Welcome to the Eastern Woodlands religion/culture section
The Eastern Woodland Culture consisted of Indian tribes inhabiting the eastern United States and Canada. The Eastern Woodlands were moderate-climate regions roughly from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River and included the Great Lakes. This huge area boasted ample rainfall, numerous lakes and rivers, and great forests. The rich earth and forests from the Ohio River to the Gulf of Mexico comprised the southeastern part of the Eastern Woodlands. This region neighbors the Plains Culture to the west and the Subarctic Culture to the north.
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to your left is wendigo who was a monster in the eastern woodlands who was known to behead travelers and lone hunters. Overview: The Wendigo (Windigo, Wiindigoo, Witiko) - "The spirit of the lonely places" - is a cannibalistic spirit in Algonquin (a native American tribe) mythology. It is said that a human can change into a Wendigo when they indulge in cannibalism, or that a Wendigo can possess a human. Some sources say that the possession causes the transformation, while others say that being bitten by one can cause it. the eastern woodlands believed in many different spirits, monsters and gods. those monsters included some that you might know including Bigfoot ( translation is "ot ne yar heh").
http://warriorsofmyth.wikia.com/wiki/Wendigo
When someone in a Woodland tribe died, the tribe would hold a cry ceremony. The chief sang and danced around the fire. This ceremony lasted for five days. The day before it started, five knots were tied in a piece of milkweed. Every day of the ceremony they untied a knot.
Face paint was a big deal to Woodland Indians. They wore it to express feelings each color meant something: red = life, black = death or eternal grief and purple = royalty) and for special occasions. Before going to war, they painted themselves, performed magical rites and took special medicines. Several of the tribes performed many songs and rites. They used special equipment that they thought helped them talk to their gods. They also wore masks to cure diseases. The scary masks were supposed to scare the evil spirit out of the sick person.
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/1330-american-indians-woodland-tribes-and-california-indians
Face paint was a big deal to Woodland Indians. They wore it to express feelings each color meant something: red = life, black = death or eternal grief and purple = royalty) and for special occasions. Before going to war, they painted themselves, performed magical rites and took special medicines. Several of the tribes performed many songs and rites. They used special equipment that they thought helped them talk to their gods. They also wore masks to cure diseases. The scary masks were supposed to scare the evil spirit out of the sick person.
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/1330-american-indians-woodland-tribes-and-california-indians