Indigenous and traditional traditions
Indigenous and traditional spiritual and cultural practices belong to peoples who have lived on their lands for many generations: the First Nations and Native peoples of the Americas, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, the Maori and Pacific Islanders, the Sami, the many peoples of Africa and the hill peoples of Asia.
Indigenous and traditional spiritual and cultural practices belong to peoples who have lived on their lands for many generations: the First Nations and Native peoples of the Americas, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, the Maori and Pacific Islanders, the Sami, the many peoples of Africa and the hill peoples of Asia. Their traditions include ceremonies of the land, naming and initiation, healing, story and dance. Some are public and others private. EveryParampara describes only what communities share openly, and credits them as the source.
Land, ancestors and story
For many Indigenous peoples, land is kin, not property, and ceremonies thank the earth, the water and the animals. Ancestors are present, and stories of creation, such as the Dreaming, tell people how to live. Knowledge is passed by elders in language, song and dance. Many of these languages are under threat, and communities are leading efforts to teach them to the young.
Sharing with care
Some ceremonies are open to visitors, such as powwows and the Maori powhiri, and others, such as initiations, are restricted. Visitors are asked to listen, follow instructions, ask before taking photographs and avoid treating sacred things as entertainment. Many nations have protocols on the use of images and symbols. EveryParampara follows these requests and links to community voices and organisations wherever possible.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Indigenous and traditional (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇲🇽 Mexico City, Mexico and 1 moreDay of the DeadDía de Muertos
A Mexican remembrance of deceased family and friends with altars, marigolds and feastsFestival · Sweets given and shared
🇲🇽 MexicoRarájipari
A traditional endurance running ball game of the Rarámuri people in northern MexicoGame
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 moreMedicine wheel
Sacred circular stone arrangements built across the plains of North AmericaSpiritual
🇲🇽 Veracruz, Mexico and 3 moreMesoamerican ballgameōllamalīztli
An ancient Mesoamerican ball game, struck with the hips on stone courtsGame
🇺🇸 United StatesTalking stick
A carved staff that shows who may speak at a Northwest Coast gatheringCeremony
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreDreamcatcherᐊᓴᐱᑫᔒᓐᐦ (asabikeshiinh)
A hand-woven hoop from Anishinaabe tradition, hung above a cradle to protect a childCraft
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesNavajo weavingdiyogí
Handwoven wool textiles and rugs made on continuous warps by Navajo artisansCraft
🇲🇽 MexicoDanza de los ViejitosT'arche Uarakua
A Purépecha masked dance honouring the sun and the four elements in MichoacánPerformance
🇺🇸 Fairbanks, United States and 2 moreWorld Eskimo-Indian Olympics
An annual Arctic gathering of traditional survival games, athletics, and cultural artsGame
🇺🇸 Raven's Roost, United StatesStomp dance
A ceremonial night dance kept by Eastern Woodland tribes in the United States and Oklahoma.Performance · Dinner
🇲🇽 San Salvador Huixcolotla, Mexico and 1 morePapel picado
A Mexican folk art of cutting intricate designs into tissue paper for festive and spiritual displays.Festival
🇺🇸 United StatesFancy dance
A fast-paced, athletic Indigenous dance kept at powwows across North America and beyond.Performance
🇺🇸 United StatesNalukataq
A spring whaling festival of the Iñupiat in Northern Alaska, featuring a blanket toss and communal feast.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesGhost Dance
A circle dance ceremony kept by Native American communities to reunite with ancestors and restore peace.Spiritual
🇺🇸 United StatesJingle dress
A healing dance and regalia worn by First Nations women at pow wows across North America.Performance
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreSweat lodge
A purification ceremony kept by Indigenous peoples of the Americas using a heated hut and steam.Spiritual
🇺🇸 New York, United StatesWampum
Shell beads woven into belts by Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands for record-keeping and ceremony.Folklore
🇲🇽 Guadalajara, Mexico and 1 moreMariachi
A Mexican string and trumpet music tradition featuring charro attire and communal singing.Performance
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreRite of passage
A ceremony that marks leaving one group and entering another, with a new statusRite of passage
