When it comes to Native Americans, each tribe had its own set of beliefs and practices. There never existed a single religion among Native Americans. As for the theology of Native American religions, they could be animistic (a belief in spirits and the spiritual nature of things), monotheistic, polytheistic, or other. Also, Native American religions could represent a combination of any of the abovementioned approaches. Importantly, there was no clear distinction between the natural and the supernatural. For Native Americans, everything had a spiritual essence: nature, animals, plants, etc. Hence, there is no antithesis in the worldview of these people, no concept of sacred and/or profane. Native Americans believe that a power, a spirit inhabits everything.
Since Native American religions are localized, it is difficult to say how many religions there are precisely. The estimate lies at 300. Now, when it comes to religious rituals, they vary greatly, yet most of them are scheduled in congruence with the cycles of nature and are designed to meet specific needs. It should be noted that with the arrival of Europeans, Native American religions shifted and changed. Sometimes, this religious shift entailed creating new visions, other times ‘ merging the religious views of Christianity and Native American beliefs.
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"Comparison of Native American and African Religions".
As for African religions, there is no single religious branch. In fact, this makes African and Native American religions similar. Each of the 50 countries that occupy the African continent has its own history. Hence, there is much religious diversity in Africa. At the same time, contact with other nations has led to the absorption of Christian beliefs by the indigenous people (just as it was with Native Americans). In terms of beliefs, Africans believe that there is one creator (God or Supreme Being). Nevertheless, numerous rituals and sacrifices target secondary deities. Most of the rituals are done to seek blessing, protection, and express gratitude; rituals often mark transitions from one period of life to another (rites of passage). Additionally, African religious rituals are often preoccupied with the process of healing.
Hence, there are numerous similarities among African and Native American religions, yet one key difference remains: there is no belief in a single higher deity among Native Americans, while Africans have maintained this kind of belief for a long time.
