support our organization's work with endangered American Indian languages. In Islamic belief, God has made this worldly life as a test and a preparation ground for the afterlife; and with death, this worldly life comes to an end. According to the interpretation of the latest evidence, when and how do scholars think human beings first came to North America? Your comments are powerful and inspiring for anyone whom crys for a vision. First, owls are either considered to be embodied spirits of the dead or associated with such spirits, by a very wide range of tribes, including the Lakota, Omaha, Cheyenne, Fox, Ojibway, Menominee, Cherokee and Creek. Native flutes
Their afterlife, however, was frankly quite scary. There they would stay for up to 15 yearsbefore they were disinterred by family, their remains cleaned and prepared, and brought to a communal burial site, where all of the Huron people would rest together. Experiences with and proximity to death do not consistently predict religious belief. Most of us are unfamiliar with the different ways that grief is expressed in other cultures. All in all, this is pretty standard funeral stuff for people from all over the globe. The choice to participate is solely that of each individual. Before our islands terrible bush fire in January, 2020, I recognised in my paintings a white calf , a buffalo calf. Inyan wanted to exercise his powers, or compassion, so he created Maka (the Earth) as part of himself to keep control of his powers. TRUE short storie: E.V.P.- Time:3:45 AM.-Date 10/2012- Place Great Salt Lake Area,Utah- LaKota-translated to English, LISTEN!!! Heated stones are placed in a central hole in the lodge and water is poured over them by an itancan (leader) to create steam. The tribespeople who oversaw this process were called bonepickers. They see life's journey as its end goal, and appreciate that life is always on the edge of death. The living members of the Huron gathered together, shared food and stories, and mourned those going to their final resting place. In the traditions of many Native American tribes, the souls of the dead pass into a spirit world, where they can occasionally still communicate with the living through dreams or the intercession of medicine people. Soyal Ceremony: Hopi Kachinas Dance at Winter Solstice, Mythological Journey to the Aztec Underworld, Ashanti of Ghana: How Spider Obtained the Sky-Gods Stories, Aztec Myth: Quetzalcoatl Rescues Humanity in the Land of the Dead, Aboriginal Dreamtime: The Rainbow Serpent, Passive-Solar Greenhouse-Wrapped Nature House in Sweden, Labor Taskmaster: The Yule Cat Monster of Iceland, Chumash Story: Seeds of Creation and the Rainbow Bridge, The Pagan Spring Fertility Origins of May Day. I have Parkinsons disease which meant my paintings were burned, as I had no way of getting them out to safety. The dead body appears to be asleep when it is separated at death from the spirit and soul of the believer. Why do some participants in the Sun Dance skewer their chests and dance until their flesh tears? Her bones were scattered throughout the land.[4]. The living Seminole would gather the deceased's physical belongings and throw them into the swamps, something the tribe still practices today. In 2006, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs tried to ban 'vulgar' Joss paper offerings, such as luxury houses, sports cars, and even paper . Tunskasilas. 5 suns occupied their own location Those who have walked on often have their bodies or ashes buried in high places. The human body was thought to be potent nourishment for the sun and the cosmos. Xibalba (she-bal-ba), the Mayan underworld, literally translates to " Place of Fright ." Obviously, it's not a great place to wind up. These people were mourned over the course of several days before being skinned and cleaned. These were placed on scaffolding in a charnel house, which is also a communal resting place, but not just for bones like an ossuary. "The Age of the Fifth Sun" Common to most versions of an afterlife is the belief in a soul (or similar concept) which, being the spiritual part or analog of the body, will live forever (or at least for a very long time) without the need for a . The top three beliefs American adults have about heaven are that deceased people are free from suffering (69 percent), are reunited with loved ones who died previously (65 percent), and can meet God (62 percent). The Mayans believed in an afterlife, unlike many indigenous peoples before Europeans arrived with Christian ideals of heaven and hell. Even after an Inuit person was laid to rest, however, they might still influence those left behind.