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 morePotlatch
A ceremonial feast of gift-giving and wealth distribution among First Nations on the Northwest Coast.Festival · Feasts and festival meals
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreSun DanceWi-wayang-wa-c'i-pi
A days-long dance of fasting and sacrifice among the Plains peoplesSpiritual
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreHoʻoponopono
A Hawaiian family ritual of prayer, confession and forgiveness that sets wrongs rightSpiritual · Feasts and festival meals
🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesMardi Gras Indians
A New Orleans carnival tradition where Black revelers wear elaborate Native American-inspired suits to honor historical Festival
🇲🇽 Mexico City, MexicoOfrenda
A home altar of food, flowers and candles that welcomes the dead home at Día de MuertosSpiritual
🇺🇸 United StatesMakahiki
A four-month Hawaiian new year season of peace, harvest gifts, feasts and gamesSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals
🇺🇸 United States and 2 morePowwow
A communal gathering of dancing, singing and fellowship across Native North AmericaFestival
🇺🇸 Tahlequah, United StatesCherokee National Holiday
An annual gathering in Oklahoma marking the signing of the Cherokee ConstitutionFestival
🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesJazz funeral
A New Orleans funeral march led by brass music, moving from mourning to joyful danceRite of passage
🇲🇽 Oaxaca, Mexico and 1 moreGuelaguetza
An annual Oaxacan festival of indigenous dance, music, costumes and communal sharingFestival
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreCalaca
Skull and skeleton figures made for the Day of the Dead, joyful rather than sadCraft
🇨🇦 Canada and 2 moreInuksuk
Stone markers raised by Inuit across the Arctic to guide, hunt and rememberCraft
🇺🇸 United StatesGreen Corn CeremonyPuskita
A Southeastern harvest and new year ceremony of fasting, dancing and renewalSeasonal
🇺🇸 United StatesLūʻau
A Hawaiian feast of kālua pig and poi, eaten by hand outdoors with music and hulaTable custom · Feasts and festival meals
🇲🇽 Papantla, Mexico and 1 moreDanza de los Voladores
A Mesoamerican rite of dance and rope, flown from a tall pole to ask for rainSpiritual
🇲🇽 Tlayacapan, MexicoChinelos
Masked dancers from Morelos who spoof colonial manners at CarnivalPerformance
🇨🇦 Turtle Lake, CanadaTurtle Lake Monster
A Saskatchewan lake legend of a huge creature, claimed sightings and a sturgeon theoryFolklore
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- World Eskimo-Indian Olympics: Andrew Otto, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Rarájipari: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Rite of passage: Rogier van der Weyden, Public domain, source
- Mardi Gras Indians: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mesoamerican ballgame: Daniel Lobo (Daquella manera), CC BY 2.0, source
- Mariachi: Elidealista, CC0, source
- Potlatch: James Gilchrist Swan (1818–1900), Public domain, source
- Talking stick: Sandra Hunt, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dreamcatcher: Jorge Barrios, Public domain, source
- Makahiki: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Powwow: Smithsonian Institution, No restrictions, source
- Jazz funeral: Photo by Infrogmation, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Guelaguetza: A01321718, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sun Dance: Robert Harry Lowie, Public domain, source
- Hoʻoponopono: Makana Chai, Public domain, source
- Navajo weaving: Don Graham, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Danza de los Viejitos: Jessicatena, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Medicine wheel: U.S. Forest Service Photo, Public domain, source
- Papel picado: Ferfive, CC BY 4.0, source
- Fancy dance: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Nalukataq: Floyd Davidson, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ghost Dance: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Jingle dress: Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sweat lodge: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Wampum: Museuvalenciaetnologia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Inuksuk: Christina Chan, CC BY 2.0, source
- Green Corn Ceremony: George Catlin, Public domain, source
- Lūʻau: Ralawami, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Danza de los Voladores: A01333649, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ofrenda: Eneas de Troya, CC BY 2.0, source
- Calaca: Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chinelos: AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Day of the Dead: RubeHM, CC BY-SA 4.0, source