Sun Dagger Term Paper
The Anasazi Indians were one of
the prehistoric tribes of Native Americans. The word Anasazi
means ‘the ancient ones’. They used to live in the southwestern
part of the United States, the area that is now northern
Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, southern Utah and southwestern
Colorado. The Anasazi tribe was the descendent of a prehistoric
nomadic hunter tribe. They inhabited the area from 200 to 1300
AD. (The Native American Anasazi Indians)
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The Anasazi tribes grew maize, squash and beans and lived on the
mesas, caves and canyons of the southwest. They were experts in
making pottery. They build large buildings, the remains of which
are still found. The most famous of the Anasazi cliff dwellings
is Chaco Canyon in Arizona. “In northern New Mexico’s Chaco
Canyon, Pueblo Bonito spreads over more than three acres. The
formation of the dwellings is shaped like a D. The dwellings,
the earliest of which date from around 900 ad, may have housed
up to 1000 residents.” (Native Americans. Encarta)
Like all other ancient tribes, the Anasazi Indians also followed
a strange religion and also had their own views relating to the
cosmos or the universe. Astronomy played key role in their
religion and culture. These people observed the sky from their
cliff dwellings. One of their most famous observatories was the
“Sun dagger” of Fajada Butte in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. This
observatory was the only known indicator in the ancient world of
both the solar and lunar cycles. The Anasazi people believed the
sun as source of life on earth. Sunlight was an indication of
life, beauty, love and laughter. These people also understood
the 19-year cycle of the moon as well as the sun and the stars.
The Anasazi views of cosmos had great influences on their
culture and religion.
Since the society was dependant on agriculture, they were
largely concerned with the changes in seasons. They made a
number of logical predictions from the movements of stars and
positioning of sun and moon. Most of their religious rituals and
ceremonies were subject to the alignment of the heavenly bodies.
They also celebrated the coming of rain and considered it
sacred. Their religious beliefs mostly revolved around the solar
and lunar systems. The “Tawa” or supreme creator was believed to
have formed all the stars, moon, sun, planets and earth out of
black nothingness. When Tawa initially created all creatures,
they lived deep inside the earth surface. These creatures were
created to worship Tawa and live in peace. They violated the
rules set by their creator and as result. Tawa made them to rise
upwards towards the surface of earth. Anasazi believed that the
same process led to the creation of their tribe. They emerged
through a “sipapu” hole and started living on the earth. This
belief was the core of their religion and made them to worship
Tawa and live a peaceful life on the earth. Their religion was
to please Tawa in order to receive the blessings in shape of
rain and good harvests. The Anasazi believed that evil creates
imbalance between the humans and the nature. They considered it
as primary responsibility to honor the earth that was a source
of spirituality for them. Like most religions, the Anasazi held
that all spiritual and religious people have faith in the
Creator. To please the Creator is the way to attain a place in
heaven. All their rites and rituals were focused on the same
theme. All they did were to invite the blessings of the high
spirit of which they were part.
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