ABSTRACT
The study of religious phenomena beyond the confines of institutional authority and scholastic elitism has benefited greatly from the advent of the “folk” and “lived” religion approaches, allowing scholars to shed light on the day-to-day religiosities of those actors whose concerns are more centered on maintaining physical health and improving quality of life. The current study will examine the connections between healing, self-actualization, and ritual performance in the context of Indigenous evangelical religiosity. During an evangelical healing retreat at Lake Junaluska, Indigenous evangelicals (led by the traveling Indigenous evangelical rock band, “Broken Walls”) utilized the prophetic power of rock music and contextualized pipe ceremony to manifest the healing power of the Holy Spirit. The religious logic prevalent during the event promoted Indigenous self-actualization (the recovery and emphasis of one’s Indigenous identity and cultural heritage) as a necessary condition in the move toward spiritual healing (both physical and cultural). Once achieved, self-actualization would have the power to heal the self and one’s community. Most importantly, this healing and cultural recovery would have the potential to significantly reduce (or end) the prevalence of substance abuse and suicide among young people in Indigenous communities.
