Shamans of the North
Curiosity without the lack of desire to learn often results in misinformation. This is why so many of the world’s cultures are misrepresented and plagued by myth. Many of the world’s religions and religious communities are also in a constant fight to clear the names of their religion from the fictitious claims that have tarnished their reputation. The ignorance of people towards the life, culture, customs, history, and religion of the natives of North America is one such example. For centuries, the natives of this land have been religiously oppressed and disrespected in various forms for the better lack of understanding of who they are and what they believe and value. Their way of life is simple and pure and concerns their mental well being as a community through a better connection with their surroundings. The Indians of the subarctic and Canadian north regions have for many centuries, through oppression and religious and cultural intolerance, practiced and held firmly on to Pagan and Shamanic beliefs to form a rich bond with nature, their inner souls, and their Gods.
The Natives of North America have seen their religion, language, customs, and culture oppressed by the white man who arrived on their land centuries ago. These people who enjoyed and cherished the land that gave them so much have always been treated as second class citizens, and not until recently did the Canadian Government acknowledge the “immense toll of suffering still being felt in the native population resulting from cultural loss, separation from families, and victimization through physical and sexual abuse” ( Niezen, 2000, p. 86). The mis-portrayal of their culture is an ongoing problem. Many, still today, see natives, their culture and religion,