manitou
manitou, among Algonquian-speaking peoples of North America, the spiritual power inherent in the world generally. Manitous are also believed to be present in natural phenomena (animals, plants, geographic features, weather); they are personified as spirit-beings that interact with humans and each other and are led by the Great Manitou (Kitchi-Manitou). The word was frequently used by 19th-century and early 20th-century anthropologists in their theories of animism, a religious system characteristic of many indigenous peoples. See also Coyote and Raven cycle.
Citation Information
Article Title:
manitou
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
29 March 2007
URL:
https://www.britannica.comhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/manitou-North-American-Indian-religion
Access Date:
March 14, 2025