The Hidden Past Of North America's First Nations | Parable

This channel is part of the History Hit Network. So why am I walking in the woods looking for North America's oldest religion? Because for 10,000 years it has been practiced right here. So what religion is it? It's First Nations. Know anything about it? Me neither. I've seen headdresses and powwows and teepees on television but other than that I know next to nothing about what the First Nations people believe. My native adventure starts now. We have a ritual called awakening. Do you have jewelry that would go with this? What is all of this? Big shoulders. Your shoulders are big. That was Mecca that way. Witches don't use sugar cubes. It sucks being dead. When you say tablets you mean the 10 commandments that were given to Moses? Are actually sitting there. And I think I'm onto something. Oh my god. So where would you go to start your journey into the world of First Nations people? Why not here? On these sacred indigenous lands. I was here to meet these two teenage girls. Hi, I'm Kevya. Hi, I'm Tayshia. Hi Tayshia. What's your name? Cheyenne. Hi Cheyenne. Is it true that there's all different types of groups and bands that are part of this? Of course there are. There are hundreds of different bands all over Canada, all over North America. What kind of band are you from? Personally, I grew up in Oshwegan. And Oshwegan stands for six nations. So we do have six nations. There are Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. And how about you? I'm from Mohawk and Mi'kmaq. Okay. Now I wonder if you could explain to me what all these different bands have in common. What keeps everyone together? We all respect Mother Earth. We all give gratitude to the sky, the earth, nature. We're very spiritual. And in their reverence for nature, all First Nations peoples believe we are connected Tell me what are the seven grandfather teachings? Love, humility, respect, truth, bravery, and wisdom. Was that seven? And honesty. Okay. And as Taysha and Cheyenne showed me, that connection to the grandfathers and grandmothers of the past can be found throughout these sacred lands. Especially here at this ancient but revered site. Look at all these rocks. These rocks represent... Holy crap. What is this? This is a buffalo head. Now is this a real buffalo's head? Yes, it is. This is to protect the ancient grounds. Okay. Ceremonial grounds. So these are ancient ceremonial grounds? Yes, they are. Okay. And what are all these rocks and stuff? Those are our seven grandfather rocks. Okay. That's right. Each of these rocks represents one ancestor from the past. A vital link between today and those First Nations peoples who came before. Why is this in a circle? Well, because that's just the way our culture is. Everything's in a circle because nobody is higher than the other. Everybody's equal. Okay. So no matter how rich you are or how poor you are or old or young, everybody is exactly the same. Everyone's the same. No one's above or below. We're all equal. So what's with all the cloth? When humans were created, they came from four winds. And from that came red, yellow, white, and black. So red represents Native, yellow, Asians, white, white, and black African Americans. So this is me. This is you. Okay. And this is me after I get back from Florida. History Hit is a streaming platform that is just for history fans with fantastic documentaries covering fascinating figures and moments in history from all over the world. There is a great collection of religious history content available to History Hit subscribers, from the Crusades to the birth of Islam. There are plenty of topics to choose from for your next documentary fix. We're committed to bringing history fans award-winning documentaries and podcasts that you cannot find anywhere else. Sign up now and just be sure to use the code PARABLE at checkout. So what's next? We're going to take you into a tipi. We're also going to go into a sweat lodge. And also later on, we're going to take you to a powwow. Now, are we going to build this tipi from scratch? Of course we are. We're going to take off all the wood from the trees, and we're going to make it. And it's going to take a few hours. Seriously? No. Okay, well, then let's go. Let's go. Because it would literally take a full afternoon to erect the tipi, we were lucky that a native elder already left the frame up for us. It looks pretty sturdy. Yeah, I tried it. I wonder if you could tell me why the poles all crisscross and connect at the top. It represents the circle of life. Okay. And the top, how it's placed out like that, represents the headdress. Oh, I see. So that's why they all kind of crisscross, is the headdress. Cool. Not only does a tipi symbolize the circle of life, it was also an absolutely vital and portable shelter in which First Nations lived for hundreds of years. Pointing skyward, these 13 poles represent the 13 cycles of the moon. Have they been building these tipis since the very beginning of your religion? Yes, they have. Our ancestors have been making these through hide, animal hide, and it would be almost like leather. The men would go out and hunt, bring back, and the women would make the leather and sew it together. So they would use the animal for food, and then they would use the hide to cover the tipi. Yes, there's no part of an animal that was not used. Okay. Now, would a whole family live in