Civilization

 When I was beginning my education, indigenous peoples were thought of as savage and primitive. Because their numbers were small, their cultures were built on simple hierarchies, workable social structures, shared duties and productive collaboration. They were considered godless, but had gods that served them well and kept them connected to nature, even finding sprit in all of creation.

 

As “civilization” arose and developed, civilized cultures evolved complex hierarchies, social, legal and economic structures built on domination and class. People were enslaved in all kinds of ways. Religion put God to work in all kinds of nefarious ways, and God become more and more distant from nature as nature became more and more distant from the everyday lives of people.

 

While the arts and sciences became the glory of civilization, society became more and more brutal and violent. Indigenous peoples today would surely think of modern civilization as savage, primitive and godless, with spirit being sucked from nature.