This paper explores the interesting and complex religion of the Zuni Indians. There are many aspects of the Zuni religion and all those aspects are important, but this paper covers only covers some of the most fascinating parts of their religion. The parts of religion covered are some of their myths, like how the earth was created and how people came to the earth, who they worship, and their religious societies. This paper also looks at religion and what it is about and at how Zuni religion has manifested itself in American culture. .
Zuni Religion.
Religion is everywhere in the world. It is in the news, in books, and everyday conversations. Religion has its way of being in everything that people do. But what is religion? Kottak (2012) defines religion as "beliefs and rituals concerned with supernatural beings, powers, and forces" (p.186). Religion also involves rituals are symbolic performances that tend to suspend everyday norms. Kottak (2012) says that rituals "convey information about the participants and their traditions" and that they "translate enduring messages, values, and sentiments into action"(p.189). Religion also involves enculturation. The children of the culture have to learn the ways and stories of the religion though: intentional, observational, and tacit learning. Religion is used to explain the things that people cannot understand or explain themselves by the things in their daily lives and experiences. .
Zuni religion is a very important part of the live of the Zuni people. Their belief in their religion was the center of life; it gave meaning to all activities. Zuni people believe that Awonawilona was the only living being. Awonawilona created the clouds and water from its breath and the rest of the universe was formed (Bonvillain, 1995, p.13). According to the Zuni myths the earth "consists of nine layers" (Bonvillain, 1995, p.13).
