Introduction
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Native American religion in North America includes the diverse of religious beliefs and organized sacramental practices of the indigenous peoples of the United States. At the centers of these religions are the huge varieties of spirits, who in one way or another dominate human beings and every other living creature around the world as well. According to Christopher Jocks, ” for native communities religion is understood as the relationship between living humans and other persons or things, however they are conceived” (Britannica). Among the members of these societies, all natural creatures are considered equal, starting from the newborn infant, through every kind of animal to the landscape such as mountains, rivers, or forests. It is uncertain at the time, how many variations exist or have existed in the past of the Native American religion, because they are highly specialized to locations and change from tribe to tribe. The most credible assumptions can be drawn from linguistic estimates, which show that “distinct languages in North America at the time of the first European contact are often estimated in the vicinity of 300, which linguists have variously grouped into some 30 to 50 families” (Britannica). As the above data show, we cannot say in general that there is one, complex “Native American Religion”. The case is much more complicated, but most of the tribes share a couple of similar variations of evolutionary patterns, practical application, and habits, which rule their everyday lives.