<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- Created by Tomatekh-->
<GameData>
	<Language_ES_ES>
		<!-- Roman Catholic -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHRISTIAN_0_CATHOLIC">
			<Text>Catholicism</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHRISTIAN_0_CATHOLIC_PEDIA">
			<Text>Roman Catholicism refers to the theology and doctrine of the Christian church under the auspices of the Holy See, the papacy based in Rome. According to ecclesiastical scholars, Catholicism is distinguished from other branches of Christianity by its commitment to the church's traditions, to the sacraments, and its priesthood as interpreters of the Bible.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The earliest known use of the term "Catholic Church" is by Ignatius of Antioch around 107 AD. The early church was organized based on the rule of three patriarchs, those of Rome, Alexandria and Antioch - to which were later added the patriarchs of Constantinople and Jerusalem. The patriarch of Rome claimed special authority based on the connection between St. Peter and the city. For 1000 years, Roman Catholicism dominated Europe, until the Great Schism of 1054 AD that gave rise to Eastern Orthodoxy. Some 500 years later another major division in Christianity occurred with the Protestant Reformation, which saw many in Europe reject the teachings and practices of Catholicism in favor of more personal expressions of belief.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Presently, the Roman Catholic Church considers those not in communion with the Vatican to be "non-Catholics" but tolerates differing interpretations of the Bible. Roman Catholicism remains the largest Christian church, with over a billion members worldwide.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Oriental Orthodoxy -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHRISTIAN_2_COPTIC">
			<Text>Oriental Orthodoxy</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHRISTIAN_2_COPTIC_PEDIA">
			<Text>Oriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only the first three ecumenical councils; the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople, and the First Council of Ephesus. Despite the potentially confusing nomenclature, Oriental Orthodox churches are distinct from those that are collectively referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Formally, Oriental Orthodoxy split from Roman Catholicism in AD 451 with the rejection of the Council of Chalcedon. As one of the earliest Oriental Orthodox churches, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria usually retains the symbolic position of "first among equals" similar to the Ecumenical Patriarch among the Eastern Orthodox. The Oriental Orthodox communion comprises six churches: Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Eritrean Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and Armenian Apostolic churches. These churches, while being in communion with one another, are hierarchically independent.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The Oriental Orthodox Churches and the rest of the Church split over differences in Christological terminology. The First Council of Nicaea declared that Jesus Christ is God, that is to say, consubstantial with the Father; and the First Council of Ephesus that Jesus, though divine as well as human, is only one being. Twenty years after Ephesus, the Council of Chalcedon declared that Jesus is one person in two complete natures, one human and one divine. Those who opposed Chalcedon likened its doctrine to the Nestorian heresy, condemned at Ephesus, that Christ was two distinct beings, one divine (the Logos) and one human (Jesus).</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Eastern Orthodox -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHRISTIAN_3_ORTHODOX">
			<Text>Eastern Orthodoxy</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHRISTIAN_3_ORTHODOX_PEDIA">
			<Text>The Eastern Orthodox Church is currently the second-largest Christian denomination, with an estimated 300 million adherents. The goal of Orthodox Christians is to draw nearer to God throughout their lives through theosis, a spiritual pilgrimage to become more "Christ-like."[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The church traces its roots to the Great Schism. During the 9th and 10th centuries AD the Christian church under the Patriarch of Constantinople made significant conversions among the peoples of eastern Europe, including Kievan Russia and the Balkans. Doctrinal issues such as the filioque split and the authority of the Pope over the Patriarch in matters religious, exacerbated by the political and economic rivalry of Rome and Constantinople, led to a schism. The final breach between these two branches of Christianity is acknowledged as the sacking of Constantinople by the Catholic crusaders in 1204 AD. Moreover, after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453, the Eastern Church became even more isolated from Rome under the relatively tolerant rule of the Turks.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The Orthodox Church, which saw itself as the true heir to the teachings and practices of the early Christians, flourished under the Russian Tsars. Although somewhat diminished by Communist rule and Balkan secularism, Eastern Orthodoxy has experienced a resurgence in recent decades and remains a vital aspect of Christianity.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Protestantism -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHRISTIAN_5_PROTESTANTISM">
