Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches 2010 - Cokesbury

Tel. (212)533-7800
Fax (212)353-9439
Website: www.uscj.org
Exec. Vice-Pres., Rabbi Steven Wernick
The International organization of 800 congregations, founded in 1913. Provides religious, educational,
youth, community and administrative programming. Publishes United Synagogue Review
and other materials. The Rabbinical Assembly is the association of Conservative Rabbis.
NATIVE AMERICAN
TRADITIONAL SPIRITUALITY
Native American spirituality is difficult to define or categorize because it varies so greatly across the
continent. Further, it is deeply entwined with elements of nature which are associated with different geographical
regions. For example, while Plains Indians possess a spiritual relationship with the buffalo,
Indigenous Peoples from the Northwest share a similar relationship with salmon. Hence, the character
of Native American spirituality is dependent, to some extent, on the surrounding geography and its
incumbent ecosystems. Despite this great variety, there are some similarities which allow us to consider
the many Native American forms of spirituality together: Contrary to popular belief, Native American
peoples are monotheistic; they do not worship the sun or buffalo or salmon, but rather understand that
these elements of nature are gifts from the “Great Mystery,” and are parts of it. Today, while still working
toward religious freedom in the United States, Native Americans are also struggling to protect sacred
sites, which they consider to be comparable to “churches.” But since these sites are actually part of the
land, not man-made structures, many are constantly under attack for the natural resources they contain.
Such exploitation of these resources is an offense to the Native American sense of spirituality, which
views resources like timber, oil, and gold, as gifts from the Great Mystery. The struggle to protect and
respect these sacred sites is a universal and essential part of Native American spirituality.
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
1516 P Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
Tel. (202)466-7767
Fax (202)466-7797
Email: ncia@ncia.org
Website: www.ncai.org
Exec. Dir., Jacqueline Johnson-Pata
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), founded in 1944, is the oldest, largest and
most representative national Indian organization serving the needs of a broad membership of
American Indian and Alaska Native governments. NCAI stresses the need for unity and cooperation
among tribal governments and people for the security and protection of treaty and sovereign
rights. As the preeminent national Indian organization, NCAI is organized as a representative congress
aiming for consensus on national priority issues.
The NCAI website contains links for a directory of Indian nations in the continental U.S. and
Alaska as well as a directory of tribal governments. There are also links to other Native
American websites.
SOURCES
Native American Rights Fund (NARF)
1506 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80302-6296
Tel. (303)447-8760
Fax (303)433-7776
Website: www.narf.org
Exec. Dir., John Echohawk
The Native American Rights Fund is the non-profit legal organization devoted to defending and
promoting the legal rights of the Indian people. NARF attorneys, most of whom are Native
Americans, defend tribes who otherwise cannot bear the financial burden of obtaining justice in
the courts of the United States. The NARF mission statement outlines five areas of concentration:
1) Preservation of tribal existence; 2) Protection of tribal natural resources; 3) Promotion of
human rights; 4) Accountability of government; 5) Development of Indian law.
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