the first moravian missionaries came to the yukon-kuskokwim delta to save the natives from paganism. they opened up a moravian post in bethel in 1884 and have been saving the natives ever since. saving the natives wasn't the only thing the moravians did. the missionaries began a movement that robbed the real people from the very thing they were forcing upon the natives-- spirituality.
before 1884, the natives connected to the spiritual realm and made peace with each other and peace within through eskimo dancing. they honored the spirits through song and dance and showed deeper respect wearing elaborate masks. dancing was also a form of entertainment. broken or damaged relationships were mended or fixed by poking fun at each other. laughter was central to eskimo dancing.
the early moravian missionaries saw eskimo dancing as a form of devil worship and told the natives to stop and do away with masks. sadly, the natives stopped dancing and burned the masks. the natives stopped making prayer to the seal, to the animals, and stopped mending or fixing broken or damaged relationships. the natives also stopped laughing and poking fun at each other through dance.
the moravian missionaries succeeded and have been saving the natives from paganism ever since.
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