			<Text>Protestantism</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHRISTIAN_5_PROTESTANTISM_PEDIA">
			<Text>The Protestant Reformation, as a movement that would eventually divide Christian Europe, began as a protest in Germany against Catholic doctrine and practices, especially in regard to salvation, justification and interpretation of the Bible.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Based upon his readings of humanist scholars, in 1517 AD Martin Luther, a German priest in the university town of Wittenberg, published his 95 theses criticizing certain practices of the Catholic Church. His example saw other liberal religious thinkers advance their own critiques of the church, and "evangelical" Lutheran denominations sprang up across Germany and Scandinavia, "reformed" creeds in Switzerland under John Calvin. Meanwhile religion became mixed with politics in England and elsewhere, bringing yet more Protestant churches into existence. Although with some differences, all the Protestant movements maintained two tenets: that the Bible, rather than papal interpretation, was the sole source of authority for Christians; and that salvation comes only through a personal connection with Jesus as the Christ rather than through good works or indulgences.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The split in the Catholic faith would ignite a series of religious wars, echoes of which resonate still. Despite numerous movements and divisions with Protestantism since, its many denominations together number about 670 million members.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Zulu -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_AMATONGO">
			<Text>Amatongo</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_AMATONGO_PEDIA">
			<Text>Zulu indigenous belief is primarily one of ancestor worship. The Zulu pray to the "amatongo", the venerated ancestors, and the spirits of the dead in general are understood to be responsible for the care of the living, the community's wealth and cattle, and the harmony in the kraal. The Amatongo are in charge of bringing correction and balance to the community and are as much present in the homestead as the living members of the lineage. Communion with the spirits of the ancestors is perhaps the largest part of traditional Zulu culture performed through the ritual sacrifice of cattle.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Unkulunkulu, the first man who emerged from a bed of reeds, is assigned by the Zulu peoples to a period before human understanding. The knowledge of everything was brought forth by the power of the word of Unkulunkulu, known as "nommo". Yet, Unkulunkulu is not to be understood as a supreme being.  No one worships or prays to Unkulunkulu because he is so far away; a direct connection between humankind and Unkulunkulu has progressively been erased.  Unkulunkulu is as natural as rain, food, and grain.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The "Lord-of-the-Sky" emerged from the reeds after Unkulunkulu, and it is from him that the Zulu get their name. However, again, the Lord-of-the-Sky cannot be regarded as the First Being, or a distant ruler who is to be revered and feared, nor is there any true relationship between the Lord-of-the-Sky and Unkulunkulu. Much less can the Lord-of-the-Sky be regarded as the native denomination of an Almighty God. Such interpretations came about only later after the introduction of Christian concepts into the Zulu mythos. Consequently, modern Zulu religious practice often focuses on the Lord-of-the-Sky as a more traditional Western God figure and prayer and sacrifice are often directed to him rather than the venerated ancestors.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Levant -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CANAANISM">
			<Text>Canaanism</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CANAANISM_PEDIA">
			<Text>Canaanite polytheism refers to the Ancient Semitic religions practiced in the Levant from at least the early Bronze Age through the first centuries of the common era. Notably, it was the religion practiced by the ancient Phoenicians who then disseminated it throughout their coastal colonies. Native Carthaginian religion is thus included within the broader heading of Canaanism. Central deities included: El, the most high; El's consort, Asherah; Ba'al Hadad, a storm god and the central cultic focus of later Canaanite thought; and Tanit, a lunar goddess and the patron of Carthage.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Canaanite religion is perhaps most studied today as a contrast to Biblical Judaism. Thanks to archeological finds in areas such as Ugarit, Canaanite religious texts present a contemporary to ancient Jewish religious practice. There is strong evidence through linguistic cognates and parallel mythic themes that both religions separated from the same Proto-Semitic source and perhaps even of the worship of Canaanite gods by the pre-Biblical Jewish people.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]One of the most prevalent features of Canaanite religion are the limestone cippi and stelae monuments found throughout the Western Phoenician world. Today, they are often described as the Phoenician "Stone Cult". Many stelae were set up over urns containing the ashes of human sacrifices, and often would be engraved with a symbol of a deity, such as Tanit.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Mesopotamia -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHALDEANISM">
