In the religion of the Mushuau Innu, every individual animal, fish, and plant, as well as each rock, and the wind, rain, and snow has a spirit. The reindeer spirit, Katipinimitauch, assures that the reindeer, who provide food and skin for clothes and moccasins, wander over the plateaus. The mukushan ritual, in which the whole camp eats raw marrow from reindeer joints, is held to pay Katipinimitauch respect.
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Though the Shaman
can locate animals,
if a hunter is to be successful,
he must personally maintain good relationships with the animal spirits,
principally by singing the songs dedicated to the spirits
and to the hunt.
He never goes hunting without his animal spirits.
Kaneuketat (pictured above) goes to church when the Mushuau Innu camp by the coast. he does not understand the missionary's language, but he believes it is good that he can go to heaven when he dies. However, as long as he is alive, his own religion and his relationship with the animal spirits are most important.
