Chapter Introduction

Overview & Synopsis

Native American Religions: Teaching and Learning on Stolen Land is an introduction to the religious lives of Native American people in North America. Weaving together historical, ethnographic, theoretical, and legal materials, the book focuses on how religion is politicized in North America in the Native American context. Noting that no Native language actually has a word translatable to “religion,” as the sacred and the secular are not separate spheres in Native traditions, and that religion is a colonial construct, the book adopts theories and methods from Native American and Indigenous Studies to understand Native American and Indigenous religious traditions. Written with the student in mind, this cutting-edge volume brings together 17 Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars at various career stages to offer a theoretical framework through which to think about the role of religion in U.S.–Native relations alongside real-world case studies. This book introduces students to the histories of Native American peoples, including discussion of Indigenous intellectual traditions, Indigenous sovereignty movements, and practices such as cultural appropriation and land acknowledgement, to make the case that Native American religions are a political phenomenon. With student-friendly pedagogy throughout, including discussion questions and “further resources” lists, it is a must-read for all students and teachers of Native American Religions, Religion in America, or Indigenous Studies.