Spirt Animals

Indigenous and First Nations tribes place enormous weight on nature and human interactions with nature. One way that First Nations connect with the nature around them is through Spirit Animals. Let’s take a look at a possible spirit animal and identify what it means to indigenous people to the best of our ability.

Disclaimer

The writer of this article is not indigenous or of First Nations heritage. However, we did our best to collect only sources from indigenous owned and operated organizations. The information compiled here is for educational and entertainment purposes only. AZ Animals does not claim to be an authoritative source on First Nations and indigenous cultures.

AZ Animals also does not recommend culturally appropriating the Spirit Animal concept. This is a very important cultural practice for indigenous peoples, and we recommend using this term only in reference to First Nations people with their express consent.

What is a spirit animal? What does it mean for First Nations?

The exact spirituality regarding spirit animals differs between tribes. However, the general teaching is that your Spirit Animal is a teacher or messenger who comes to you in the form of an animal. Again, this is not a new or fun concept. These spirits are sacred to the First Nations and should be treated with the utmost respect by those outside of their influence.

Spirit animals often have a general “meaning” associated with them. Still, the true meaning of one’s Spirit Animal…