Opinion: Caddo Tribe continues to practice religious traditions

Tuesday, February 19, 2013  

"The Caddo are a Native American tribe whose homeland covers parts of Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Caddo culture thrived between C.E. 700 until the late 17th century when diseases from European settlers decimated Caddo populations. The Caddo observed many religious and spiritual ceremonies that aligned with the seasons and natural events throughout the year. The tribe saw its success as hinging on the continued performance of religious rituals, and their descendants maintain these traditions today.

Religion

The Caddo revered a god called Caddi Ayo or "captain of the sky." A member of the tribe called the "xinesi" acted as intermediary in communicating between god and the tribe, primarily through meditation. One of the xinesi's ritual duties was to keep a perpetual fire burning in a fire temple, usually a high-domed thatched hut. Other spiritual officials existed in the Caddo tribe including medicine men who typically performed healing ceremonies. Caddo tribes were highly centralized, constructing large mounds of earth that acted as civic-ceremonial centers."

Get the Story:
Taylor Echolls: Religious Ceremonies of the Caddo Tribe (Opposing Views 2/19)