Not much is understood about how the ancient Native American's celebrated the summer solstice. Several sites in the western United States appear to have been built to mark the summer solstice and the first day of the other seasons. There are monuments in the Big Horn mountains in Wyoming.

On a high butte called the Fajada Butte in Chaco Canyon in Colorado is another obvious place where sun worship was held with markers to highlight the day of the summer solstice. Because of these types of places being prominent in areas where the Native Americans resided, it seems apparent that the sun god and summer solstice were important parts of their culture.

People who are taken by the Native American beliefs and cultures tend to head to these places to celebrate the summer solstice each year. Some are Native Americans, but many are not. In some cases, due to shifts in the ground, the monuments no longer accurately depict the solstice in the way they were constructed to do. However, most are still close enough to serve as a place considered to be filled with mystical power.

In Zion Canyon in Sedona, Arizona is another place that crowds gather to participate in festival celebrations to commemorate the solstice. One of the few places east of the Mississippi River where similar celebrations are held each year is in Wisteria, Ohio. Today, many of these festivals attract many who participate in rituals that have little to do with Native American culture. However, some are mixed with ancient rituals that are thought to go back more than 1,000 years.

A number of the celebrations that center on the Native American culture are more of traditional feasts than a worship affair. They tend to be more about family and tribal fellowship than appeasing the sun god. Often they have modern approaches to old ideas. Since the solstice in many cultures involves the cycle of the moon at this time also, these activities are as likely to occur at night as at some point after sunrise. Many borrow from other pagan practices involving burning candles, incense, and other such rituals.

Some communities where there is a high interest in the Native American culture have created their own versions of the solstice festivals. These do not often draw huge crowds, but the numbers can be large enough to generate significant additional revenue for the businesses in the area. These festivals also serve to bring awareness to Native American beliefs and worship. Many vendors line up with wares that commemorate the event, or give interested visitors and opportunity to buy jewelry or clothing that simulate the Native American traditions.

Learn more about this author, Allen Teal.
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