Plains First Nations - spiritual beliefs, a connection to animals

FIRST NATIONS OF THE PLAINS :
A CONNECTION TO ANIMALS

First Nations people had a deep respect for the land, the plants and the animals. Animals played a very important role in their lives by providing them with food and clothing and other items. Animals taught them many lessons and served as messengers and spirit guides.

EAGLE
In stories and legends the eagle was referred to as the Thunderbird. The eagle had great powers of vision, strength and courage. It soared to great heights and carried messages between the Creator and the people. Black-tipped eagle feathers were prized possessions and were given as rewards for acts of bravery. Eagle feathers, skulls and talons were used in ceremonies. The bones of the wings were made into whistles which were used in religious ceremonies. The eagle feather is treated with the great respect. If a feather is dropped a proper cleansing ceremony has to be performed.

BISON (buffalo)
The buffalo was a sacred animal to the Plains First Nations because it provided them with clothing, food, shelter, tools, etc. Every part of the animal was used. Nothing was wasted. The buffalo sacrificed their lives so the people could live. In time of need tribes would pray to Mother Earth to awaken the spirits and to lead the buffalo to their camp. When the hunt was over, ceremonies were performed to honour the spirit of the buffalo.

BEAR

The bear was the ears of the forest. If you respected the bear and his surroundings and did not make him mad, he would leave you alone. The bear was a great hunter - quick, large and powerful. Some believed that the bear awakened Mother Earth after hibernating all winter. Then just before winter the bear back into hibernation and the earth became cold and lifeless. They respected the bear because this large animal could be gentle and quiet, yet fierce when fighting to protect her cubs. The bear had spiritual powers and a bear claw necklace meant protection and good health to the person who wore it.

HORSE
The horse symbolized speed, freedom, strength and grace. The horse accompanied the Plains People on the battlefield, on the hunt and when they moved. Horses were well cared for and treated with great respect. The horse represented power to tribes - they had larger territories and won more battles. The horse was featured on many different works of art. The Plains People referred to horses as "Sacred Dogs" - a gift from the Great Spirit.

OWL
The owl was a symbol of wisdom and sacred knowledge. It was a silent flyer with great vision and hearing. The owl taught people to open their eyes and see and hear beyond shadows and darkness. The Plains Peoples saw the owl as a protector against harm. Owl feathers were worn to ward off evil spirits. Some tribes believed that seeing an owl was a warning sign.

CROW & RAVEN
Crows were watchers and saw everything that was going on around them. They brought messages from the spirit world. The raven was very intelligent and made sounds of other birds and animals. It was a trickster and could transform itself. Seeing a raven in dreams or visions meant major changes were about to take place.

COYOTE
Some First Nations Peoples believed that the coyote was a trickster and could transform to a human body. The animal was also viewed as a survivor because it could adapt to almost any environment. Stories of the playful and funloving animal taught people to laugh and not be so serious,

WOLF
The wolf was respected for its hunting skills. It was a symbol of family and loyalty. The First Nations had great respect for wolves because wolves were like people - both hunted and defended their families or pack.

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credits for graphics and information

J.Giannetta, March 2012

Web Pages for Students

EAGLE In stories and legends the eagle was referred to as the Thunderbird. The eagle had great powers of vision, strength and courage. It soared to great heights and carried messages between the Creator and the people. Black-tipped eagle feathers were prized possessions and were given as rewards for acts of bravery. Eagle feathers, skulls and talons were used in ceremonies. The bones of the wings were made into whistles which were used in religious ceremonies. The eagle feather is treated with the great respect. If a feather is dropped a proper cleansing ceremony has to be performed.	BISON (buffalo) The buffalo was a sacred animal to the Plains First Nations because it provided them with clothing, food, shelter, tools, etc. Every part of the animal was used. Nothing was wasted. The buffalo sacrificed their lives so the people could live. In time of need tribes would pray to Mother Earth to awaken the spirits and to lead the buffalo to their camp. When the hunt was over, ceremonies were performed to honour the spirit of the buffalo.
BEAR The bear was the ears of the forest. If you respected the bear and his surroundings and did not make him mad, he would leave you alone. The bear was a great hunter - quick, large and powerful. Some believed that the bear awakened Mother Earth after hibernating all winter. Then just before winter the bear back into hibernation and the earth became cold and lifeless. They respected the bear because this large animal could be gentle and quiet, yet fierce when fighting to protect her cubs. The bear had spiritual powers and a bear claw necklace meant protection and good health to the person who wore it.	HORSE The horse symbolized speed, freedom, strength and grace. The horse accompanied the Plains People on the battlefield, on the hunt and when they moved. Horses were well cared for and treated with great respect. The horse represented power to tribes - they had larger territories and won more battles. The horse was featured on many different works of art. The Plains People referred to horses as "Sacred Dogs" - a gift from the Great Spirit.
OWL The owl was a symbol of wisdom and sacred knowledge. It was a silent flyer with great vision and hearing. The owl taught people to open their eyes and see and hear beyond shadows and darkness. The Plains Peoples saw the owl as a protector against harm. Owl feathers were worn to ward off evil spirits. Some tribes believed that seeing an owl was a warning sign.	CROW & RAVEN Crows were watchers and saw everything that was going on around them. They brought messages from the spirit world. The raven was very intelligent and made sounds of other birds and animals. It was a trickster and could transform itself. Seeing a raven in dreams or visions meant major changes were about to take place.
COYOTE Some First Nations Peoples believed that the coyote was a trickster and could transform to a human body. The animal was also viewed as a survivor because it could adapt to almost any environment. Stories of the playful and funloving animal taught people to laugh and not be so serious,	WOLF The wolf was respected for its hunting skills. It was a symbol of family and loyalty. The First Nations had great respect for wolves because wolves were like people - both hunted and defended their families or pack.