a tipi? Yeah. Yes. Okay. So, um, where's the door? The door is always on the east side because that's where the sun rises. The tipi actually represents a woman on her knees, and this whole tipi is a woman's skirt. Okay. So the door is when you're entering the room. Okay. And when you're leaving, it's giving birth. Okay. So how is this canvas put on top of the tipi poles? I was about to find out. So what we're going to do is we're going to introduce you to one of our elders who's our spiritual leader. Hi. As a sign of respect, you're going to give him tobacco. Now, I never leave home without some tobacco. That's for you. That's a present to show my respect. Good to meet you. So here we go. Canvas time. We're going to have to hold the canvas as we go up, you know? Okay. Got it? Yeah. Hold the canvas over to the pole. Wow. This is pretty heavy. Holy moly. Wow. I think I'll supervise. Okay. Oh, I see. Got it. Okay, now that one end over that way. Okay. And I'll go the other way. Okay. What Jimmy showed me was how these pegs secure the door and provide the tipi stability so it could stay up for a day or even weeks. So what's it like inside a tipi? Should we check it out? Of course. Okay, let's go. On the first stage of my journey into the world of First Nations people, I found out about their ancient lands, their vital connections to all of the grandfathers and grandmothers who came before them, and how a tipi is made. So what's it like inside a tipi? This was my big chance. Okay, let's go. This is amazing. Well, our life goes in a circle. It's the circle of life. Okay. Is your creator in heaven? Something like that. Heaven is called the sky world. Yeah. Really? Yeah. What happens when you die? Well, your body stays here on earth and your spirit goes up to the sky world and it stays there for a bit and it comes back down and you start a new life. So it's kind of like you're reincarnated. Yeah. Okay. So who's left up there? Gitche Manitou. Gitche Manitou what? Gitche Manitou, the creator. Oh, okay. And with that, Cheyenne and Tayshia told me I should meet with them here at this native spiritual center for a special celebration that they had organized for me. Hey, nice to see you again. Hi. So what's going on? Today we're going to have a powwow. Okay, what's a powwow? A powwow is where we all celebrate dance. Okay. The word powwow comes from the Crees, which means a place. Every nation has a powwow and we go from weekend to weekend and we travel throughout the summer. Now could one band go to another band's powwow? Yeah. So you could actually go from powwow to powwow. Yes. You could be a powwow groupie. Yes. Okay. I am wearing your traditional native outfit. Okay. Yes, and this represents a woman, nation and leader. This is the outfit you would have seen from the beginning of our times. Wow. This is our beading and you'll see this a lot in all of our costumes and also like on the back of my costume here. And do I have to wear a special outfit as well? Yes, we're going to put you in an outfit. Being invited to partake in this ritual with these dancers from literally dozens of different bands, each who have their own unique dances, was an honor. And with that, Cheyenne and Tayshia told me I should now go deep into these woods to meet a First Nations leader who would teach me how indigenous peoples conduct some of their most sacred spiritual rituals. Well, it's our indigenous flute. How do I play this? Well, you hold it with your index fingers like that. Okay. But on the holes. Oh, I see. Okay. One, two, three. And then you take the other hand. Okay. One, two and three. Got it. And then you blow gently. Yes. While the flute may not be my strongest suit, I was hoping what Kristen would have me do next would be. We were in search of some young trees, which would help us build what is called a sweat lodge. We always offer tobacco in return and we ask permission. Now, whenever you've asked a tree for permission to end its life, has a tree ever come back to you and said no? Yes, all the time. Really? Yes, all the time. Sometimes the tree is growing in a place that needs more life. You have your tobacco and you say a prayer of good intentions, that you want good things to happen. And then once you do that, now ask the tree. Tree, I was wondering if it would be okay if we cut you down. Now, you're a tall tree and it looks like you've been alive for quite a long time. So I hope you don't mind if we end your life right now. That's a good, that's a good place of starting. Now we just listen. Okay. That's okay. See, that's a sign there. You saw that branch fall down? And it fell down because my head, my head went against it. Yeah, yeah. And that's, that's okay. That's the sign too. Earth Mother, thank you so much for letting us take this tree. All right. It's very good. There we go. Ah, there you go. All right. Does that feel good? There's power in that tree. There is power. And we have to give thanks because it's still alive for us. All right. Well, thank you so much. Oh, I didn't realize we have to go uphill before I agreed to carry the tree. That's it. Oh my God. So now what we're going to do, Tibia, is we're actually going to create a lodge now for the stone people. And we call them the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. That's right. These rocks Kristen and I would gather for the Sweat Lodge fire represent First Nations Grandmothers and Grandfathers