MCCCD Program Description

American Indian Religions

Course: REL203

First Term: 2013 Summer I

Lecture 3.0 Credit(s) 3.0 Period(s) 3.0 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S

Description: An examination of the historical and cultural background of diverse lifeways and worldviews belonging to the peoples indigenous to the North American continent over time, including a study of modern day American Indian beliefs and practices.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe American mainstream societal views of American Indian cultures at the point of contact with Europeans, during the development of European hegemony, and in the modern times of cultural continuity and change. (I) 2. Explain the cultural practice of storytelling, including the importance of culture concepts of, myths, songs, and rituals. (II) 3. Identify the significant religious personages and practitioners in American Indian cultures and religious traditions. (III) 4. Compare and contrast American Indian and Western concepts of time, space, and other dimensions. (III) 5. Describe how American Indian peoples integrate religious world views into everyday life. (IV) 6. Compare and contrast American Indian views of human religious responsibility with those of American mainstream society. (IV) 7. Create a research paper describing the cultural manner in which the concepts of reverence, reciprocity, interconnectedness, and Mother Earth are embedded in the ecological teachings of American Indian peoples. (IV) 8. Describe examples of the modern day American Indian religious movements. (V)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Euro-American Perceptions of American Indian A. Historical contacts with Euro-Americans B. Popular and academic views of American Indian II. American Indian Religious Orality A. Stories, myths B. Songs C. Rituals III. American Indian Cosmology A. Religious personages 1. Creators 2. Tricksters 3. Culture heroes B. Religious practitioners 1. Shamans 2. Religious leaders 3. Witches, sorcerers C. Time, space, and other dimensions IV. American Indian Values A. Integration of religion and life B. Kinship of all life C. Sharing and reciprocity D. Power and responsibility V. Religious Development and Change A. Historical Christian and Native interactions B. Modern day religious movements

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: April 23, 2013

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.