Animism is the view that human beings on
the earth live — whether they know it or not — in community with persons who
are not human beings. These other-than-human persons may include animals,
plants, trees, rocks, clouds, thunder, and stars. The phrase other-than-human
persons was coined by anthropologist Irving Hallowell
to describe the world of the Ojibwe, in which humans, animals, fish, birds, and
plants — and some rocks, trees, and storms — are all relational, intentional,
conscious, and communicative beings. Ethnographer Thomas Blackburn reached
similar conclusions for the Chumash Indians, whose cosmos, he said, is composed
of an “interacting community of sentient creatures.”
Other-than-human persons may be helpful, harmful,
callous, malicious, indifferent, or tricky, just like human persons. It is
often helpful or necessary to enter into personal relationships with them; such
relationships with other-than-human persons may be comforting, demanding, or
dangerous, just as with human persons. As a result of such relationships,
other-than-human persons may provide information, insight, power, vision,
healing, protection, songs, and ceremonies. The receipt of such gifts entails
reciprocal obligations, just as with human persons.