who have lived before, just like the stones I had seen at the sacred Indigenous grounds. We believe that when we die, that all the information of our living being here goes into the ground and goes into the stones. And so the information of millions of years is in the stone people. So rocks actually have lots of knowledge. They have much knowledge. And this one is for the creator in the middle. Got it. I am so ready to feel brand new. It's the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. They purify me. It's not only purification physically, but it's also spiritually, mentally, emotionally. And when I'm in balance and harmony within myself, everything falls into place. And you'll find that out too when you're inside the lodge. OK. These last logs will ignite the fire that will heat up the rocks and will later be placed inside the Sweat Lodge. We're going to call on the fire spirits to come and help us in our journey to light the fire within our hearts and also to light the fire of the lodge and the stone people. We give thanks to you. We give gratitude. Next, constructing the Sweat Lodge itself. Now, which one of you guys has already done this already? Raise your hands. OK. Is it scary? Am I going to burn? No, it's just steam. It's just steam. That's it? Yeah. And what about you? You've done this before? Yes. What does it feel like? Well, it's very hot. OK. But it's relaxing. You lose the tension that you hold onto your body. OK. Almost like you are in the womb. You feel safe. So what do I do if I want to leave? You want to say all my relations. All my relations. Yeah. So you're pleading to everything that exists to let me out. Apparently, I'm related to fear right now. Well, there's nothing to fear. The grandmothers and grandfathers will never hurt you. Yeah. That's beautiful. Thank you. Nice. All right. Five hours later, the Sweat Lodge is almost complete. But I have to admit, I'm more than a little nervous about what's going to happen when I get on my hands and knees and crawl inside. I'm worried. On my journey into the world of First Nations people, I learned all about their tipis, their ancient connections to the past, and their reverence for nature. But now was my biggest test, spending a full hour inside this sauna-like but sacred Sweat Lodge. I'm worried. Aho, Atabia. How are you? Aho. Okay. And what I'm going to do is I'm going to smudge you. Okay. And this is going to help cleanse your aura so that you can come in with an open heart. Okay. With an open mind and that with purity of your body. So I'm going to smudge above your head so that your mind will open up. I'm going to smudge your ears so that you can hear the truth. And for your shoulders so that the weight of the world, you don't have to carry that with you. That's not yours. Get rid of that. And also for your heart, that your heart will be open-minded. We're going to take some of this tobacco that we've all put good energy in. Okay. We're going to hold it to our heart. Come up to the stone people. I want you to think about what it is you want to experience in the lodge tonight. The universe does want you to have wonderful things in your life. It's just when you're not open to receiving. Yeah. It won't come. If you're open to receiving the abundance that the universe already wants to give to you, and you understand the openness of that, it will come to you. Yeah. It's like magic. Love it. Okay. I'm ready. Okay. You say your prayer. You just throw it into the stone people. Because you're talking to them. And now the boiling hot rock will be placed inside the sweat lodge to heat it up and create a highly spiritual atmosphere. As I enter the lodge to sit with the others, the first thought to enter my mind was, Oh God, it's boiling hot. The ceremony was to last one hour. But could I last an hour? I was nervous about what I would discover as the heat and the thrill of it all started to cause my mind to wander. I was told not to talk about my experience with anyone outside the sweat lodge. But let's just say some things became very clear. Oh my God. Stay down. Oh my God. You okay? Get down to the ground. I have this beautiful maple leaf. And whoever has it, we show our attention to that person. It's not good to interrupt someone when they're speaking their mind and what they're going through. Hi, my name is Tevye. Aho Tevye. Wow, that was a heck of an experience for me. That was my first sweat lodge. And I have to tell you that one of the great lessons that I learned from you today is how important courage is. And I really am disappointed in myself that I didn't have the courage to make it to the end. It takes a lot of courage to leave a lodge. And that's actually part of the lodge teachings. It's actually when you can say, I've had enough. And it takes courage to leave a lodge. Thank you. And so, miigwech to you. Thank you, miigwech. So what we'd like to do now is hug each other. Okay. And say, brother and her sister, thank you so much. Thank you, brother. Thank you. Thank you, brother. Thank you, sister. It's a wonderful thing. Thank you so much for coming into the lodge. Awesome. Thank you. And thank you. Thank you, brother. Thank you for your beautiful spirit. Wow, I've just had the most amazing adventure. I've seen things and done stuff I never thought I would do in a million years. Now, it is freezing up here. So I'm going to warm up and get back to the city. I'm out of here.