Powhatan
Ceremonies and Beliefs
By: Vicki H.
The Powhatan tribes have a god named Okewas. They believed that he was the one that led them into battle. They also said only the priest could understand what Okewas said. The Powhatan tribe said that sometimes Okewas would appear from the woods and make handsome men. When Okewas got mad he gave them bad weather they would give offerings like tobacco and copper. Okewas was a powerful god.
Another belief is that a hare created everything. At the beginning of
time, the hare created mankind, and put them in a sack. Then the winds
tried to blow the sack away. The hare just whooshed them away. The
winds
came back again and again. So, the hare spread some of his deer
hairs on the land speaking some very strong words. Then he changed each of
the deer hairs into a deer. Finally, the hare opened his bag and let one man and one
woman in each country and created mankind.
One of their ceremonies is how they adopt people into their tribe. First, they tie them up, and bring them to a rock. They have to put their head on the rock and they almost get their brains bashed out. When one of the members run out and save them. Sometimes this is planned sometimes not. No matter planned or not, their adopted into the tribe.
The Powhatan tribe used tools for dancing. During almost all their
ceremonies they dance in a circles with a pole in the middle. They also
dance with rattlers made out of turtle shells. They have colorful
beads to decorate. The Powhatan tribe has many ceremonies and beliefs. 
| CEREMONIES and BELIEFS |