Fasting is something that is done by most cultures in the world for a variety of reasons and Native Americans are no different. Each tribe has their own specific set of fasting rituals, most of which apply to the men instead of the women. As is the case in most religions or cultures, fasting is meant to enlighten the practitioner and bring them closer to their faith.

Fasting by Native Americans

Fasting is done by Native Americans for a variety of reasons, with the timing and reasoning being different for each tribe. Most of the time, the first fast is done by boys when they are entering puberty. This is usually a part of a vision quest, which is a quest for enlightenment where the young man is often trying to find his way in the world. In many tribes the first fast is part of a vision quest, a rite of passage in the tribe in which the boy becomes a man and takes his place in the community.

Many Native American tribes fast during certain times of the year. Many times the fasting takes place in correspondence to the change in seasons. This is seen as a way to remind the body and the mind what the earth provides with each season and that the earth can always replenish the body. Of course, it is usually the men who undergo these fasts, although the women who are not pregnant, nursing, or ill may also take part in the seasonal fasts.

Native Americans have been fasting throughout history and sometimes this is to reach a higher spiritual realm and other times it is to remind the body not to take for granted what the earth provides in the way of food and water. Native Americans are known for living on the land and always giving back what they take, and the ritual fasting is simply an extension of this process.

Shamans or healers in Native American tribes may provide fasts for those that are suffering or for those that seem to have lost their way. There is a belief in many tribes that fasting restores mental balance, clarity, and spirituality. For this reason, when a healer is called on he will often recommend a fast for the individual lasting anywhere from a day to more than a week depending on the situation.

Depending on the tribe, fasting may mean different things. To some, a fast may only mean to abstain from animal meats, while others will require an individual to abstain from all foods, and others still require that the individual take in absolutely no food and water for a given period of time. Many tribes have gotten a bit more lax and will allow for water or even fruit juices during a fast to make the process more comfortable, though this too varies from tribe to tribe. Of course, the goal of the fast is not to suffer but to acquire spiritual and mental enlightenment and clarity.