Indigenous religions, such as those of Native American traditions, claim a special relationship with nature. The concept of sacred space is particularly important. What makes a sacred place? Can you name some? Are there any sacred spaces in your life and what makes them so?

Answer:

An indigenous sacred place might not appear so evident. Uluru in Australia, Wao Kele o Puna forest in Hawaii or the Ganges River in India are examples of sacred places in nature that each have subtle and different meanings to people of diverse cultures. Even if there is an identifiable natural feature — mountain, lake, forest, river — the “place” often encompasses the surrounding environment and goes beyond what is tangible.

Almost all sacred places are associated with features of the natural environment and many have ties to ancestors or creation myths. They carry unique stories, rituals and practices. Some cultures’ sacred places are indeed sacrosanct, with tight restrictions on who may enter and what may be done there, such as the Kaya Forests in Kenya; the Altai Republic of Russia, regard their sites as “mappable” and may even choose to map the sites, both for protection efforts and for cultural/historical records.

A sacred space in my life is the church I attend every Sunday. The fact that we meet there to worship and pray makes it sacred.