Rekindling the Spirit: The Rebirth of American Indian Spirituality Part 1: The spirits spoke to him Part 2: The seventh fire Part 3: Christianizing the Indians Part 4: One church, two traditions Part 5: Where tradition thrives Part 6: Ceremony and symbolism Part 7: The healing spirit Part 8: Returning to the Red Road 'The jewelry on American culture' Preserving the language Audio Rekindling the Spirit: The Rebirth of American Indian Spirituality (story audio) More from MPR More voices (08/20/2003) A glossary of Native spirituality (08/20/2003) Resources and links (08/20/2003) Your Voice News Forum: What tenets of American Indian Spirituality speak to you?

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Rekindling the Spirit: The Rebirth of American Indian Spirituality
by Tom Robertson, Minnesota Public Radio
by Dan Gunderson, Minnesota Public Radio
August 20, 2003

Bemidji, Minn. — The U.S. government and Christian churches spent more than 150 years trying to eliminate American Indian spiritual practices. But the spiritual beliefs survived. Across America, Indians young and old are returning to traditional ways.

They call the traditional life "walking the Red Road." They believe old ways are bringing new hope to Indian Country.

Some are turning to the spiritual beliefs of their ancestors to cope with vast social problems that plague Indian communities. Others are rediscovering their spiritual roots as a way to reclaim a culture that was nearly wiped out.

The beliefs are mysterious -- to some, even mystical. You can't pick up a book and study Indian spirituality. It's an oral tradition and highly individual. American Indians who live the traditional way reject attempts to define their beliefs as theology, or religion. They prefer to call it a way of life.

Many American Indian tribes share similar spiritual beliefs, but ceremonies and spiritual concepts vary from tribe to tribe and even between individuals. This report focuses on the Ojibwe, or Anishinaabe, people of Minnesota. The people in this story are not speaking for all American Indians.

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