Essay on Indigenous Religions of the World - 1535 Words

Indigenous religions exist in every climate around the world and exhibit a wide range of differences in their stories, language, customs, and views of the afterlife. Within indigenous communities, religion, social behavior, art, and music are so intertwined that their religion is a significant part of their culture and virtually inseparable from it. These religions originally developed and thrived in isolation from one another and are some of the earliest examples of religious practice and belief. The modern world; however, has taken its toll on these groups and many of their stories, customs, and beliefs have been lost to, or replaced by, those brought in as a result of popular culture and the missionary work of Christians and Muslims.†¦show more content†¦For those languages which have no written form, when the language dies off, so does the accumulated knowledge and history of the culture. Sadly, indigenous languages around the world are dying off at an alarming rate. It is estimated that nearly half of the languages spoken today are likely to die off within the next century if steps are not taken to preserve those which still exist. Recently, researchers working on a project geared toward the cataloging of basic word lists of the endangered aboriginal tongues in Australia, â€Å"met the sole living speaker of Amurdag, a language in the Northern Territory that has already been declared extinct† (Wilford, John Noble). It is doubtful that the language can be brought back, as the speaker â€Å"strained to recall words he had last heard from his late father† (Wilford, John Noble) but researchers were at least able to make a record of it. In addition to the loss of culture and language for indigenous people, they are also experiencing the loss of their traditional lands and native environment. For indigenous people, much personal and group meaning comes from the natural environment and as a result, their religious practices are deeply rooted in the environment in which they live. When the environment that they rely on is taken away for development, both their cultural and religious identity suffers. Very few places exist today in which indigenous people can liveShow MoreRelatedThe Indigenous Religions Of The World1244 Words   |  5 PagesThe Indigenous Religions of the World Throughout the world there are many various religions, some very common to you and I. However, there are many religions that are common in several isolated places all around the world in Japan, Australia, and the Americas. Many of these religions, called Indigenous Religions are based on nature, and the earth. The practice of these religions is considered sacred to the people that follow them. 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