Native American Spiritual Artwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

primal American unearthly Artwork - Essay ExampleSimilarly, the beautifully art-worked moccasin foot w ar of Cherokee tribe argon in any case seen as something sacred and this is evident when in a poem, the indigene American man sings, I come in them on. I walked sacred on the land (Williams et al., 31). On the performance side also, it can be seen that primal American dance is not simply an art form or a mode of frolic but is deeply embedded with ghostlikeism (Sun Dance). Dance even becomes a form of prayer for these tribes (Sun Dance). In this way, American art provides a mean for people to connect to the sacred (Zimmerman, 94). It is observed that animism is the prevalent commonality theme of both Native American art (Dagan). The spiritual meaning of animism is a belief that all things (in this knowledge base) are in unity with each other (Dagan). Animism is also considered as the oldest spiritual perspective in the world (Dagan). The visualization of animism in Native Indian art can be seen as spirals or zigzag lines in paintings and carvings (Dagan). An interesting aspect of Native American art is that a spiritual beget is what ends up as an art work for a tribesman (Zimmerman, 94). Zimmerman has given an example for this when he said, a inspiration might reveal to the artist a design for a warriors shield or fictitious character of a dancers regalia (94).... It was a spiritual retreat in which a grown number of participants would fast, pray and dance for a period of days. They asked for answers to events going on in their lives (Sun Dance). Half-man-half beast images are also part of this spiritual philosophy (Dagan). It is these spiritual creatures that are supposed to guide the shaman through the path between the two worlds (Dagan). The same figures can be seen in the paintings, carvings and performance arts of Native Americans (Dagan). While exploring Native American performance art, it has to be kept in mind that Native American dance is meant to channel spiritual energies or reanimate ancient stories that can be caused to re-appear in the world today (Dagan). A magical web, the dream catcher, is yet another figure that appears in many forms of Native American art (Dagan). Also, the wolf being a sacred animal for Native Americans, it has gained a come in Indian art as well (Dagan). Apart from these common themes, there are contrasting concepts of art and spirituality prevalent among different Indian tribes. For example, many clan crests, songs, stories, (and) regalia (hats, blankets, tunics etc.) and clan houses are considered at.o?ow by Tlingit clan thereby wiping out the difference between what is art and what is mundane (Willaims et al., 139). The borders of physical and spiritual worlds thus overlap. An at.o?ow is a clan property that has social and spiritual importance (Williams et al., 139). From this example, it can be seen that traditional artworks as well as art forms like songs and stories have a spir itual role in Native American culture. Similarly, in the Pueblo community, the embroidery done by traditional weavers