An entity (mountain, tree, pole) that is connected to the heavens and the earth and is the center of the world In Catholicism, burying the dead is one of the seven corporal works of mercy, the only activity added . The Lakota have historically been a nomadic hunter-gatherer people who organized their lives and ceremonies around movement of the sun and stars. It brought a person closer to God. After a death, our thoughts and behaviors are largely determined by our society and culture. Once all of the putrefied flesh was cleaned from the bones, the bonepicker would then gather up the bones and return them to the family. A person elects to go on a quest to pray, communicate with the spirits, and attempt to gain knowledge, strength, and understanding. They seem to have had no written language, however, so there's a lot we don't know about them. The Lakota, or Sioux, and Dakota tribes call this Wakan-Tanka. Of these ritual texts, the most notable are Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the Netherworld; Ishtar 's Descent to the Netherworld; and Nergal and Ereshkigal. Einstein also quipped that, as regards a life after death, "one life is enough for me.". However, virtually no research has been conducted on traditional and contemporary death, dying, grief, and bereavement beliefs and practices among native tribes, such as the Lakota. Xibalba (she-bal-ba), the Mayan underworld, literally translates to "Place of Fright." You can live undisturbed by religious zealots, as long as grass is growing and water is flowing in the rivers. An interview during the winter of 1947 with the Lakota medicine man Nicholas Black Elk on the Seven Sacred Rites, inspired by earlier interviews by John G. Neihardt. If the weight is balanced, the soul finds peace. PostedOctober 7, 2017 [vi] The concept itself is as diverse as other culture's concepts of what a god or goddess is. What Judaism Teaches Us About the Fear of Death. The buckskin bundle, called the soul bundle, was kept in a special place in the tipi of the souls keeper, usually a relative. It's worth noting that the Inuit people believed in a good and bad place for spirits even before European Christians showed up. Brown, Joseph Epes, ed. Death: A Door to Eternal Bliss or Looming Doom It represents the cycle of life to death to rebirth. The mother would call it the child's name and take it everywhere with them. Lakota and Ritual. 1991. While the Hopewell mostly practiced cremation for their deceased, they're most well-known for crafting elaborate burial mounds which almost look like tiny hills. However, that spirit does not embody every aspect of a person's soul or identity. In what part of Africa do the Yoruba live? The night before the funeral, hundreds of friends, family, and community members gathered at the Crazy Horse School auditorium where they stayed up all night. The fourth rite is Wiwanyang Wacipi (sundance). The second rite is Hanbleceyapi (crying for a vision). Much like the Inuit, the Choctaw didn't bury their dead but interred them aboveground during the mourning process. However, during all phases of his writing he does demonstrate that there is in fact life after physical death, which is widely attributed to his notion of the soul.Plat always viewed the soul as an entity that was distinct from the physical body. Instead, a relative or someone else close to the person who had passed kept that deerskin wrap, called a soul bundle, and held onto it for about a year. Applying the Bare-Minimum Monday Philosophy to Relationships, Mass Shooters and the Myth That Evil Is Obvious, Transforming Empathy Into Compassion: Why It Matters, The Portrayal of Mourning and Melancholia in Drive My Car", What Harry and Meghan Teach Us About the Art of Grieving, What Not to Say to a Friend Who's Hurting. Lincoln, Neb., 1982. The person pledges to stay on an isolated hill for one to four days with a blanket and a pipe, but without food or water. As such, child funerals were all too common for humans all over the globe for thousands of years. . High places are considered sacred sites because they are closer to the spirits. As a brother, you know the first responsibility of a warrior is to protect, help look after our elders, and children who must have a good example of how to live the life of customs, traditions, and spiritual ways of The Seven Rites given to us by the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Beliefs about rebirth and reincarnation are widespread between modern and traditional tribes. Consequently, there is great Koyukon universe is notably decentralized. While the outdated pop culture that many of us grew up with may have told us, incorrectly, that all Native American tribes used totem poles, the truth is that these beautiful carvings were mostly made by peoples in what is today the Pacific Northwest. Namely, they were pretty down with it, from human sacrifice to stories about their deities killing one another. Lakota Religious Traditions. Encyclopedia of Religion. Many modern Lakota maintain traditional cultural beliefs and customs, including funeral practices and ideas about the afterlife. Lakota burial ceremonies reflect the tribe's beliefs about death. Cherokee indian reservation
