Spirituality
Whether referred to as American Indians, Native Americans, Indigenous People, or Indigenous Relatives, they are gifted with spirituality. Spirituality is a common thread among Native Americans. Grandmas and Mothers have called their children and asked from a thousand miles away, “What’s the matter?” – and we tell them.
There are wonderful Creation stories, most of which make more geological sense than the Creation stories in Genesis. There are Kiowa stories that tell of a visitor who sounds a lot like Jesus. There is an ancient symbol that resembles the Cross of Jesus: the Medicine Wheel.
The Medicine Wheel is fairly universal among Native American people in North America. The version at the beginning of this section is the symbol of the Native American Comprehensive Plan [NACP] of the United Methodist Church. It represents the four directions of north, east, south, and west.
The earliest known medicine wheels were laid out on the ground. Most follow a similar pattern of a central hub of green surrounded by quarter circles of yellow, red, black, and white. Four spokes radiate from the center. The Medicine Wheel of the NACP has the spokes in the cardinal directions of north, east, south, and west. The spokes of other Medicine Wheels relate to “astronomical phenomena” and are diagonally placed.
We want to share traditional prayers of our Indigenous Relatives.
- Because we want to be respectful of The People and their spirituality, we ask permission to put prayers attributed to Native American individuals or tribal groups on this website.
- We invite you, our readers and visitors, to contribute traditional prayers from your people.
- We also invite you to teach us as you are patient with our efforts to be in ministry with The People.
Native American Land
Land Acknowledgement for St. George, Utah
United Women in Faith of the Utah/Western Colorado District Celebration September 2024
A Land Acknowledgment is a statement before an event recognizing the Indigenous communities that originally inhabited the space where the event is taking place. We acknowledge that we gather, as United Women in Faith of the Utah/Western Colorado District, on federally recognized tribal lands of Utah. Fundamental to their existence was their relationship with the land. We recognize the injustices incurred on these people when [this] land was colonized.
The Native Americans who inhabited this are in Southwest Utah, as well as south into Nevada, and since long before the Mormon settlers arrived, are Southern Paiutes. This tribe is actually a confederation of five bands – Cedar, Indian Peaks, Kanosh, Koosharem, and Shivwits. Many years ago, ten parcels of land, scattered throughout four Southern Utah counties, were set aside as reservation land for the five bands of the Paiute Tribe. The Shivwits Band is closest to us – they live just outside Ivins, about ten miles from here.
The peaceful Paiutes, who are known for their skill in basket weaving, should not be confused with the more aggressive Utes. Both descended from the Shoshone tribe, but the Ute Tribe resides mostly in Colorado now.
The numbers of native people in Utah have changed drastically over the years. When the Mormon settlers arrived in the mid-19th century, the estimated number was 20,000. But in the 1060 census, only 7000 were counted. It was up to 12,000 in 1070, to 19,000 in 1980, and the most recent census had their numbers at 41,000.
We honor America’s First People and their [descendants]. We are called to learn and share what we know about their tribal history, culture, and contributions. It is through authentic relationships and informed action that we can move toward more equitable relationships and reconciliation.
– Karen Cole, 2024
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