Principles of Native American Religion

Unlike in Western religions, Native Americans believe humans are only a force in nature, there are many more powerful forces. Native Americans do not feel that animals were put on Earth to serve mankind; they believe they should coexist with animals. A common Native American creation myth is that animals dove into the ocean to pull up the continents and died in the process. Another common Native American belief is that the world is supported on the back of the tortoise; these myths teach that animals deserve our gratitude. The Native American view of the world is fundamentally non-Western. All the daily actions of Native Americans involve the environment and exude spirituality.