Witchery in the novel Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko

Insert Student’s NameInsert Tutor’s Name Insert Institution’s NameInsert Grade Course10 October, 2011
The concept of witchery in Ceremony
Culturally, Native Americans held nature with the utmost respect. Apparently, both religious and witchcraft views among Native Americans held similar perceptions about sacred value of nature (Rice 115). For this reason, most symbols and ideas that were used in witchery were borrowed from nature. According to Rice (116), although witchery practices in differing regions of Native American exhibited some distinct differences, they held similar perceptions about the environment. The Native American believed in conservation of nature since it provided them with the necessary materials for magic and witchcraft. Their witchcraft could be more perceived as medicinal rituals that sough to establish the root causes of presented illnesses (Rice 119). On this note, witches utilized several methods and tools such as crystal rocks, herbs, feathers as well as chanting sacred hymns while performing these rituals. Similarly, the concept of witchery in Native American culture is explicitly explored in Leslie Marmon Silko novel Ceremony whereby after the protagonist (Tayo) returns to his land he relearns to interact with his homeland in holistic ways as he attempts to find a cure to his deteriorating health. As epitomized above, the witchery practices among Native Americans cannot be separated from the sacred perception of nature. For this reason, Tayo’s search for cure must also be aligned this native belief that landscape and nature held the answer to his cure that so much needed (Rice 115). When Tayo returns to his native land with a severe case of post traumatic disorder, only his native witchery healing can save him for self destruction. The medicine man Ku’oosh claims that the world is under the spell of witchery and that Tayo’s healing should be perceived as healing directed to the entire world. However, as depicted in the novel, the traditional witchery practices are unable to provide complete cure to Tayo and it is only after the fusion between the traditional and contemporary interventions that his health is restored. This entire exercise tr...