm

The oi-ya in the old shrine compound of the Naiku Ise In Japan the mysterious forces of nature, called ke, were believed to be inside objects and space to create mononoke. Mononoke gathered in trees and stones. The oi-ya in the old shrine compound of the Naiku Ise

Off-shore rock kami www.aarweb.org/.../Images275/rock-kami.jpg

In North America Medicine wheels are stone structures built by certain indigenous people for spiritual and ritual purposes. http://www.wolfcreekarts.com/Medicine_Wheel.htm

Arizona Indian medicine wheel

Stonehenge a massive prehistoric stone monument in England

Animals are also given humanlike powers

The figure on the top of this Tlingit totem pole is Raven the creator The figure on the top of this Tlingit totem pole is Raven the creator. North America http://www.eddystoneinn.com/photos/totems/totems_alaska.JPG

How do we know about these ancient traditions when the people had no writing?

Oral tradition From generation to generation stories were passed down in families, clans, tribes, and villages.

As long as words have been spoken there have been storytellers and people to listen to them.

Stories were a way of explaining things that people did not understand. http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~erikad/Themepages/Travel/Mali/griot.jpg

In many cultures storytelling is not just narration or speaking In many cultures storytelling is not just narration or speaking. There is also music and dance, singing and religion. Tupa –Guarani of Brazil www.sescsp.org

When the stories were good they were retold over and over. http://www.cowboypoetry.com/cfTheStoryTeller.jpg

Myths Folktales Fables Oral history Teach lessons about human behavior Tell the beliefs and values of the people

Pueblo Indian story teller - pottery www.bahti.com/Media/story2.jpg

Oral Tradition keeps the past alive, keeps beliefs strong, and makes learning about cultures fascinating!

http://www.montykins.com/mkins/Storyteller.jpg