Yep, ancestors are dead humans, gods are humans in the same way Batman is human. (I mean, Thor is one of the Avengers. I think that gives it away.) I wanted to say “animals” without implying that humans aren’t animals.
I remember reading about a Native American culture that had a designated Speaker for the Wolves who was supposed to represent them in meetings, but I can’t remember any details. Could be bogus.
There are many indigenous cultures (with some hunters still around today) who ask forgiveness upon killing food animals. And history’s full of bear cults, and animal species with names that translate into “people of the _,” and taboos on harming various animals. I think the notion that humans have mostly only cared for the concerns of humans is the product of an industrial-age blind spot: only people who’ve never hunted or husbanded, and eat their meat from the slaughterhouse, have never thought about animal welfare.
Yep, ancestors are dead humans, gods are humans in the same way Batman is human. (I mean, Thor is one of the Avengers. I think that gives it away.) I wanted to say “animals” without implying that humans aren’t animals.
I remember reading about a Native American culture that had a designated Speaker for the Wolves who was supposed to represent them in meetings, but I can’t remember any details. Could be bogus.
There are many indigenous cultures (with some hunters still around today) who ask forgiveness upon killing food animals. And history’s full of bear cults, and animal species with names that translate into “people of the _,” and taboos on harming various animals. I think the notion that humans have mostly only cared for the concerns of humans is the product of an industrial-age blind spot: only people who’ve never hunted or husbanded, and eat their meat from the slaughterhouse, have never thought about animal welfare.