HERITAGE CULTURE
Native American religions are the spiritual practices of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
However, most “religions” were closely connected to the land and the supernatural, addressing an ever-present invisible universal force. In 1920, Clark Wissler, in his book North American Indians Of The Plains, briefly described some of the religious concepts of the Plains tribes.
The combination of fluid tenets, a lack of written scriptures, and wide variety of belief caused European explorers to badly misunderstand the spiritual traditions of Native Americans. The assumption of most colonizers was that native religion was shallow, simple, and unimportant.
American Indian culture emphasizes harmony with nature, endurance of suffering, respect and non-interference toward others, a strong belief that man is inherently good and should be respected for his decisions. Such values make individuals and families in difficulty very reluctant to seek help.
RESSOURCES: Cultural Travel and Education, Spatial technology, Art, Infrastructure, Tourism, Mining, Energy/Oil, Gas, Casino, Hotel, Import- Export, artisanal, IT, etc…
Cultural Resources for Native Americans
Historic Preservation
The National Tribal Preservation Program helps Indian tribes protect resources and traditions important to them. The program funds Tribal Heritage grants for federally recognized Indian tribes to help them with cultural and historic preservation projects.
The program also funds Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, who:
- Inventory tribal historic properties
- Prepare and carry out a tribal-wide historic preservation plan
- Assist federal agencies with reviewing projects on tribal lands?
When a federal agency reviews a project on tribal land, it must consult:
- The Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (for federally recognized tribes), or
- A designated representative (for tribes that are not federally recognized).
Federal agencies also must consult with Indian tribes that attach religious and cultural importance to historic properties. It doesn’t matter where the properties are located.