			<Text>Chaldaenism</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_CHALDEANISM_PEDIA">
			<Text>"His utterance is fixed, his pronouncement is unalterable. No god can change his utterance."[NEWLINE]- Enuma Elish[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Mesopotamian polytheism refers to the religious beliefs and practices followed by the Sumerian and Akkadian (Assyrian/Babylonian) peoples living in Mesopotamia, dominating the region for a period of 4,200 years from the fourth millennium BC to approximately the 3rd century AD. Mesopotamian religion was polytheistic, worshipping over 2,100 different deities, many of which were associated with a specific city or state within Mesopotamia. Some of the most significant of these deities were Anu, Ea, Enlil, Ishtar (Astarte), and Ashur.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]In Mesopotamian thought, the created world was constituted of divine utterances which were written down. The sublunary world in its totality was considered to be a reflection of the Divine Script, therefore the whole of nature (the transformed body of Tiamat) assumed a divinatory value and could be read as a type of code used by the Divine Will. The act of creation was seen as the writing of the gods.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]This structure of ontology and cosmology is based on the notion that the divine Word gives birth to everything and consequently the return to the source is accomplished through theurgic speech; through the utterance of Marduk or Ashur's names. Astrology, the writing of the firmament, is part of this design, since Marduk and Ashur's words were understood to be fixed for eternity.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The term "Chaldea" originally referred to the Neo-Babylonian Empire and, subsequently, all the inhabitants of lower Mesopotamia were considered Chaldeans. "Chaldaios" was used by the Hellenes to designate members of the Babylonian priesthood and, by extension, all Mesopotamian diviners, sages, astrologers, mathematicians, and exegetes.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Celtic -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_DRUIDISM">
			<Text>Druidism</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_DRUIDISM_PEDIA">
			<Text>Celtic polytheism comprises the religious beliefs and practices adhered to by the Iron Age peoples of Western Europe now known as the Celts, roughly between 500 BC and AD 500, spanning the La Tène period and the Roman era, and in the case of the Insular Celts, the British and Irish Iron Age. A member of the Indo-European family, it comprised a large degree of variation both geographically and chronologically, although exhibiting broad structural similarities indicating a basic religious homogeneity amongst the Celtic peoples.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The Celts worshipped in constructed temples and shrines, although according to Greco-Roman accounts, they also worshipped in areas of the natural world that were held to be sacred, primarily in groves of trees. The temples were square in shape and constructed out of wood in rectangular ditched enclosures. The Celts produced votive offerings to their deities, which were buried in the earth or thrown into rivers or bogs. Additionally, there is archaeological evidence to suggest the Celts practiced human sacrifice. The Celts were animists, believing that all aspects of the natural world contained spirits, and that communication was possible with these spirits.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]According to a number of Greco-Roman writers, Gaulish and British society held a group of magico-religious specialists known as the druids in high esteem. Their roles and responsibilities differ between the various accounts, but Julius Caesar described the druids as being concerned with "divine worship, the due performance of sacrifices, private or public, and the interpretation of ritual questions." Vernacular Irish sources also referred to the druids, portraying them not only as priests but as sorcerers who had supernatural powers which they used for cursing and divination and who opposed the coming of Christianity.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Germanic -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_FORN_SIDR">
			<Text>Forn Siðr</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_FORN_SIDR_PEDIA">
