Happy hunting ground

Happy hunting ground

The Happy Hunting Ground was the name given to the concept of the afterlife by several of the great plains Native American tribes, as well as the Iroquois, Cherokee and Algonquians. It is an afterlife conceived of as a paradise in which hunting is plentiful and game unlimited.

History

cquote|I will follow the white man's trail. I will make him my friend, but I will not bend my back to his burdens. I will be cunning as a coyote. I will ask him to help me understand his ways, then I will prepare the way for my children. Maybe they will outrun the white man in his own shoes.

There are but two ways for us. One leads to hunger and death, the other leads to where the poor white man lives. Beyond is the happy hunting ground where the white man cannot go.

"Many Horses - Oglala Sioux"

The Sioux commonly believe that after death, the spirit of the deceased person goes to the Happy Hunting Ground, unless they were scalped during their lifetime. This belief corresponds with the general Sioux belief that everything has a spirit; including trees, rocks, rivers and almost every natural entity. This therefore leads to the existence of an afterlife. The Native American tribes had many spiritual dances such as the Sun Dance and the Ghost Dance, which directly refers to the spirits of the dead returning to life.

The name "Happy Hunting Ground" indicates the characteristics of this particular Native American afterlife tradition: the Happy Hunting Ground resembled the living world, but with much better weather and animals that didn't run away, such as rabbit, deer and buffalo. [ [http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/native_american-mythology.php Native American Mythology : Gods, Goddesses, Spirits, Legends from North America ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~pjohnson/h5grand.html The Iroquois of the Grand River]
* [http://www.countryarbors.com/princessonarga.html The Legend of Princess Onarga]
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/sioux.htm Myths and Legends of the Sioux]
* [http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Wisdom/ManyHorses.html Many Horses - Oglala Sioux]
* [http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/native_american-mythology.php The Gods Of North American Mythology]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • happy hunting-ground — noun 1. (also in pl) the Paradise of the Native American 2. Any place that one frequents, esp to make acquisitions or to profit in any way • • • Main Entry: ↑happy …   Useful english dictionary

  • happy hunting ground — noun 1. : the No. American Indian paradise conceived as a region to which the souls of warriors and hunters pass after death for the purpose of spending a happy hereafter in hunting and feasting 2. : a choice or profitable area of operation or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • happy hunting ground — {n. phr.} 1. The place where, in American Indian belief, a person goes after death; heaven. * /The Indians believed that at death they went to the happy hunting ground./ 2. {informal} A place or area where you can find a rich variety of what you… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • happy hunting ground — {n. phr.} 1. The place where, in American Indian belief, a person goes after death; heaven. * /The Indians believed that at death they went to the happy hunting ground./ 2. {informal} A place or area where you can find a rich variety of what you… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • happy\ hunting\ ground — n. phr. 1. the place where, in American Indian belief, a person goes after death; heaven. The Indians believed that at death they went to the happy hunting ground. 2. informal A place or area where you can find a rich variety of what you want,… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • happy hunting ground — noun 1. (often plural) (in northern Native American mythology) the world inhabited by souls after death. 2. Colloquial any place where what is sought is available in good supply: the street stalls were a happy hunting ground for small etchings …  

  • happy hunting ground — 1. the North American Indian heaven, conceived of as a paradise of hunting and feasting for warriors and hunters. 2. a place where one finds in abundance that which one needs or desires, or where one may pursue an activity without restriction:… …   Universalium

  • happy hunting ground — noun Date: 1837 1. the paradise of some American Indian tribes to which the souls of warriors and hunters pass after death to spend a happy hereafter in hunting and feasting 2. a choice or profitable area of activity or exploitation …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • happy hunting ground — a place where success or enjoyment is obtained. [orig. referring to the optimistic hope of Amer. Indians for good hunting grounds in the afterlife.] → happy …   English new terms dictionary

  • happy hunting ground — hap′py hunt′ing ground n. ant the North American Indian heaven, conceived of as a paradise of hunting and feasting • Etymology: 1830–40, amer …   From formal English to slang

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