Black Elk - Native American Religions

The modern study of Native American religions is one that has undergone significant changes by recognizing the intellectual ethnocentrism that exists among non-Native American people. The source of this problem can be attributed to the lack of a humanistic approach by non-Native Americans in applying objective terminology and explanations to a very non-objective Native American world view. Many scholars have succeeded and failed to make significant contributions to the study of Native American religions in their explanations and insights into Native American views of reality. In his book Native American Religions: An Introduction, Sam Gill makes contributions integral to the approach of understanding Native American religions in a humanistic way. Gill identifies the Native American idea of Person, a view which considers all beings to have the capability of thinking, feeling, and changing the state of the world. Barbara Myerhoff, however, fails to make a significant contribution to the ...