			<Text>Germanic polytheism refers to the theology and religious practices of the Germanic peoples from the Iron Age until their Christianization during the Medieval period. It has been described as being a system of interlocking and closely interrelated religious worldviews and practices rather than as one indivisible religion and, as such, consisted of individual worshippers, family traditions, and regional cults within a broadly consistent framework. The best documented version is that of 10th and 11th century Norse religion. Germanic paganism was polytheistic, with similarities to other Indo-European religions. Many of the Germanic deities appeared under similar names across the Germanic peoples, most notably the god known to the Germans as Wotan and to the Norse as Odin.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The Germanic tribes rarely had temples in a modern sense. The blót, the form of sacrificial worship practiced by the ancient Germanic and Scandinavian people, resembled that of the Celts and Balts. It could occur in sacred groves but could also take place at home or at a simple altar of piled stones known as a hörgr. However, there seems to have been a few important centres of worship, such as Skiringsal, Lejre, and Uppsala. Some kind of shamanistic priesthood seems to have existed, focusing especially on magical women known as völur. There also seems to have been chieftain-priests called goðar who arranged religious festivals at their own estates for their followers.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]There is no standard name for the collection of Germanic polytheistic beliefs. Forn Siðr is the Old Norse term for "Old Custom", used as a term for pre-Christian Germanic culture in general. It has also been taken up by Germanic Neo-Pagan groups in Scandinavia and Germany. The term Ásatrú ("Æsir faith") is the most common term employed by Norse re-constructivist groups to identify Norse Neo-Pagan movements.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Hellenic -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_HELLENISM">
			<Text>Hellenism</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_HELLENISM_PEDIA">
			<Text>Hellenistic polytheism refers to any of the various systems of belief and practice of the people who lived under the influence of ancient Greek culture during the Hellenistic period and the Roman Empire; ca. 300 BC to AD 300. Today, Greek religion is perhaps most widely known through the Olympian gods, headed by Zeus, as well as their Roman cognates. Both have been featured prominently in Western art and proved a popular motif during the European Renaissance.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]As a descendant of the Proto-Indo-European religious tradition, sacrifice retained a preeminent position in Hellenistic religion institutionalized in various temple cults. Popular religion centered around paying proper respect to the gods, thus bringing "charis" (reciprocal grace). There is also ample evidence for the use of magic in this period; oracular shrines and sanctuaries were still popular as well as the use of charms and curses. Roman religion was also greatly influenced by native Etruscan belief, perhaps most notable through the concept of "numen" - a sort of guiding potential spirit. The growth of the Roman Empire also saw the rise of the deification of the Emperor and his Imperial Cult.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The waning years of the Hellenistic religions were increasingly ones of syncretism with the East. The expanded Alexandrine Empire allowed Greek thought to mix with Egyptian and Chaldean influences, giving birth to the mystic philosophies of Late Antiquity. Notably, the emanationist cosmology and the cosmic hierarchies developed by Neo-Platonism would significantly influence later Christian thought. Similarly, in Rome, Eastern mystery cults such as Mithraism would also influence both folk and official traditions, perhaps paving the way for the later adoption of Christianity.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Polynesia -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_MANAISM">
			<Text>Manaism</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_MANAISM_PEDIA">
			<Text>Indigenous Polynesian religion represents a group of distinct but related belief systems that exists across the various ethnic groups of the Polynesian Triangle. These belief systems often share many fundamental concepts, such as "mana" and "tapu", and feature similar mythic cycles. The religion is polytheistic, believing in many deities, but also animistic; spirits are also found in non-human beings and objects such as animals, the waves, and the sky. In Hawaii, the gods are known as "atua", and the four most prominent deities, the "ka ha", were Kane (the creator), Ku (war), Lono (agriculture), and Kanaloa (the sea). Cognates of these gods (Tane, Tu, Rongo, Tangaroa, respectively), held similar positions of prominence throughout the East Polynesian groups.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Mana is a sacred impersonal force permeating  the universe. To have mana is to have influence and authority, and efficacy; the power to perform in a given situation. The word's meaning is complex because mana is a basic foundation of the Polynesian worldview. Mana is a form of a spiritual energy and also a healing power which can exist in places, objects, and persons. Certain places are believed to possess strong mana.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Tapu/Kapu can be interpreted as "sacred" with the extension of "spiritual restrictions" or "implied prohibitions". In essence, it represents a code of conduct of laws and regulations universal in lifestyle, gender roles, politics, and religion. The kapu system was used in Hawaii until 1819, when King Kamehameha II, acting with his mother Keopuolani and his father's queen Ka'ahumanu, abolished it by the symbolic act of sharing a meal of forbidden foods with the women of his court. The abolishment of the kapu system can also be seen as the end of traditional religion in the Hawaiian Islands.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Iroquois -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_ORENDA">
