Belief ways of the Apsaalooke: development of a culture through time and space

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate the oral history of the Apsaalooke for connections to the four Native science foundations. I interviewed the Crow Cultural Cabinet Head to attain the stories for each religion. I then compared the content of each story to the four foundations and found the connections that corresponded. The Clan System connected to the community foundation. The Sweat Lodge connected to the environment foundation. The Sacred Pipe ceremony connected to the language foundation and the Sacred Tobacco Society connected to the spirituality foundation. Although these connections were developed, there are many more that can be made interchangeably. The four foundations of Native science and the four belief ways of the Apsaalooke complemented each other.