The Circle of Life: Belief of Native Americans Essay

Life cycle means that when a person dies it is not the end; instead it is the beginning of another kind of life. Life circle in the Native American communities was a unique perception which symbolized a physical translation of spiritual energy. In Native American communities it was also defined as a medicine wheel which served as a mirror showing the people what was happening inside them. The wheel showed the stages of life which were infancy, adolescence, youth and adulthood and lessons learned through an individuals’ life time. Death on the other hand gave birth to renewal of life and rebirth. “The Native Americans also believed that all human beings were connected in a circle. Hence it was also taken as a reflection of the true nature of life and the bigger picture within which all human beings are connected” (Mackenzie, 1995).

Therefore this paper is going to focus on continuation of life and how life begins afresh with each passing day as applied in Basil Johnston’s four stages of life which he explains as four hills, show emphasis on men seeking vision as compared to women and finalize by showing the importance of the naming ceremony in the Native American community. The paper will then conclude by giving an overview on how the Native American community viewed the circle of life.

The Four Hills Of Life uses an Ojibwe perspective in telling the story about the path we walk through the seasons of life, from the springtime of youth through the winter of old age. The hills one climbs along the way are the challenges to face and the responsibilities to accept. The path is not always easy; some of us lose our way. We can question life, and by taking the good path, we commit to values and fulfill our goals (Johnston, 1976).

Basil Johnston shows that life is like four hills which every individual is required to scale. He explains that this is necessary to complete the journey one is to take through life. Basil Johnston in his conceptual framework of life explains that there are many ideas that embody the world’s views and the values of the culture. He further asserts that there are so many ups and downs in the journey through life as individuals will meet joys and hardships which are the entire purpose of the journey. Basil Johnston also speaks of doing the Creator’s work, the ethic of non-interference and the difficulty in remaining true to one’s path in life as there are many temptations and obstacles to overcome in the four stages of life.

Johnston explains that the first hill had numerous infants trying to scale the hill. He shows the weakest and frailest infants being at the base of the hill while the oldest were on the top. The infants got stronger and older as they slowly crawled up the hill. As they continued crawling through almost half of them dropped and died because of lack of strength although even some strong infants were not able to reach the top. Those who reached the top were happy and they moved on to the other side. This first hill symbolized the very first stage of life. Here infants are so many but they don’t have any character or potential, they are also weak and succumb to nearly all ailments. Because they are frail again they cannot help each other, so it is evident that the first hill is the first stage of life where new born babies are frail and succumb easily to ailments. When they pass this stage they don’t have any reason to celebrate as they still have to continue with the journey.

On the second hill Johnston shows the survivors of the first hill who were now older and sturdier. He says some were over ten years while the youngest were seven. Johnston continues explaining the second hill as very noisy and chaotic as compared to the first hill which was quiet. On the second hill therefore there was more ability enhancement filled with all activities of youthful life. Even though there was an enhanced capability here, difficulties were also evident as only a few individuals reached the top of this hill. The individuals on this particular hill died while carrying out their work, some while playing and others were killed by unseen shadows. Johnston explains that “there was life, motion, death and no stopping. The individuals were being pushed by a certain force to reach the top as they did not even care for the sick, injured, the stricken and the dying but only for themselves” (Johnston, 1976). Once on top again they hurriedly descended it to the other side. The symbolism here is the life of the youth. Johnston means that the youth comprises many age groups who have many characters and strengths. Here some are cut down at the base of the hill while some near the top. “Life is indiscriminate and cuts down weak and strong youths alike. Johnston also shows that medicine does not have any power over death” (Johnston, 1976). In this part the youth learn skills necessary to keep them alive and develop visions which they nature for their future. Still they don’t celebrate finishing this task as the third hill awaits them.

On the third hill there were some similarities with the second one. Here again the force urging individuals forward was evident but the youthful characters were absent only men and women. The men and women carried out tasks related to adults, fought (in the event causing injury and death) and continued matching to the top. Many still perished on the way trying to accomplish the common task. Those who reached the top were so happy thinking that the way down would be as easy as the other hills. The descent here was as treacherous as the ascent with a lot of people losing their lives. This hill symbolized adulthood as the youth had been transformed into adults and carried with them a lot of responsibilities. Here again there are battles to be fought, disputes to be resolved, there is the taking care of infants and the ailing and the adults must also look after themselves. In this stage when a man loses his/her path no one is there to help as he/she has to come to it and continue with the journey through life. On this hill climbing and descending is both hard showing that completing the journey through adulthood is hard. There is no break again in this journey as individuals who have successfully beaten the third stage go to the fourth hill.