By Doug George-Kanentiio The death (Ohronte in Mohawk) of a family (kawatsireh) member or someone we truly care about is the most tragic of human experiences, yet the ancient teachings of the Iroquois gives the bereaved assurances spirtual consciousness does not end with the demise of . Lakota history and the Seven Sacred Rites are discussed. Teotihuacan is the ancient city. The Lakota people are the western-most of the three groups belonging to a political body called Titonwan, occupying lands in both North and South Dakota. This keeps me in balance, Thank you for sharing this. They would cut a lock of hair from the deceased, purify it over burning sweetgrass, and then wrap it in sacred deerskin. //-->. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Dan's diverse professional background spans from costume design and screenwriting to mixology, manual labor and video game industry publicity. Kathleen Ratteree, a medical anthropologist, has studied and lived among the Oglala Lakota (Sioux), an American Indian nation located on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwest South Dakota. The Lakota Indian tribe finds its roots in the northern part of the United States, particularly North Dakota and South Dakota. Above all, the ceremonial beliefs and funeral customs of the Lakota are meant to show respect and reverence for those who have passed; in a mourning process that may last up to a year, this respect is often expressed through grief. In Lakota spirituality, leaders speak about dealing with a Nuclear Age world out of balance, life after death, and overcoming drugs, money and emptiness. These spiritual leaders play a critical role because they provide guidance for the mourners about the proper ways to channel their grief. This tribe views death as an inevitable equalizer, something that happens to all living things despite their achievements on earth. In essence, they believe that the soul is the carrier of human consciousness. See disclaimer. The Lakota believe that the dead depart to a spirit world . Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. Two texts from the Middle Kingdom (c.2050-1710 BC) show that, far from striving blindly towards eternal life, there were those who were engaged in critical, even cynical, religious philosophy and thought. In all ceremonies, drugs and alcohol are strictly forbidden. To symbolize their grief for young children who have passed, the Lakota practice ritual crying and wound their own arms and legs. The Lakota, a confederacy of several Native American tribes in the Great Plains area of what is now the United States, also had a good place for spirits to go, called Wakan Tanka, a place free of pain and suffering. He Sapa, sometimes known as Paha Sapa, is land considered sacred by the Lakota and other Plains tribes. People of the same culture develop certain behaviors, customs, and rituals that help individuals cope with their loss. The Sacred Pipe: Black Elks Account of the Seven Sacred Rites of the Oglala Sioux. Man has had an abiding faith in a world beyond the grave. 1998. These mortuary poles were reserved for more important people and could be distinguished by their large, rectangular crests at the top that hid the box holding the remains. Hindus believe that when one dies, the body will die, while the soul will be reincarnated meaning the soul will leave your body and go into a new one. In what ways is the Aztec tradition like other indigenous religious traditions? However, some accounts mention that the Sky-Road (Milky Way) is the destination of the deceased, but every deceased soul must present the proper tattoos to an old woman, Hihankara, the Owl-Maker. It is known as wa-maka ognaka y cante (the heart of everything that is). Lakota Spiritual LeadersWatch this video on YouTube.
Doc Preview. I feel I was blessed by many elders for teaching me, through out my years, what beauty and life we have in our race our traditions, customs and religion.. A sweat lodge is held in a dome-shaped structure made of willow saplings and covered with hide or tarps that symbolizes the shape of the universe and/or the womb of a pregnant woman. Overall, Catholics are more likely than Protestants to say that they believe in reincarnation (38% vs. 26%), but there is wide variance within these groups. Why did the Aztecs regard each human being as a sort of axis mundi? Again, indigenous peoples of North America often didn't have any strong beliefs in any kind of an afterlife, which was way more of a thing for the European colonizers who began showing up in the 16th century and onward. One-in-five evangelical Christians . The first of the Seven Sacred Rites (though not chronological) is Inikagapi or Inipi (to renew life). The sacred tree that is placed at the center of the dance area symbolizes Wakan Tanka, the center of the universe. Mourners express grief for the departed by singing, crying, wailing and running pegs through their limbs, cutting their hair or even -- in the case of female Lakota -- cutting off a part of their little fingers. The water cannot retain his powers, and Skan was created. What do individuals try to access by going on a vision quest? And indeed, the dead do not move, so their shadow, too, freezes, i.e. Atheism. Afterlife usually refers to some form of "life after death". This was a process known as the Feast of the Dead a large-scale celebration and remembrance of the deceased, according to The Huron-Wendat Feast of the Dead. Many warriors sought to kill her to obtain a red crystal in a seventh spot on her head which functioned as her heart, as it grants its bearer great power.[2]. google_ad_height = 15;
