The Medicine Wheel
“In Native American Spirituality, the medicine wheel represents harmony and connections and is considered a major symbol of peaceful interactions among all living beings on earth” (“Medicine Wheel”, 2013, p. 1). The medicine wheel has been used for many generations of various American native tribes and are still used today in the Native American spirituality. In an interview with an aboriginal woman B.C, B.C stated “the wheel has been passed down from generation from generation and the meaning of the wheel has never been altered and it’s very symbolic to the first nation’s people. The following is a picture of the medicine wheel;
The medicine wheel, otherwise known as sacred hope is a symbol of the indigenous North American culture and religion (Terpning, 2009). The Medicine wheel is a very deep and complex symbol that comes from prairie cultures but is has been very common to all Aboriginal communities. The following paper will discuss how this particular symbol was constructed and how it continues to be a huge sacred symbol in the first nations people. The medicine wheel is very ancient and was originally constructed by laying stones in particular patterns and most wheels have a center cairn of stones. There would be spokes or lines of rocks coming out of the Cairns but there are many variations on the basic design and each wheel was unique and had its own styles and eccentricities. Almost all of the wheels would have two out of three elements, which are the center cairn, outer rings and the spokes. Some medicine wheels will have one particular spoke that 's significantly longer than the rest, suggesting something important about the direction it points. The wheels could be large, reaching diameters of 75 feet (“Medicine Wheel”, 2013). Medicine wheels are stone structures constructed by certain indigenous peoples of America for various astronomical, ritual, healing, and teaching purposes. It can also be made as artwork such as a painting or artifact
The medicine wheel, otherwise known as sacred hope is a symbol of the indigenous North American culture and religion (Terpning, 2009). The Medicine wheel is a very deep and complex symbol that comes from prairie cultures but is has been very common to all Aboriginal communities. The following paper will discuss how this particular symbol was constructed and how it continues to be a huge sacred symbol in the first nations people. The medicine wheel is very ancient and was originally constructed by laying stones in particular patterns and most wheels have a center cairn of stones. There would be spokes or lines of rocks coming out of the Cairns but there are many variations on the basic design and each wheel was unique and had its own styles and eccentricities. Almost all of the wheels would have two out of three elements, which are the center cairn, outer rings and the spokes. Some medicine wheels will have one particular spoke that 's significantly longer than the rest, suggesting something important about the direction it points. The wheels could be large, reaching diameters of 75 feet (“Medicine Wheel”, 2013). Medicine wheels are stone structures constructed by certain indigenous peoples of America for various astronomical, ritual, healing, and teaching purposes. It can also be made as artwork such as a painting or artifact
References: Sutherland, M. 2013. Aboriginal Lady in Interview with the Medicine Wheel. Interviewed June 1, 2013. Medicine Wheel. GNU Free Documentation License, website, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2013 from http://www.medicinewheel.com Laframboise, S & Sherbina, K. (2008). Dancing to Eagle Spirit Society. Retrieved June 4, 2013, from http://www.dancingtoeaglespiritsociety.org/medwheel.php Terpning, H. Courtesy of the Greenwich Workshop. (2011). Native Noices: Native Peoples Concepts of Health and Illnesses. Retrieved June 3, 2013 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/exhibition/healing-ways/index.html uOttawa. Society, the Inividual, and Medicine. (2009). Aboriginal Medicine and Healing Practices. Retrieved June 3, 2013 from http://www.med.uottawa.ca/sim/data/Aboriginal_Medicine_e.htm