Is there a spirit in every Indian instrument?
On One Hand: Some say soMany Native Americans’ traditional religious beliefs were animistic, meaning they believed that spirits inhabited all people, animals and objects. Some nations, such as the Dine, had legends specifically including musical instruments inhabited by spirits. Others, such as the Umpquah and Algonquin, lack specific legends but had a belief system that implies instruments had spirits just like everything else. Still others, such as the Akiak, definitively did not believe in spirit-inhabited objects.On the Other: It’s not a widely held beliefLess than 6 percent of people in the 21st century have animistic religious beliefs. For most individuals, especially those living in the United States, the belief that spirits inhabit inanimate objects is considered superstitious. Even when Native American culture flourished in North America, not all tribal belief systems included the belief that spirits inhabited musical instruments.Bottom LineIt’s true that some Native American