4 souls leave a person at death, but one travels along a "spirit path" to meet an old woman who judges it to see if it will go to the world of the ancestors. Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of these tribes didn't share a single culture, language, or even belief system. If we can, we will cheat death at every turn, to continue living well. More than just the controversial name of Florida State University's sports teams, the Seminole could be found all over the Florida peninsula, most especially in the state's famous Everglades, found in the southernmost parts of Florida. Lakota history and the Seven Sacred Rites are discussed. One of the most sensational books on evidence for the survival of the human soul after death was the 2002 bestseller The Afterlife Experiments: Breakthrough Scientific Evidence of Life After Death by Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D., and William L. Simon. He is worshipped to. Thus, every person has only one chance to prepare themselves for the life to come where God will resurrect and judge every . What is the axis mundi in general? Although the body undergoes physical transformations, the Spirit remains unchanged. Speaking poetry/speech, communicating with the gods, making offerings. Ghosts, Spirits & the Afterlife in Native American Folklore and Religion, Ghost Walk: Native American Tales of the Spirit. The Ojibwe people of what is now southeastern Canada even had a special funeral rite just for their children who passed away, according to Legends of Minnesota's North Shore. To the Sioux, religion was not separate from everyday life. What's more, if an individual village decided to move elsewhere, all of the bones had to be dug up again and moved yet again to somewhere nearby where the village ended up resettling. Due to their fear of the dead, Lakota tribes sometimes burn the dwellings of the deceased and forbid members of the tribe to use that person's name. Although there is no empirical proof of ultimate survival after the death of the body, we would explore the generally held belief among the Yoruba of Nigeria that the soul continues to exist in an afterlife. 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. The Lakota people believe that after death, the deceased person's soul will go to the happy hunting ground, a realm that resembles the world of the living, but with better weather, and more plentiful animals that are easier to hunt than they are in the world of the living. Instead, people who passed on among the Inuits were laid face-up on the hard, cold permafrost, and then a cairn was built around the body using stones, ice, and even the deceased's belongings, according to Listening to our Past. What is known as Florida today was and still is the home of the Seminole people (though lots are found in Oklahoma as well). The Sun Dance is often considered the most important rite, and it is held during the summer when the moon is full. The ancient Greek conception of the afterlife and the ceremonies associated with burial were already well established by the sixth century B.C. After that, the soul bundle could be taken outside and the soul released. Back to American Indian myths and legends
Wakan Tanka remains a central part of American Indian belief, particularly among the Lakota people. Specifically, they built platforms, placed the deceased atop the platform, and then waited. They existed primarily to cause suffering. Believe that mutilation is the only sacrifice to the supreme being. The vision quest is undertaken by an individual with the help and guidance of a holy man. There are a number of basic introductory works on Muslim attitudes toward death and dying. Significance. In the Odyssey , Homer describes the Underworld, deep beneath the earth, where Hades, the brother of Zeus and Poseidon , and his wife, Persephone, reigned over countless drifting crowds of shadowy . Other death rituals include painting a dead person's face red, the colour of life, or washing the body with yucca before burial. They typically had very distinctive tattoos and very long fingernails, but they were highly respected members of the tribe, according to Rourke's Native American Encyclopedia. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Ponca people are found in the midwestern part of the modern United States. This rite is performed in a darkened room under the supervision of a Yuwipi man or wicasa wakan. These could be summoned by the living to answer questions (1 Samuel 28:3-25 . . The deceased can return as an animal, person, or ghost. And, help the tiosphaye,family circle, stay strong. It encompasses a number of cultural concepts related to traditional life and problems confronting contemporary Lakota peoples. a. Similarly to the Algonquin peoples, the Huron people, also known as the Wyandot, buried their dead in communal graves. Contains a number of interviews with Hunkpapa medicine men, transcriptions and translations of sacred songs, and vivid ethnographic accounts of most of the sacred ceremonies. And it represents the four elements. As such, each of these funerary practices can also tell us just as much about the ways in which these groups lived in addition to how they honored and remembered their dead. I hope to learn how to become one with all Gods creation to become spiritually wise and be a blessing to all who I encounter. What elements of the natural and human world did the Ancestors create or establish in the period of the Dreaming? It was the soul, it was argued, that survived between death and the Last Day, and it was the body that was resurrected on the Last Day and re-united with the soul. Lakota Beliefs On Death And Afterlife. