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Hello Auntie, call me E. I am a convert to Judaism, but have become fascinated by native cultures and beliefs. My question is if and when a native "prays" to something other than the creator, does that constitute an act of worship? Thank you.

Hello E. This is an interesting question and the answer is based on what your individual understanding of what “worship” means. Worship can be defined as a show reverence and adoration for (a deity); or honor with religious rites. For many American Indian people our connection with the Creator, spirits,…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Non-Native Allies, Spirituality

Why would the spirits of Native Americans visit me every night as a child? Every night before my parents moved us they came from my closet and would surround my bed and touch my ears or my mouth. They looked as real to me as my parents. Why???

Wow, how cool! Well, I can’t speak to your experience, only you can do this. What I can say, is that as Indigenous people, we believe that all things both inanimate and alive hold a life force or energy, especially the land we occupy. It is said that when we…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Spirituality

Hello. At my college there is Native American Burial Ground Hills. I’m simply wondering if it’s considered disrespectful to stand or sit on the hills or relax. I haven’t done it because I’m worried about if it’s distasteful or not.

Well, if you don’t feel comfortable doing it, then trust your instinct. I’m a firm believer of listening to your gut. As Indigenous people, we believe that all things both inanimate and alive hold a life force or energy. So, if your gut is nudging you to stay away, I…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Non-Native Allies, Spirituality

My dad is native (Ojibwe) but he’s not on my birth certificate so I have no proof of my ancestry. How can I prove that I’m half Ojibwe and not just Irish?

What an amazing gift that you have such a great lead. Keep asking questions of your family to see what else you can pull up, like names and location. This will be helpful in your next steps. Next thing is to check with your tribes enrollment department, as every tribe…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Spirituality

hey auntie i have been wondering when im in a group circle sage gets passed and the women get told if we are on our periods just pass the sage so does that mean i cant use sage in general on my moon cycle or just the sage thats being passed

Hey Bianca! This is a great question. I had to reach out to some other Aunties for this answer. My tribe is not considered a ‘saging’ tribe. My Auntie’s have told me that we learned to sage from the Northern Pueblos. When you’re on your ‘moon cycle’ or ‘moon time’,…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Spirituality

I wanted to cleanse my house so, my daughter bought me white sage and an abalone shell, I did not have a feather but when I went out to my truck the next day or two, there was a feather laying on the ground by my truck. I have no idea what kind of feather

How cool! It might be easiest to get online and search for local birds in your area to identify which bird it came from. Feathers and the types of feathers used by tribes can have variations in their meanings from tribe to tribe. Generally speaking, feathers like eagle feathers are…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Spirituality
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