			<Text>Orenda</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_ORENDA_PEDIA">
			<Text>Iroquois religion is characterized by a dualistic belief in an all-powerful creator known as Hawenneyu, or "Great Spirit", and his evil twin brother Hanegoategeh, or "Evil-Minded". The Iroquois believe in the constant superintending care of the Great Spirit, yet knowledge of him is beyond human understanding. Honochenokeh, or "Invisible Agents", are a series of intermediary lesser spirits which preside over individual objects or powers. The Iroquoian term Orenda, like mana, designates a power that is inherent in numerous objects of nature but that does not have essential personification or animistic elements.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The ritual ceremonies practiced by the Iroquois tribes were systematic occurring in accordance to certain seasonal periods throughout the year. Festivals were led by Honundenont, or "Keepers of the Faith", and most commonly occurred during important agricultural periods. Worship and thanks were given to the Great Spirit for protection and survival. Creation myths often involve the interplay between Hawenneyu and Hanegoategeh, as well as Atahensic, the Sky Woman. Hawenneyu was said to have planted a single maize plant in the body of his mother Atahensic. This plant was a gift to mankind. In many variants of the creation myth, Atahensic was a Sky Woman who fell to earth. She died in childbirth and her body fertilized the earth so that her granddaughters could grow many things. The Iroquois axis mundi existed as a form of Great Turtle who carried the world on the back of his shell.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Characteristic of many Native American tribes in the American North East is the prevalence of medicine societies. The False Face Society is a traditional medicine society of the Iroquois similar but distinct from the Midewiwin of the Ojibwe. It is particularly known for its traditional wooden masks. Today, most Iroquois practice a form of Christianity. The Longhouse Religion was founded in 1799 by chief Handsome Lake. While it has similarities to the Quaker in practice, this new Seneca religion has elements from both Christianity and traditional beliefs.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Incan -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_PACHISM">
			<Text>Pachaism</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_PACHISM_PEDIA">
			<Text>Throughout the Inca Empire several polytheistic religions were practiced. Most religions had common traits such as the existence of Pachamama, the earth mother, and Viracocha; the creator. Andean myths tended to be highly localized before the Inca expansion, expressing the ancestral origin of an individual community whose migration or emergence onto the landscape was designed to substantiate or justify access to the natural resources of that land.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Although the Inca generally allowed and even incorporated local deities, they also controlled religion to give the empire more cohesion. Conquered peoples had to incorporate the Inca deities into their local pantheons. Inca leadership encouraged the worship of Inti, the sun god, and imposed its sovereignty above other cults such as that of Pachamama.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Local worship persisted in the form of "huacas" which were widespread across the Inca Empire. Huacas were deific entities that resided in natural objects such as mountains, boulders, streams, battle fields, and any type of place that was connected with past Inca rulers. Huacas could also be inanimate objects, such as pottery, that were believed to be vessels carrying deities. Spiritual leaders in a community would use prayer and offerings to communicate with a huaca for advice or assistance.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]A prominent theme of the Andean worldview is the duality of the cosmos. Deities had both a positive and a negative aspect, and everything in the cosmos had a complement; an above and an under.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Egyptian -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_PESEDJET">
			<Text>Pesedjet</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_PESEDJET_PEDIA">