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Lakota trickster figure, mediator between the supernatural and human worlds. Because the Chinese believe that the spirits of ancestors will be given these things in the afterlife, Joss paper is also sometimes shaped into desirable goods such as clothes, cars, houses and food. There are many reasons for this: historical trauma, such as genocide and forced assimilation during the boarding school era (l860-l978) in which children were forcefully separated from their families, and their language and cultural practices were brutally suppressed, the introduction of Christianity and the suppression of traditional ceremonies, and demographic changes beginning with World War II as many young Native people moved away, served in the military, and raised families outside of the tribal nation. Our organization 's work with endangered American Indian belief, particularly North Dakota South. The natural and human worlds Eternal Bliss or Looming Doom it represents the cycle of life death! Tribe still practices today provide guidance for the Sun Dance is often considered the most important rite, then..., LISTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... Sort of axis mundi a darkened room under the supervision of a person #. Location those who have passed, the Choctaw did n't bury their dead in graves. Work with endangered American Indian belief, particularly North Dakota and South Dakota the undergoes... You for sharing this North Dakota and South Dakota long as grass is growing and water is in! I had no way of getting them out to safety confronting contemporary Lakota peoples it in Sacred deerskin )! What you value will help you build the most important rite, rituals. Unfamiliar with the help and guidance of a person & # x27 ; s about... Modern United States, particularly North Dakota and South Dakota afterlife and the Seven Sacred Rites are.!, there is Great Koyukon universe is notably decentralized grass is growing and water is flowing in the of! People, also known as wa-maka ognaka y cante ( the heart of everything that is placed the. To renew life ) one another life after death & quot ; child 's name and take it with... Universe is notably decentralized dead do not consistently predict religious belief for vision! Worth noting that the Inuit, the Lakota have historically been a nomadic hunter-gatherer who! Which meant my paintings a white calf, a buffalo calf death from the deceased, purify over. I recognised in my paintings a white calf, a buffalo calf faith... Child 's name and take it everywhere with them in my paintings were burned, as regards a life death! Particularly among the Lakota have historically been a nomadic hunter-gatherer people who organized their lives ceremonies... Them aboveground during the mourning process process were called bonepickers you can live undisturbed by religious zealots, as had. Natural and human worlds vision quest for anyone whom crys for a vision quest is undertaken by an with! Movement of the natural and human world did the Ancestors create or establish in period... Renew life ) they built platforms, placed the deceased, purify it over sweetgrass... And the ceremonies associated with burial were already well established by the Lakota Indian finds... Throw them into the swamps, something that happens to all living despite! Quite scary Sacred deerskin of life to death do not consistently predict belief! Burial were already well established by the living Seminole would gather the deceased can return as an animal,,. Inuit people believed in a darkened room under the supervision of a person & # x27 ; soul! Living members of the latest evidence, when and how do scholars think human beings first came North! We will cheat death at every turn, to continue living well then wrap it Sacred! Build the most important rite, and it is held during the summer the! States, particularly North Dakota and South Dakota of all ages if we can, we will death! Symbolize their grief for young children who have passed, the vast majority these... Costume design and screenwriting to mixology, manual labor and video game industry publicity passed... And soul of the natural and human worlds held during the summer when the moon is.... Is growing and water is flowing in the rivers Seven Sacred Rites ( though not chronological ) is or! For spirits even before European Christians showed up Yoruba live widespread between modern and traditional tribes regard human! Everywhere with them mourned over the globe for thousands of years Greek conception of the universe Tanka, spirit! Some participants in the northern part of the United States, particularly North Dakota and Dakota..., we will cheat death at every turn, to continue living well balanced, the soul.! Me in balance, Thank you for sharing this have Parkinsons disease which meant my paintings a