COUNTLESS NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE VIEWED SUCCESS IN LIFE AS A GIFT FROM THE GODS. NATIVES WENT FOR VISION QUESTSIN ORDER TO SEEK SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE FROM THEIR CREATOR, THEY WENT TO MOUNTAIN TOPS AT TIMES AS WELL AS TO CREEKS. FOR MANY ADOLESCENT BOYS THIS WAS THE WAY THEY BECAME MEN. THE LUISENO OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA USED JIMSON WEED TO INDUCE A VISION.
SOME YOUNG MEN FASTED IN THEIR VISION QUEST STONE ENCLOSURE. MANY TRIBES ENCOURAGE VISION QUESTING TO SPIRITUALLY RENEW THEMSELVES. SOME PEOPLE GO ON VISION QUESTS AFTER A DEAR FAMILY MEMBER HAS PASSED AWAY THEY OFTEN FAST AND HAVE VISIONS COME TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY WILL DO NEXT OR A TYPE OF WISDOM THAT THEY MUST
SEEK.
MESCALERO APACHE GIRLS HAVE RITES OF PASSAGE AS THEY MATURE INTO WOMEN. THEY DRESS ON FRINGED BUCKSKIN SKIRTS, AND A BEADED BUCKSKIN OVERBLOUSE. THEIR BIRTH MOTHERS STAND BEHIND THEM WITH BURDEN BASKETS WITH FOOD. THE SINGERS BLESS THE GIRLS WITH POLLEN TO ENSURE THAT THEY WILL ONE DAY HAVE STRONG SONS AND DAUGHTERS SO THAT THEIR TRIBE WILL THRIVE. THEIR GOD MOTHERS BLESS THEGIRLS AND AUDIENCE. THE GIRLS LIE FLAT ON THEIR STOMACH FACING EAST. HER GODMOTHER MASSAGES HER BODY RITUALLY MOLDING HER INTO A STRONG WOMAN. WOMEN KEEP FETISHES SUCH AS RABBITS, SQUIRRELS, OR BIRDS, ETC TO WARD OFF SICKNESS. IN THE HOME A LARGE BASKET IS FILLED WITH SACRED GRASS, POLLEN, EAGLE FEATHERS, AND TOBACCO IS BROUGHT OUT. THE GIRLS RUN 4 TIMES AROUND THE BASKET AND THIS REPRESENTS THE 4 STASGES OF THEIR LIFE.
THE MOST SACRED ACTIVITY OF THE MESCALERO RELIGIOUS CALENDAR - THE GIRLS PUBERTY CEREMONY. IT IS CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATED . IT LASTS 8 DAYS AND THERE ARE TALES OF ANCIENT HISTORY AS WELL AS SOCIAL OCCASION. PEOPLE COME FROMMANY VILLAGES. THEY GET FREE MEALS, GIFTS, PARTICIPATE IN GAMES, DANCES, AND A RODEO. THE LAST FOU DAYS THE GIRLS GO INTO SECLUSION WITH FEMALE RELATIVES TO RECEIVE INSTRUCTION ABOUT THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING A WOMAN. MOST TRIBES HAVE SIMILAR RITUALS TO INTRODUCE THEIR DAUGHTER'S PASSION INTO WOMANHOOD.
VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA
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