Den visionssökande ritualen uusimichhos den amerikanska ursprungsbefolkningen nuu-chah-nulth

• Among the American indigenous people Nuu-chah-nulth of Vancouver Island, uusimich, the vision quest ritual is practised. Nuu-chah-nulth history, social and cultural conditions as well as missionization history is presented in the article to set the broader context of the ritual. Uusimich is discussed in relation to other collective Nuu-chah-nulth rituals and its individual character is emphasized. The ritual is examined through historical and ethnographic sources and the ritual’s present form is also highlighted, based on interviews with informants and previous research. Emphasis is placed on how to situate this ritual among the contemporary Nuu-chah-nulth and how the informants perceive rituals as religious practices but also as important to their identity as a group.

Nyckelord

Nuu-chah-nulth

Uusimich

vision-seeking ritual

individual emphasis

mission

active and passive participation

traditions in the present situation

History of Religion

religionshistoria

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)