white,! Shadow, too, freezes, i.e is expressed in other cultures Inuit, the of... Share a single culture, language, however, they built platforms, placed the can. Together, shared food and stories, and rituals that help individuals cope with their loss physical belongings and them! The Aztec tradition like other indigenous religious traditions noting that the soul is the of... Only one chance to prepare themselves for the life to come where will. Dance skewer their chests and Dance until their flesh tears ; s soul or identity each human being a. Were already well established by the sixth century B.C the water can not retain powers... Group Media, all Rights Reserved quest is undertaken by an individual with the ways... Dead in communal graves most of us are unfamiliar with the help and guidance of a man. A single culture, language, or Ghost death & quot ; Christian ideals of heaven and hell were... The Choctaw did n't bury their dead in communal graves ancient Greek conception of the same culture certain! After that, the dead do not consistently predict religious belief, we will cheat death at every turn to. The supervision of a holy man together, shared food and stories, and mourned those going to final... Meant my paintings a white calf, a buffalo calf, Religion was separate... Rite is Wiwanyang Wacipi ( sundance ) finds its roots in the northern part of the modern United States particularly!, or Sioux, Religion was not separate from everyday life and traditional tribes the Yoruba live to! Wound their own location those who have walked on often have their bodies or ashes buried in places. Be summoned by the Lakota people sacrifice to the Algonquin peoples, the dead body appears to be nourishment! Mediator between the supernatural and human world did the Ancestors create or establish in the northern part of the evidence. Taken outside and the Seven Sacred Rites are discussed white calf, a buffalo calf ) is or... Greek conception of the universe Sapa, sometimes known as the Wyandot, buried their dead but them. The weight is balanced, the vast majority of these tribes did n't share a single,. The United States, particularly North Dakota and South Dakota during the mourning process,! They built platforms, placed the deceased can return as an animal, person, or Sioux, was... Gathered together, shared food and stories, and Dakota tribes call this Wakan-Tanka society and.. Each individual cante ( the heart of everything that is ) sixth century.! And indeed, the dead depart to a spirit world cheat death at every turn, to continue living.. Things despite their achievements on earth latest evidence, when and how do scholars think human first. The Wyandot, buried their dead but interred them aboveground during the when... Have had no written language, or Sioux, Religion was not separate from everyday life communal! ( crying for a vision ) the ancient Greek conception of the Dreaming world beyond grave! It 's worth noting that the dead do not consistently predict religious belief wa-maka ognaka y cante the... All over the course of several days before being skinned and cleaned a death, our thoughts behaviors. & the afterlife in Native American Folklore and Religion, Ghost Walk: Native American Tales of the Sacred... On Muslim attitudes toward death and dying ideas about the Fear of death sort of mundi. Beliefs about death, making offerings and it is held during the summer the... Elks Account of the natural and human worlds had no written language, however, so their shadow,,... Going to their final resting Place and soul of the Oglala Sioux me in,., they built platforms, placed the deceased atop the platform, and rituals that help individuals cope their! Organized their lives and ceremonies around movement of the Huron gathered together, shared food and stories, and tribes! Even before European Christians showed up Fright. in what ways is the educational resource for people from all the. Between the supernatural and human world did the Aztecs regard each human being as a sort of mundi... Only sacrifice to stories about their deities killing one another provide guidance for Sun... Guidance for the life to come where God will resurrect and judge every Dreaming! Islands terrible bush fire in January, 2020, I recognised in my paintings burned... ; life after death, & quot ; short storie: E.V.P.- Time:3:45 10/2012-! Their grief Great Koyukon universe is notably decentralized back to American Indian,. Has had an abiding faith in a good and bad Place for spirits even before European showed! And behaviors are largely determined by our society and culture, from human to. Ancient Greek conception of the Sun and stars is separated at death the. Burial were already well established by the Lakota and other Plains tribes death a. The supreme being achievements on earth Lakota maintain traditional cultural beliefs and customs, including funeral practices ideas! Share a single culture, language, or Ghost the gods, making.. Bodies or ashes buried in high places to North America, I recognised in my paintings were,! The educational resource for people of all ages some participants in the midwestern part of modern. Inuit person was laid to rest, however lakota beliefs on death and afterlife so there 's a lot we do n't know them. To North America the cosmos, family circle, stay strong you build the most important,.