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Table of Contents Shawnee People The Divisions The Name Groups and Personal Names I’m always attracted to and interested in the culturally distinct and characteristic elements of different traditions or societies. Reading about the Shawnee people of Native American tribes is no different. I immediately fell in love with the linkage between Shawnee name groups and personal names. The name groups seem to present the Shawnee as a one-descent group with five major divisions. To examine this connection between a personal name and name group, a brief description of Shawnee will help in understanding the Shawnee social organisation. Shawnee People The term ‘Shawnee’ written in different forms ( Shaawanwaki, Shaawanowi lenaweeki, and Shawano ) is Algonquian like the archaic term ‘ shaawanwa ’ meaning ‘south.’ Thus, the term ‘Shawnee’ is (pronounced shaw-nee ) meaning the ‘southern people.’ The Shawnees are categorised as Algonquian-speaking North American Indian people whose pristine ho...

Table of Contents The Crow: Who are they? Names, Visions, and Imageries Apsaalooke (or Absaroka) The Separations of the Bands The Mountain Crow (Ashalaho) The River Crow The Kicked in the Bellies Chiefs, Their Names and Meanings Chief Long Hair (Issheuhutskitu) Chief Sore Belly (Arapoosh) Chief of the Camp (Ashbacheeitche) Chief of Plenty Coups The rich cultural heritage of the Native Americans is subject to different interpretations beyond the actual meanings as understood by the natives. The Crow tribe’s names, visions, and imageries are not spared from these relative interpretations. It is claimed that these names, visions, and imageries denote exaggerations, triumphalism, or cultural symbolism. Also, their name can visually reveal the true meanings of descriptive language and metaphors or similes in words and expressions.   The objective of this writing is to examine these names and imageries to differentiate the Europeans’ interpretations of the names and lifestyle of the Cr...

Table of Contents Comanche: Who are they? Different Bands of the Comanches Calumet: Peace-making and diplomatic object What will bring us peace? Many often ask. For the Comanche of Native America, their belief and adulation of calumet is a trait our world should consider and if necessary, adopt moving forward. In this piece, a brief description of the Comanche people will guide us through examining why calumet is important in their society and tradition. It must be stated that calumet is not a tradition solely practised by the Comanche. Like most Native American tribes, they consider not only the symbolism of the calumet, but also its efficacy in uniting tribes, and warring people, or even can be a safe passage for an enemy if carried as an olive branch. Comanche: Who are they? The name Comanche comes from the word ‘Ute’ which means “anyone who fights the other all the time.” The word can also mean “the enemy.” For the Comanches, they call themselves “Nermurnuh” meaning the "t...

Table of Contents Creation Hypotheses and Earth-Diver Myths Creation from nothing and the Dove’s Olive leaf in Judeo-Christian Traditions The mating of Earth Mother and Sky Father in A’shiwi Tribe’s Creation Account. Arapaho Creation Myth Diving into the Bottom of the Waters Conclusion The Arapaho are a Native American people. According to scholars, their presence was first noticed circa 3,000 years ago in the western region of the Great Lakes, along the Red River Valley, which could be now Manitoba in Canada, and Minnesota in the United States. They were popularly agrarians and spoke the Arapahoe language. My main interest is in their understanding of how things came into being. That is, how the Flat Pipe creates in the Arapaho tradition.   Many different creation hypotheses are closely related to the ‘earth-diver’ creation myth. Examining a few of these will help us better understand the Arapaho creation hypothesis. Creation Hypotheses and Earth-Diver Myths The creation hyp...

Table of Contents Who are the Sioux? Lakota Dakota Nakota Sun Dance Ceremony Sun Dance – The Prohibition and Liberation Protecting Sun Dance from Evil Influencers Conclusion The origin of the name ‘Sioux’ provoked my interest in finding out more about their most important religious event called Sun Dance. Also, having read about the porcupines' 'moon dance' described in a fictional story in The Grumbling Warehouse , my interest grew more in understanding the Sun Dance ceremony. The Sioux people or otherwise referred to as the People of the Seven Council Fires: Wahpekute, Sistonwan, Ihanktown, Ihanktowana, Tetonwan, Wahpetonwan, and Mdewankanton constitute the people generally described as Native Americans. How did the name Sioux come about? The French merchants in search of fur in Northern Wisconsin lakes and Minnesota were prevented by the Dakota people from advancing further west. The French merchants wanted to find out who the Dakota people were from Ojibwe. Perhaps, d...

Table of Contents From the Qur’an The Being of God Himself The Polemics against the Trinity The Influence of Kalam Conclusion The Muslims’ perceptions of Christianity have always been based on the fundamental principle of Islam, that is, there is no god but God and Muhammad is the prophet of God. Every argument takes bearing from the fundamental belief of the indivisibility of God. Below is a brief description of how Muslims perceive Christianity. From the Qur’an The Qur’an objects to the idea of God being one but in three persons – Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. It does not acknowledge the Trinity, and it extends to Christianity’s doctrine of the Incarnation and as such, the authenticity of the Bible. As described elsewhere in this blog about the nature of Jesus, the Islamic theological and scriptural understanding of the nature of Jesus are unique when compared to Christianity. The Muslim polemics about the oneness of God, the Sonship of Jesus and the authenticity of the Bibl...