Let's Celebrate

Blog Post #2
April 14, 2015
Hannah James

Food is so closely intertwined into American Indian Culture. Many holidays, ceremonies, and rituals require the use of food. A wide variety of Southwestern tribes practice peyote ceremonies. A peyote ceremony involves the consumption a tea made from peyote buttons. Peyote buttons are the dried fruits of small cacti plants. Peyote ceremonies are held for various different occasions. These occasions include, but are not limited to, funerals, healings, and baptisms. Peyotes tend to cause psychedelic hallucinations; therefore they are used sparingly. 

Peyote Tea

The Navajo are notes for there many lively celebrations that often include food. For example, when a Navajo baby laughs for the first time a Laughing Party is held. This is because it is believed that once a baby laughs it has become fully human. Whoever makes the baby laugh is then required to host and pay the expenses of this party. At this party, the parents of the child hold his or her hands and have the baby give candies, rock salt, and other gifts to the guests of the party. The sweets are given to represent the child's innocence and the rock salt is seen to have healing and protective powers. 

A Navajo baby "distributing" rock salt to her guests

Charles, Mark. "Calvin Institute of Christian Worship." A Laughing Party. 4 May 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/a-laughing-party/>.
"Native American Dances - History and Information." Native American Dances - History and Information. 1 Jan. 2003. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-dances.html>.