Spiritual Celebration of Cultural Heritage

[This article examines the architecture of contemporary sacred places as a manifestation of culture and tradition in Native American, African, and African American communities in the U.S. today. Tribal and urban minority groups in the U.S. are currently engaged in a struggle to create new identities that demonstrate their cultural heritage and role in society. Through case-study analysis, ancient forms of sacred places are compared to the elements of contemporary cultural and spiritual spaces. The article explores in particular how reinterpretations of the meaning of traditional forms, materials, ceremonial artifacts, and design and planning processes have been used to help forge modern identity.]