			<Text>Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with many deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature. The practices of Egyptian religion were efforts to provide for the gods and gain their favor. Formal religious practice centered on the pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Although he was a human, the pharaoh was believed to be descended from the gods. He acted as the intermediary between his people and the gods, and was obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain order in the universe. The state dedicated enormous resources to Egyptian rituals and to the construction of the temples.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Like many ancient religions, various cults held differing importance on a city by city basis. The Egyptians referred to a group of gods worshipped within a cult as a "Pesedjet". There were many Pesedjets, but overtime the Great Pesedjet emerged in Heliopolis centered on the gods Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. The Greeks referred to this grouping of nine divinities as the "Ennead".[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The Great Pesedjet first appeared when the cult of the sun god Ra, which had gained supreme ascendency during the 5th dynasty, declined during the 6th dynasty. After propagation of the Great Pesedjet, the cult of Ra identified with Atum saw a great resurgence until being superseded by the worship of Horus and the identification of the two as Ra-Harakhty. Egyptologists have traditionally theorized that the priesthood of Heliopolis established the Great Pesedjet in order to stress the preeminence of the sun-god above other deities. The Great Pesedjet thrived from the Old Kingdom until its decline under the Ptolemaic rulers.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Shoshone -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_POHAKANTENNA">
			<Text>Pohakantenna</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_POHAKANTENNA_PEDIA">
			<Text>The religion of the Numic peoples of the Great Basin recognizes the central importance of power and energy; "poha". Poha, as the central vivifying energy, has a great affinity for all living things. As water is the most vitally important component of living in the Basin, poha and water ("paa") are closely linked.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Poha is not understood to be static; it is dynamic and kinetic, underlying all aspects of the universe. As singing and dancing involve rhythmical movement not unlike the poha of the universe, both play a central role in controlling the flow of power. Large formal gatherings, such as the dancing circle, serve to concentrate poha in an area. Poha is also conferred by a spirit through a recurrent dream or vision. The individual can then use the power to benefit others, becoming a shaman (pohakanten), or for personal reasons; becoming a witch (dizipoha). Power in and of itself is merely a gift to man by one of the immortals, usually the ideal of an animal species, which has existed since the Timeless Age.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The Timeless Age is characterized by sameness and night. The creator, Old Ocean Woman, sprinkled some of her skin on the water and, assuming a birthing posture, stretched it out to make the land. Humans were created on an island formed by Ocean Woman as the result of the union of Coyote as father and Louse as mother. The center of the primal world was most likely originally associated with Charleston Peak just west of Las Vegas. Mountains, as a source of rivers and streams, form a web or network of power across the landscape. Likewise, the source of poha can be traced to the memory of Old Ocean Woman, for whom past, present, and future are all the same. Poha permeates the universe and tends to concentrate around the activities of life (old campsites, graves, trails) forming memory lines across the Great Basin.</Text>
		</Row>
		<!-- Mesoamerica -->
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_TLATEOMATILIZTLI">
			<Text>Tlateomatiliztli</Text>
		</Row>
		<Row Tag="TXT_KEY_RELIGION_TLATEOMATILIZTLI_PEDIA">
			<Text>The Mesoamerican religions of Central America represent a closely related but distinct group of faiths, many of which had elements of human sacrifice in connection with a large number of religious festivals which were held according to astrological calendars.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]The Aztec world consisted of three main parts: the earth world on which humans lived, an underworld which belonged to the dead, and the upper plane in the sky. The earth and the underworld were both open for humans to enter, whereas the upper plane in the sky was impenetrable to humans. Existence was envisioned as straddling the two worlds in a cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. Thus as the sun was believed to dwell in the underworld at night in order to be reborn in the morning and maize kernels were interred to later sprout anew, so the human and divine existence was also envisioned as being cyclical.[NEWLINE][NEWLINE]Sacrificial rituals among the Aztecs and in Mesoamerica in general must be seen in the context of religious cosmology; sacrifice and death was necessary for the continued existence of the world. Likewise each part of life had one or more deities associated with it and these had to be paid their dues in order to achieve success. Gods were paid with sacrificial offerings of food, flowers, effigies, and quail. But the larger the effort required of the god, the greater the sacrifice. Blood fed the gods and kept the sun from falling. For some of the most important rites, a priest would offer his own blood, by cutting his ears, arms, tongue, thighs, chest, genitals, or offer a human life, or even a god's life. The people who were sacrificed came from many segments of society, and might be a war captive, slave, or a member of Aztec society.</Text>
		</Row>
	</Language_ES_ES>	
</GameData>