The people still carried on to the fourth hill with courage knowing that they had beaten three hills and they would probably beat this one. With all the courage they had, the inner force and outer strength most of them were unable to surmount this one. Here people had grown old and frail; they tried to encourage each other even going to the extent of shouting to those on the third hill giving them encouragements. But most could not reach the top of the hill; those dropped, died and were engulfed in the soil of the hill. Many people lost their life companions but still marched on towards the shroud hiding the crest. Very few people managed to reach the top, vanishing into the shroud. This hill shows lack of strength and the acceptance of a new mode of life. What they have is the wisdom of a long life lived which they pass on to the younger ones who are still struggling to climb the hills of life. Johnston gives an example of a flower that is dying it can only be of help to another flower which will crop up in another spring by supplying it with nutrients after it decomposes.

The purpose of life can be defined best as “life in the fullest sense,” this is, long life that is of “spiritual quality.” In the Ojibwa community males were the ones who sought to get superhuman aid. In this community a women was regarded to be already whole needing no external assistance. A man on the other hand had to struggle to get and uphold wholeness. This was achieved by acquiring and nurturing the spirit helper’s blessings.

For the young woman-to-be it meant then a period of “seclusion” at the time of her first menstrual cycle, a seclusion that was from ten to twenty days in which lessons, teachings and fasting was involved. These were directed toward preparing for motherhood, the uniqueness of being a woman, and for the possibility of a special role within her community or village. It is at this time that a young girl becomes a woman. The change that takes place in her is sacred and one by which she is given a ‘power’ to be Mother Earth and bear children. Each month from that time this power will be renewed and she will be remained of her gift while coducting herself carefully, with humility and responsibility. She would then be from this day on transformed into a woman (Johnston, 1976).

For a man on the other hand he had to seek a vision or find a spirit helper. “This usually meant going without food and water to a secluded spot, a special hill or location set aside for fasting. The fasting experience was a sacred experience in which direct contact with spirit entities was made” (Johnston, 1976). It was a precious experience and the foundation for a young man’s life in future. As long as he behaved properly he would attain his spirit helpers.

“Men were required to seek vision; moreover, they had to live out and give expression to their visions. It was through vision that a man found purpose and meaning to life” (Johnston, 1976).

The quest was equally a search within and a seeking for aid from beyond him. The spirits that came to him as a result of being “pitied by the grandfathers” was in a mysterious way. He would often carry in some material form, a representation of the one(s) who came to him in his vision. These representations, as the vision itself, are a “reflection” of the Great Spirit’s gift of power and light-giving insight to the seeker. They become his power and illumination. The vision itself may be a once-and-for all visitation, or it may unfold its full meaning over a number of years. Unlike the girl reaching womanhood, a boy was not yet considered a man upon acquiring his vision; rather, he was only beginning to fulfill his purpose in life (Johnston, 1976).

In Native American cultures the naming ceremony carried with it spiritual importance. The rites often encompassed the transfer of spiritual control to the person being named from the elders, who also received the powers through the same rites.

There are various types of names given for various reasons. “The names were often given to individuals who are then required to “carry” the name and to ensure that they conduct themselves in a way that the name indicates” (Brown, 1992). For instance, if the given name shows courage, the person will have to act in the same way to uphold the reliability of the given name. Additionally the naming ceremony symbolized the acknowledgement of a new relationship to the society together with spiritual world. This implied that when a person is passed through a specific spiritual ceremony, he/she would get a name to go with the kind of rite.

Therefore as shown in this paper it is evident that the Native Americans believed life had four stages (childhood, youth, adulthood and elderhood) or the four hills of life. In the stages of life there are rites and ceremonies that mark life passage and give individuals spiritual enhancement to aid him/her in the path through life. “Inherent in these ceremonies and rites, there is again the importance of relationships and interdependency that are the underlying themes throughout the Native American communities (Johnston, 1976). There is also a description of naming the new born, childhood naming, marriage, bringing up children, adulthood and death. Death symbolized a change of state giving birth to new life.

References

1. Brown, J. (1992). Aboriginal naming practices. New York NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.
2. Johnston, B. (1976). Ojibwa Heritage. New York. NY: Columbia University Press.
3. Mackenzie, A. (1995). Native American life cycle. New York NY: HarperCollins Publishers.