Rethinking Indigenous Religious Traditions with Jace Weaver

Abstract

This roundtable revolves around Jace Weaver’s article ‘“Either the Ball is Green, or the Ball is Not Green”’. Arguing that the field of Indigenous religious traditions has been both under-analyzed and under-theorized, Weaver rejects the facile statement that such traditions are those practiced by Indigenous groups or peoples. He sets forth seven definitional characteristics that create a rubric with which to test religious traditions. He then tests his rubric against a number of traditions, including Shinto, Mormonism, Cao Dai, the Code of Handsome Lake, and the Ghost Dance of 1889–1890. The discussion continues with responses from Graham Harvey, Bron Taylor, Marie Alohalani Brown, Suzanne Owen, and Lee-Shae Scharnick-Udemans. The discussion concludes with a rejoinder from Weaver.