Change Name of this sub forum?

[Tobi]

Originally Posted by makwaiskwew

Respectfully, I ask that you be of peace and of peaceful mind for what I wish to say today. I thank you Neville for this consideration and response. And I speak from my heart when I share this with you.
It must be understood though that the indigenous peoples were and are spiritual peoples since time immemorial. While many see the indigenous peoples through myth and legend it must be told that we have had our prophesies,
philosophies and oral cultures long before contact and colonization. And while many good people have embraced religion, before contact indigenous peoples were a spiritual people understanding that we are all related and our relationships are integral to the mother that sustains us, the air that we breathe, the water that we drink and most certainly the sun. The birds and the animals, the fish, the trees.....all is integral to life and is respected.

With that said, I hope that you consider my request that this thread be named simply "Indigenous peoples" It will speak to all peoples that way.

Thank you for listening my friend.

Kchi Migwech Gzheminido Kinagego

The things that you speak of are spiritual things, Maikwaiskwew so the "faith" aspect relates I think quite well to varied spiritual traditions of indigenous people. I, for one, do not associate this word with settlers at a later date, and the religions they brought with them.
It may be better than the word "Belief" as spiritual awareness is a knowing -not limited to 'believing'....
Words are tricky aren't they?

But basically I do like the change, as it opens up to many other people who may not literally be "Americans". I was thinking this yesterday.

So does that mean, Tobi, that you and I maybe rendezvoused in the ether and had a nice little chat about this yesterday?

Coooool....

Faiths of Indigenous Peoples?

Indigenous to North America is that, or are the faiths of people indigenous to any other continent allowed in this forum?

If it is restricted to the faiths of peoples indigenous to North America then the new name is misleading. To someone (like me) living in Great Britain the new forum title is suggestive of the ancient Britons, the Picts and the Scots. To someone from New Zealand, Maoris are indigenous etc. etc. There are many other examples.

Clarification please staff.

[Star Wolf Medicine Woman]

I understand your thinking and I think the idea was good intentioned. Noone wishes to be disrespectful to any race..
Last year at a Pow wow in the uk, I met a Maori guy who danced and was very well recieved..
When I joined this forum it was because of its limks to First Nations people, where ever they were located..
I have studied the history, spirituality and culture in USA and Canada and I hope to continue to met and exchange discourse with all, no matter where they are from..

[Adrienne]

Perhaps this can be of some help ~

In searching for a definition of indigenous people, I came across a a fact sheet from the United Nations permanent forum of Indigenous Issues

http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/...factsheet1.pdf

Here is their brief definition of indigenous people , there is more detailed information found at the above link.

"Practicing unique traditions, they retain social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live.

Spread across the world from the Arctic to the South Pacific, they are the descendants - according to a common definition - of those who inhabited a country or a geographical region at the time when people of different cultures or ethnic origins arrived. "

It seems to me that this definition includes a wide variety of people from a variety of different cultural backgrounds, and as such .....

I think the title of this forum section " Faiths of Indigenous Peoples " is fine as it is and includes All faiths of All those who choose to relate/ feel a connection to or identify with the term " indigenous people "

Just my humble opinion .... not an official Staff reply .

Adrienne

[Thunder Bow]

I suggest opening another sub forum for "Faith of Indigenous People". And have another Sub forum for "Native American Spirituality" We can get to tangled in the politics of a title and loss track of the forum subjects. Thus leading to a ambigious title, and thus the loss of an Native American Sub Forum. Remember there is also a South "America". Right now we no longer have an "Native American" forum!

[Adrienne]

You do have a point Thunder Bow.

I hope the staff do change it - otherwise newbies will be posting about indigenous faiths in their own countries and this will cause confusion.

[knightofalbion]

Given that we have a healthy number of Native Americans here and those interested in Native American faiths and culture, the Native Americans should have their own sub-forum as they did before.
Other indigenous faiths could again have their own sub-forum. Possibly with sub-sections i.e. Maori & Aboriginal, African, South American ....
I suspect some of these sub-forums would not be terribly well used, due to not many members of those beliefs, but it would give due respect to the belief systems involved, as is their right.

Bump for Staff Reply