The Spiritual Legacy of the American Indian

For the American Indian himself, striving to adjust to new patterns of thinking and living, it is of crucial importance that he rediscover and reaffirm his own heritage, for a man can not cut himself off from what he really is without becoming as a tree without either roots or nourishment. Among the many forces at work to mould the Indian into a new image, our educational policy should be mentioned, for it has been perpetuating a grave error in omitting from school curriculums almost everything that could and should affirm a heritage of great value; it could even be said that this policy was intentionally designed to destroy this unique heritage, and has thus risked creating half men lacking either roots or purpose.

The present booklet has been written in the hope of giving encouragement to those Indians who wish to continue, or even reparticipate, in their own religious and cultural values; and it is also hoped that what is presented here may clarify certain misconceptions concerning the real and profound spiritual values which exist in many of the religions of the American Indian.