Taking a class on Native American Religions this Semester @ ASU... Both North/South Americas!!! So Aawesome!

[FirstLight]

It's already fascinating, and it's just the first week. My Teacher actually grew up from the age of 6 in the Ecuadorian Amazon with the Kichwa tribe, as his dad was a Dr./missionary...but instead of converting them, he learned their ways. So this guy has MA's in religion and linguistics, and is still learning 2 more native Amazonian languages!

What's so cool about it for me is that I have been following the 'medicine way' since I was 27...so I am well aware of many of the presmises of indigenous peoples, especially the relationship to the land and animals as fellow beings...NOT as things to be exploited or ruled over, as monotheistic religions believe. It's also very interesting to me how different tribes see the "Directions" as different elements, depending on their location and livelihoods... I have always seen North as Earth/Winter...whereas Lakota names it as Air/Ice... so cool!

Would anyone be interested in reading my first essay comparing the Kichwa beliefs to Black Elk's/Lakota? )it's only 600 words.

Here's the link to the video of the Kichwa lady Delicia Dagua and the Pecaries

?si=jhV8tZajwp33Wc8k

And the reading was from Black Elk Speaks, I chose "The Offering of the Pipe"
https://www.nativeamericanembassy.net/Black-Elk/blackelkspeaks.unl.edu/chapter1.html