🧐Native American Philosophy Unit 3 – Relationality in Native American Metaphysics

Key Concepts in Native American Relationality

• Relationality emphasizes the interconnectedness and interdependence of all beings, including humans, animals, plants, and the natural world
• Relationships are seen as the fundamental basis of reality, rather than individual entities or substances
• Kinship extends beyond human relationships to encompass the entire cosmos, fostering a sense of responsibility and respect for all life
• Reciprocity is a central principle, involving the mutual exchange of gifts, favors, and obligations to maintain balance and harmony
• The concept of "all my relations" acknowledges the web of connections that sustain life and the importance of honoring these relationships
• Indigenous languages often reflect relational thinking through the use of verb-based structures and the absence of strict subject-object distinctions
• Ceremony and ritual serve to reinforce and celebrate the interconnectedness of all beings, strengthening the bonds of relationship

Historical Context and Cultural Foundations

• Native American relationality is rooted in the diverse cultures, languages, and spiritual traditions of Indigenous peoples across North America
• Traditional stories, myths, and oral histories convey the importance of relationships and the responsibilities they entail
• The land itself is seen as a living entity with which humans have a reciprocal relationship, rather than a resource to be exploited
• Pre-contact societies were often structured around kinship networks and clan systems that emphasized collective well-being and shared responsibility
• The arrival of European colonizers and the imposition of Western worldviews disrupted traditional relational practices and ways of knowing
• Despite centuries of cultural suppression and forced assimilation, many Native American communities have maintained and revitalized their relational philosophies
• The resurgence of Indigenous knowledge systems and the growing recognition of their value have contributed to a renewed appreciation for relational thinking

Contrasts with Western Metaphysics

• Western metaphysics tends to prioritize individual entities, substances, and essences over relationships and processes
• Descartes' mind-body dualism and the Cartesian subject-object split are antithetical to Native American relational thinking
• The Western scientific worldview often reduces the natural world to a collection of objects to be studied, manipulated, and controlled
• Native American thought challenges the anthropocentric view that humans are separate from and superior to the rest of nature
• Western notions of linear time and progress contrast with Indigenous understandings of cyclical time and the importance of maintaining balance
• The emphasis on individual rights and private property in Western societies can conflict with Native American values of collective responsibility and shared stewardship
• Native American relationality offers a critique of the atomistic and mechanistic worldview that has dominated Western thought since the Enlightenment

Interconnectedness in Native American Worldviews

• The web of life is a common metaphor used to describe the intricate connections between all beings in Native American thought
• The concept of "mitakuye oyasin" in Lakota philosophy means "all are related" and emphasizes the unity and interdependence of creation
• In many Native American cultures, the natural world is seen as a network of relatives, with humans as just one part of a larger family
• The medicine wheel symbolizes the interconnectedness of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life, as well as the four directions and the cycles of nature
• Traditional ecological knowledge is based on a deep understanding of the relationships between plants, animals, landscapes, and human communities
• Native American languages often use animacy as a grammatical category, recognizing the aliveness and agency of non-human beings
• Interconnectedness is not just a philosophical concept but a lived reality that shapes daily practices, social interactions, and decision-making processes

Practical Applications of Relational Thinking

• Relational thinking informs Native American approaches to environmental stewardship, land management, and resource use
• Traditional farming practices, such as the Three Sisters (corn, beans, and squash), rely on the mutually beneficial relationships between plants
• Indigenous hunting and fishing practices are guided by the principles of respect, gratitude, and reciprocity towards animal relatives
• Relational thinking underlies Native American diplomacy and treaty-making, which often involved the exchange of gifts and the establishment of kinship ties
• In many Native American communities, decision-making is based on consensus-building and the consideration of long-term impacts on relationships
• Restorative justice practices, such as talking circles and peacemaking, prioritize the healing of relationships over punishment or retribution
• Native American artists, writers, and activists often draw on relational thinking to challenge Western assumptions and advocate for social and environmental justice

Challenges to Understanding Relationality

• The dominance of Western epistemologies and ontologies in academia and popular discourse can make it difficult to grasp the full depth and complexity of Native American relational thinking
• The English language, with its emphasis on nouns and subject-object distinctions, can be inadequate for expressing the nuances of relational worldviews
• The legacy of colonialism, forced assimilation, and cultural genocide has disrupted the transmission of traditional knowledge and practices related to relationality
• The commodification and appropriation of Native American spirituality by non-Native individuals and groups can distort and trivialize relational concepts
• The pressures of globalization, modernization, and environmental degradation pose ongoing challenges to the maintenance of relational lifeways
• The diversity of Native American cultures and the uniqueness of each tribe's history and traditions can make it challenging to generalize about relationality across different contexts
• The academic study of Native American philosophy is still a relatively young field, and there is a need for more Indigenous voices and perspectives in the discourse

Impact on Contemporary Native American Philosophy

• Contemporary Native American philosophers are drawing on traditional relational concepts to address pressing issues such as climate change, social justice, and decolonization
• Scholars such as Vine Deloria Jr., Daniel Wildcat, and Shawn Wilson have articulated Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies that center relationality
• The resurgence of Indigenous languages and the development of immersion schools are helping to revitalize relational ways of knowing and being
• Native American artists, writers, and filmmakers are using their work to explore relational themes and challenge Western assumptions
• Indigenous environmental movements, such as the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, are grounded in a relational understanding of the land and the responsibilities it entails
• Native American philosophers are engaging in dialogue with Western thinkers and exploring the possibilities for cross-cultural understanding and collaboration
• The growing recognition of Indigenous rights and the importance of traditional ecological knowledge is creating new opportunities for the application of relational thinking in policy and practice

Further Exploration and Resources

• "God Is Red: A Native View of Religion" by Vine Deloria Jr. offers a seminal exploration of Native American spirituality and its contrasts with Western religion
• "Research Is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods" by Shawn Wilson provides a framework for conducting research based on relational principles
• "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants" by Robin Wall Kimmerer weaves together Native American and scientific perspectives on the natural world
• The Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) is a professional organization that supports scholarship and activism related to Indigenous issues
• The Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) is a grassroots organization that works to protect the environment and promote Indigenous rights
• The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. and New York City offers exhibits and programs that showcase the diversity and richness of Native American cultures
• The American Indian Philosophy Association (AIPA) is a professional organization that promotes the study and teaching of Native American philosophy