American Indian religions

The religious beliefs of American Indians from Alaska to the tip of South America. They are numerous and often vastly different, and include Shamanism, new forms of Christianity, and Peyotism.

Shamanism, which evolved over 8,000 years ago and slowly spread down from Alaska, is found in many cultures of the Americas. It incorporates a reverence for the natural world as a meeting place for the spiritual and material worlds. Certain people (shamans) are believed to be in contact with the spirit world and to have special powers, but each individual can also seek power and vision through ordeals and fasting. In recent centuries, the impact of Christianity has produced different responses: syncretistic forms such as Catholic Spiritists in Brazil who combine shamanism with Christianity, or rejection of Christianity itself but the adoption of many Christian notions, symbols, and beliefs. The use of stimulant drugs to enhance religious states is common in many Mid-and Central American cultures. Of these Peyotism, which emerged in the late 19th century, is the best known, combining pre-Christian elements such as music and chanting, with the Christian elements of healing, prayer, and the sacraments. Other communities have formed churches that are independent of the mainstream European churches. Today there is a revival of interest in pre-Christian rituals, beliefs, and practices, especially in shamanism.