“Powwow was an Algonquin term, “pauwau” or “pauau”, which referred to a gathering of medicine men and spiritual leaders. “Pauwauing” referred to a religious ceremony, usually one of curing. In the 1800’s the European explorers observing these religious gatherings and dances mispronounced the word as powwow. (Jennings, The Invasion of America, p. 241.) In 1646 […]
Traditions
Native American Traditions – Origins of The Smoke Signal
Origins of the Smoke Signal By Grandmother Selma A gentle… almost magical… puff of smoke rises up toward the clouds and heavens, floating, suspended in space, lifting then gradually disappearing, being consumed by the earth surrounding it and the breath of the wind that carries it. An ancient skill of communication and survival, one that […]
Native American Traditions – Traditional Talking Stick
Traditional Talking Stick The Talking Stick is a tool used in many Native American Traditions when a council is called. It allows all council members to present their Sacred Point of View. The Talking Stick is passed from person to person as they speak and only the person holding the stick is allowed to talk […]
Hmong Traditions – Rituals & Ceremonies: Funeral Rituals
Funeral Rituals: The most important steps of a proper Hmong funeral with many rituals include the playing of the Qeej (reed pipe) ritual music “qhuab ke” (showing the way chanting, a funeral music to guide the soul of the deceased back to the land of the ancestors), “qeej tu saiv” (last breath reed music), “qeej […]
Hmong Traditions – Rituals & Ceremonies: Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Ceremony: Traditional Hmong marriage involves elaborate preparation, a symbolic ceremony, and huge banquets. Depending upon the affluence of the families involved, the wedding can last anywhere from one to three days. Gift exchange between the two families, as well as elegant food preparation, always precedes the ceremony. A Hmong wedding ritual involves tying a […]
Hmong Traditions – Rituals & Ceremonies: Soul Calling
Soul-Calling: One ritual and ceremony would be the “existence of souls” also known as “soul-calling”, is often performed when a person is sick. This is sometimes complemented by the use of herbal medicine and magic formulas or “khawv koob” to extract the bad spirit from the body of the sick person or to heal a […]
Hmong Traditions – Rituals & Ceremonies
There are many rituals and ceremonies that the Hmongs practice. The clan elders used to perform the traditional ceremonies but now rarely do. Majority of the rituals and ceremonies are performed by a shaman. There are specific rituals, chanting and ceremonies that must be performed by a shaman in order to discover what the problem […]
Hmong Traditions – Shamans & Ancestor Worship
Shaman: The Hmongs believe that dreams and illnesses are signs of calling. The spirit addresses the person in a dream and when that person wakes up, he/she will have a new realization of his fate. The individual must take a journey to the heavenly palace. In the spirit world, the individual walks the path while […]
Hmong Traditions – Spirit & Supernatural World
According to Hmong traditions, a person has several souls, usually four (4) and sometimes if one of their souls becomes separated from a person it can cause them to become ill or even death. They believe that the souls of the dead, live in the supernatural world and the spirits decide how long a person […]
What Is the Hmong “Religious/Religion or Spiritual” Beliefs?
What are the Hmong “religious/religion or spiritual” beliefs is one question one might ask. Well the traditional Hmong religious practice involves the worship of ancestors, natural spirits and the supernatural world, traditionally called Animist or Ua Dab in Hmong and the Hmong people referred to it as “kev cai dab qhua”, which means “the way […]