Despiritualization, a concept that involves removing individuals from their spirituality and its influence, served as an essential part of effectively separating individuals from their culture and community as a means of control and conformity. This method of dehumanization had great contributions to the removal of Native American presence within the United States.   Achieved through tactics such as Christian missionaries, religiously affiliated schools, and congressional attempts to prevent religious and culturally significant religious practices. Often, this topic is taught with little attention to the historical accuracy or depth that it requires to understand its complete significance and impact.

 Throughout history, Christian missionaries have served as the means of religious conversion through various methods of enforcement and violence. However, in many textbooks, this issue is addressed and often does not touch upon the violent and unethical tactics colonists used to achieve complete erasure of the Native Americans’ religious practices. In 1492, colonizers from Spain and England began to settle in the Americas;they began trying to recreate lifestyles that were lived while residing in their own home countries. However, there was one major issue blocking them from obtaining their goal–the Native Americans. The Natives had a strong spiritual connection, involving connections between individuals, nature, and animals that conflicted heavily with both European religious values and lifestyle. At the time, many colonizers were exploiting the land for its resources that the natives believed to be sacred. This caused various conflicts throughout the next centuries including a series of wars later known as the “Indian Wars” and gruesome massacres against both parties.

During these times, religion served as a point of superiority and control, as colonists believed that Natives and anyone else were to follow their religion. English colonists believed that their ideologies were the only ones that held relevance in the new society. Renowned theologian and political figure, John Witherspoon was quoted saying “These doctrines I am persuaded are not only true in themselves, but the great foundation of all practical religion. Wherever they are maintained and inculcated, strictness and purity of life and manners will be their natural effect.” when discussing the importance of spreading the Christian faith. Moreover, he and his followers believed that by eradicating the individual’s ability to practice a religion other than Christianity, he was saving them from a life of “profanity” and “immortality” (Fortson, 2007, #156). Witherspoon formulated this theory following the time he spent in Scotland as a missionary where he observed and compared individuals who did and did not practice Christianity; Finding that those who had religious structure, specifically that of Christianity more. Later, he believed that these same ideas could be applied to the conflicts occurring between the colonists and native americans. These ideas would shape and later excuse the actions and behaviors colonists inflicted on the natives.

As another means to obtain a nation of religious unity under the Christian church, it was proposed that religiously based schools would be formed–specifically meant for young Native Americans who–while still involved in their culture–would likely be more compliant to conversion and decentralization than their fellow elders (Shown Below). The primary reason for these schools was to forcefully assimilate Native Americans into the developing society of the New World. Many of the practices at these boarding schools were geared directly towards separating the individuals from their religious traditions as it heavily influenced their culture and lifestyle. For example, crucial parts of their spiritual identity such as name, traditional clothes, and speaking their native tongue were prohibited (Trafzer et al., 2006, #2-10). Additionally, further exemplifying John Wintherspoon’s beliefs of superior religions–students would be made to believe that their religion was inferior in comparison to the Christian beliefs.

Many times, if a student showed a refusal to their forced treatments they were degraded or punished. According to the National Museum of American Indians, students were often humiliated in front of their peers or physically abused for their resistance (National Museum of the American Indian, 2020). Treatment such as this resulted in severe emotional,  physical, and even sexual trauma to students. Yet,  for centuries these schools continued, only ending in 1978– something that history fails to recognize when discussing the topic. One of the major reasons for the end of this school system was the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, which was finally passed by Congress following years of proposed legislation and evidence of maltreatment at the boarding schools. The act does not prevent these schools entirely, however–merely it allows the parents to have the autonomy to make educational decisions for their children (Summers, 2023).

The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 was not the first of congressional legislation that impacted the lives of Native Americans. Throughout history, congress has remained heavily involved in the marginalization of Native American tribes by passing laws and acts regarding the religious freedoms of Native Americans and tribes. For example, in 1812, Congress passed the Indian Affair Commission, which focused on passing legislation regarding issues of land, religion, and education between colonists and Native Americans. In 1887, this committee was responsible for the removal of native tongue in school, not to mention the creation of Boarding schools for Native children (Spring. J, #12). Decades later in 1867, as an attempt to make peaceful comments–Ulysses S Grant reformed the committee. A new committee, known as the Indian Peace Commission regulations regarding a Native’s citizenship eligibility was outlined. One requirement–that Native Americans must be a practicing Christian and live what was considered to be a “traditional” American lifestyle (Warren, 2010, #48).  This law would not be addressed until 1924 when the Citizenship Act was passed by Congress–allowing non-Christian Native Americans to be considered for American citizenship (Warren, 2010, #147). However, these legal modifications did not put an end to the systematic prejudice against Native Americans that had been ingrained in American citizens (Carroll,1993).

In conclusion, Despiritualization–the practice of preventing individuals from expressing religious and spiritual freedom–has been used throughout history to indoctrinate and control Native Americans. By sending Christian missionaries, requiring native youth to attend unethical boarding schools, and most importantly–congressional reinforcement through various forms of legislation–Native Americans have been made to face an incessant life of religious degradation and inferiority. These systemic inequalities have proven to severely impact the freedoms and rights of Native Americans to this day.

References

Carroll, J. (1993, December). The Cult of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize

Religious Devotion. The Atlantic, 272(6), 139+. https://link-gale-com.une.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A14687757/PPDS?u=bidd97564&sid=bookmark-PPDS&xid=777afde2

Chapter 3: Boarding Schools – Native Words, Native Warriors – National Museum of the American Indian. (2020). National Museum of the American Indian. Retrieved October 29, 2023, from https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/code-talkers/boarding-schools/

Fortson, S. D. (Ed.). (2007). Colonial Presbyterianism: Old Faith in a New Land. Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Summers, A. (2023). Exploring Indian Child Welfare Act implementation and case outcomes. Wiley – Online Library.

Spring, J. (n.d.). Deculturalization and the struggle for equality: A brief history of T. Spring – Preface & Chapter 1 – Part A.

Trafzer, C. E., Keller, J. A., & Sisquoc, L. (Eds.). (2006). Boarding School Blues: Revisiting American Indian Educational Experiences. University of Nebraska Press.

Warren, K. C. (2010). The Quest for Citizenship: African American and Native American Education in Kansas, 1880-1935. University of North Carolina Press.