That's how they do it at... the Indians

A natural way of burial is becoming more and more common in Europe. Many Native American tribes follow the tradition of burial as they have done for thousands of years: green. They have never strayed far from that tradition. And to think that there are 564 tribes in America and that about 1.9 million people belong to one of those tribes.

It is part of the burial customs of the Indians, known in Canada as First Nations people, to involve the community in activities to honor the deceased. The tribe also supports the family of the deceased during the period of mourning.

Nature as a sacred place

While each Native American tribe is unique, many tribes have some common beliefs about death and burial, often based on nature and the seasons. In most cases, a deceased person is cleansed or purified and eventually cremated or buried. Indians treat their deceased with great respect. They consider nature to be a sacred place. Many tribes believe that birth, life, and death go on in an endless cycle.

The rituals and ceremonies surrounding death can take several days, as Native Americans believe that only in this way will the spirit leave the body. In other words, family and tribesmen need to lend a hand to the spirit.

Each tribe has its own traditional way of saying prayers and songs. A medicine man or shaman may perform a ceremony in the native language of the tribe. The duration of the mourning varies depending on the tribe.

Let's take a closer look at a few tribes.

The Oneida Indian Nation

The Oneida hold a Common Feast of the Dead, Atela Khúsla, twice a year. In spring and autumn. During these feasts, the deceased are honored. Tribal members bring traditional food and share it with the whole tribe. A plate is filled with a small portion of each dish. This sign is placed in a private place before sunrise for the spirits who have passed through.

"Many tribes believe that birth, life, and death go on in an endless cycle."

The Navajo

The Navajo believe that the spirit of a deceased person will come back if it is not properly buried. Not that they are afraid, but they want the spirit to continue. Because of this belief, the Navajo value dying outside the house so that the ghost cannot continue to haunt the house.

Once someone has passed away, a traditional cleansing ritual follows as soon as possible. Two naked men covered in ashes cleanse the body. After that, three family members wrap the body, load it onto a new horse, and lead it as far north as possible. The family members bury the body and hide the grave. The horse is also killed and buried so that it can help the spirit move on.

The Sioux

The Sioux believe that death is the beginning of a new journey and take four days to say goodbye. After that, the deceased can start their new journey.

In the old days, the body of a Sioux, dressed in his finest clothes, was placed in a tree or on a platform, along with some belongings, food, and drink. The remains were buried in the ground after a year.

Today, the family of the deceased holds two day vigils, which take place at the place where the deceased is buried. The funeral is usually a Christian ceremony, followed by traditional ceremony by a medicine man with Native American prayers, songs, and a drum group. Family and tribesmen pay their last respects to the deceased by giving food, knives and scarves in the coffin.

"Family and tribesmen need to lend a hand to the spirit. "

The Cherokee

A deceased Cherokee is washed before burial and sprinkled with lavender oil to cleanse impurities. The deceased is placed in the coffin, wrapped in a white cotton sheet. Then a feather of an eagle, a sacred bird to the Indians, is placed on the body. The funeral is led by a shaman and takes place on the day of death or the day after.

After that, there is a mourning period of seven days in which, among other things, fasting takes place. After seven days, the shaman takes the mourners to a river. There they immerse themselves in the water seven times. Sometimes towards the east and other times towards the west. After this ceremony, the mourners put on clean clothes and receive an offering of tobacco and sacred beads. After the ceremony, the other tribesmen welcome the mourners back into their midst.

The Choktow

Burial traditions of the Choctaw Nation are well documented. The Choctaw allowed the body of the deceased to decompose naturally on an outdoor platform. Before the 19th century, the Choctaw had a double burial. The bones of a large group of deceased people were buried in a mound of earth and stone during a festival of the tribe after decomposition.

The Ponca

The Ponca tribe is afraid that the dead will hold a grudge against them if they are in possession of the deceased's belongings. If the deceased shared his home with people, the people left behind will move to a new house. The trunk burns all – including valuable – possessions of the deceased. Surviving family members who shared a home with the deceased then move to a new home.

Overview of Native American Tribes Native American Tribes List – Legends of America

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