Following the Great Spirit: Exploring Aboriginal Belief Systems

In crisis situations, aboriginal peoples in North America and elsewhere in the world have turned belief systems and values for spiritual guidance to help them cope with great change. Following The Great Spirit examines the ways in which these peoples have looked to their tribe's 'Great Spirit' to come to terms with turmoil and disruption in their societies. Author Michael B. Davie explores the Ghost Dance practiced by natives in the United States and Canada to over come the onslaught of change brought about by European settlement. Also explored are the supposedly bullet-proof Ghost Shirt; the rise and fall of native influence in the fur trade and the Gisara ceremony in which dancers are literally burned by their audience - an insightful look at belief systems that guide and shape whole societies.