Indigenous Americas Thematic Connections
Spirituality in Art : Ritualistic and Honorable towards their deities/gods.
Many of the indigenous groups that lived in the Americas led heavily spiritually oriented lives. One way this can be seen is reflected off of their spiritual artworks devoted to honoring the gods or deities that they worshiped.
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An example of a spiritually thematic artwork is depicted here from the ruler's Feathered headdress (image to left). This headdress was most likely owned by the Aztec ruler Motechuzoma II and would be worn during the Aztec rituals. Not only does this headdress show of a rulers power, but its green turquoise, green, and blue feathers represents those of a bird from the rainforests of Central America. This gives off a hidden power to the wearer saying that he/she has the power of flying, which no other human could do. The Aztecs believed that if you had the ability to fly, you were greatly connected with the gods above most importantly the the sun god (Tonatiuh). This explains why Montezuma II was said to be greatly linked to the Aztec gods.
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Another example of a spiritually thematic artwork is the Transformation mask from the Kwakiutl Klan of Northwestern Canada (Image to right). This Mask would allow the wearer to go through a spiritual and social renewal when worn during rituals and dances.
The Tale: Long ago, the Kwakiutl believed that fish, animals, and humans differed only in skin, and had the ability to transform between these forms whenever they chose. According to this story, the Kwakutl believe that dancers wearing the mask are transformed into the spirit that is represented on the mask.
For the image example to the right, one can transform from a human to a bird by opening and closing the head.
The Tale: Long ago, the Kwakiutl believed that fish, animals, and humans differed only in skin, and had the ability to transform between these forms whenever they chose. According to this story, the Kwakutl believe that dancers wearing the mask are transformed into the spirit that is represented on the mask.
For the image example to the right, one can transform from a human to a bird by opening and closing the head.
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A final artwork that shows spiritual devotion, is this Hide painting, from an Indian Tribe in Wyoming California.
What is depicted: The image we see contains a lot of scenes which are all linked to a ritual honoring the shoshone gods.
What we see: First of all we notice that this is a hunting scene due to the fact that the shoshone people are holding bows and arrows.
This is a depiction of two main Shoshone rituals being the hunt of the buffalo and the Wolf Dance.
In the center we see a buffalo head on two poles which is a symbolic ritual offering to their sun god.
Around it we see intricately dressed people who are performing their ritualistic Wolf dance.
What is depicted: The image we see contains a lot of scenes which are all linked to a ritual honoring the shoshone gods.
What we see: First of all we notice that this is a hunting scene due to the fact that the shoshone people are holding bows and arrows.
This is a depiction of two main Shoshone rituals being the hunt of the buffalo and the Wolf Dance.
In the center we see a buffalo head on two poles which is a symbolic ritual offering to their sun god.
Around it we see intricately dressed people who are performing their ritualistic Wolf dance.
Landscape As A Cultural Construct *Essay Help* ;D
Landscapes were built and or honored throughout the Indigenous American tribes due to their cultural construct. These landscapes help build and exemplify the culture of these groups.
Landscapes were built and or honored throughout the Indigenous American tribes due to their cultural construct. These landscapes help build and exemplify the culture of these groups.
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Landscapes such as this Great Serpent Mound are highly important towards the culture of the tribe. This particular serpent mound is located in Southern Ohio U.S.A. (although there are others in Scotland and Ontario).
What it represents: The mound is shaped as a serpent made to look as if it was swallowing an egg. The mound is made up of a bunch of "Cave-like" or hollow structures.
Communication/ meaning: The serpent mound showed off immense amounts of spiritual and cosmologist knowledge for the Native American tribes.
Spiritual: The serpent shape of the mound can be seen as a spiritual aspect of the Native American culture, because serpents were known to cure illness and aid the tribe in hunting.
Cosmology: The Great Serpent Mound also takes on a cosmologist aspect because the Native Americans linked their constellation (Scorpio) with the Great serpent, and the bright red star (Antares) as its eye.
What it represents: The mound is shaped as a serpent made to look as if it was swallowing an egg. The mound is made up of a bunch of "Cave-like" or hollow structures.
Communication/ meaning: The serpent mound showed off immense amounts of spiritual and cosmologist knowledge for the Native American tribes.
Spiritual: The serpent shape of the mound can be seen as a spiritual aspect of the Native American culture, because serpents were known to cure illness and aid the tribe in hunting.
Cosmology: The Great Serpent Mound also takes on a cosmologist aspect because the Native Americans linked their constellation (Scorpio) with the Great serpent, and the bright red star (Antares) as its eye.
Art As Science
Scientific discoveries and ideas were also a huge theme that can be seen throughout the Indigenous tribe's artworks.
Scientific discoveries and ideas were also a huge theme that can be seen throughout the Indigenous tribe's artworks.
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The Intihuatana stone lies in the Machu Picchu observatory in Peru. This was an invention of the Incas that tells specific information based off of the sun.
How it works: The sun beams down upon the stone and based off of the direction of the shadow it creates, it told the Incas the precise date based off the two equinoxes.
Religious: Although the stone was mainly a scientific object, it also served as a religious piece also. It was said that when the sun sits with all its might upon the pillar, if someone is to place their forehead upon the stone, they will see the spirit world of the Inca deities. This is also why they hold multiple ceremonies around this stone.
How it works: The sun beams down upon the stone and based off of the direction of the shadow it creates, it told the Incas the precise date based off the two equinoxes.
Religious: Although the stone was mainly a scientific object, it also served as a religious piece also. It was said that when the sun sits with all its might upon the pillar, if someone is to place their forehead upon the stone, they will see the spirit world of the Inca deities. This is also why they hold multiple ceremonies around this stone.
To the left we have two images of the curved wall of Qorikancha from the City of Cusco Peru's Temple of the Sun. This wall showed off the scientific theme of astronomy for the Incan society, due to the wall innovation and how it functioned for them.
How it functioned: The wall was made for precise calendrical notations which were based off of the Incan's knowledge of the solar system. Upon the wall were arrows, lines, and other indications (look at picture below) that directly pointed out specific solar objects for example the sun, moon, and constellations. From there all the Incan's had to do was align up specific objects to their markings, and they were able to figuree out what day it was based off of its position in the sky. When the Spaniards conquered the city in the 16th century, they preserved the basic structure of the wall, but for the temple the back, they built a baroque church over it. |
The Sun stone/ Aztec calendar reflects the scientific knowledge of the Aztec empire. The calendar consists of a 365 daily calendrical cycle and a 265 day ritual cycle. Both of these calendars make up a 52 year century which is sometimes called the calendar round.
What it was used for: The calendar was not only used for knowing the daily count, but was also used to track farming seasons, ritual days, and sometimes the weather. Religion: The calendar not only has a scientific them but is also used for religious purposes. The main symbol of the calendar is linked towards the Aztec sun god, while other symbols are used to honor their gods during rituals and prayer. |