Cultural meaning systems

All cultures have meaning systems that instill morals and values to help people navigate within their own cultures as well as in the broader world around them. In my Native (Ojibwe) culture we have traditional teachings such as the Medicine Wheel and Seven Grandfathers, and these meaning systems are carried by the traditional ceremonies and "conductors" who perform them. Despite adversity and the distractions of the new world with the high degree of freedom this presents, Native people have persistently held on to their customs, belief systems and the way of life encompassed within them. I believe this meaning system and the carriers that perpetuate them persist because of the intrinsic value they provide for cultural cohesion, a sense of belonging and purpose, and a critically needed, sustainable ecological balance.