Ceremonies
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The ceremony in fact always has been there to open the gateway between the world of humans and spirits. Since spiritual lives of the Native Americans were tightly intertwined with all other aspects of living, one cannot disconnect a major event from its spiritual counterpart. Generally speaking, rituals associated with natural elements were the most decisive. They reenacted the deeds of ancient spirits, thereby becoming part of their myths. The other purpose these rituals served was the „rebalancing” of the natural order, maintaining the relationship between the human and the spirit world. This ultimately led to fertility, both in the human and natural sense, the abundance of food and the river of life flowing in its usual bed. Tribes who had a higher social complexity (mainly the permanently established ones) attributed significant role to celebrations, which were held in order to create, maintain and enhance tribal and family relations. This is best said by Barsh “Annual assemblies of families and of nations “wipe away the tears” of grievance and conflict” (American Indian Quarterly, 14).