Indigenous Religious Beliefs, Rituals, and Practices as Expressions of Culture

Abstract

Called by other names such as traditional religion, ethnic religion and indigenous religion, religion among indigenous peoples is closely intertwined with their way of life. In like manner, religious beliefs, rituals, and practices form an integral component of the culture of indigenous communities. They constitute the intangible and tangible culture of a particular ethnic group.

The indigenous peoples’ religious belief system forms the intangible culture that embodies the interconnectedness of everything within their universe. Their universe is a whole network of activities involving the world of physical realities and the world of the unseen. This symbiotic relationship also determines the well-being of the individual, the community and the environment. It is a belief that once this rapport is severed, harm can happen to individuals, and natural catastrophes can wreak havoc on the environment.