North America is often painted as a land of modernity and steel skyscrapers, but beneath that surface hums a much older, deeper rhythm. If you listen closely, you won’t just hear the noise of cities; you’ll hear the drumbeats of powwows, the soulful harmonies of gospel choirs, and the quiet prayers of mountain healers. We often talk about “culture” as food or festivals, but at Spiritual Culture, we see it as the soul of a people—the specific way they answer the big questions: Who are we? Why are we here? And how do we treat one another?
This list isn’t about population numbers or economic power. It is a journey through the ten cultural forces that have most deeply shaped the spirit of this continent. From the ancient wisdom of the First Nations to the meditative influence of Asian traditions, these are the cultures that have taught us how to grieve, how to celebrate, and how to find silence in a noisy world.
Imagine this not as a ranking of “best,” but as a collection of essential chapters in a massive, living book. Whether you are walking through a quiet Amish field or feeling the electric energy of a Gullah ring shout, you are stepping into a spiritual legacy that is alive, vibrant, and waiting to be understood.
Table of the Top 10 Most Influential Cultures in North America
| Rank | Cultural Influence | Core Spiritual Contribution | Key Region(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indigenous Nations (First Nations/Native American) | Harmony with Nature & The Medicine Wheel | Continent-wide |
| 2 | African American Heritage | Resilience, Soul & The Black Church | The South, Urban Centers |
| 3 | Mexican & Mestizo Culture | Connection to Ancestors (Día de los Muertos) | Southwest, California, Mexico |
| 4 | Appalachian Folk Culture | Mountain Mysticism & “Granny Magic” | Appalachian Mountains |
| 5 | Native Hawaiian (Kanaka Maoli) | The Aloha Spirit & Mana | Hawaiian Islands |
| 6 | Amish & Mennonite (The Plain People) | Radical Simplicity & Community | Pennsylvania, Midwest, Ontario |
| 7 | Gullah Geechee | Preservation of African Spirit & Ancestral Protection | Coastal Sea Islands (SC, GA, FL) |
| 8 | Asian American Influences | Mindfulness, Zen & Interconnectedness | West Coast, Urban Centers |
| 9 | French Canadian / Acadian | Joie de Vivre & Cultural Solidarity | Quebec, Louisiana (Cajun), New Brunswick |
| 10 | Jewish American Culture | Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) | Northeast, Urban Centers |
Top 10. Jewish American Culture
Walk into a bustling Jewish deli in New York or a quiet synagogue in Montreal, and you aren’t just entering a place of worship or food; you are stepping into a stream of history that spans thousands of years. It’s the smell of challah bread on a Friday evening, but it’s also the intense, passionate debates over justice and ethics. This culture is built on memory—on never forgetting where you came from—and on the profound idea that education and questioning are forms of prayer.
The spiritual soul of this culture in North America is best summarized by the concept of Tikkun Olam, or “repairing the world.” It’s the belief that the world is imperfect and broken, and it is the sacred duty of humanity not just to pray, but to fix it. This isn’t a passive spirituality; it is active. It demands that you get your hands dirty in the work of social justice, civil rights, and charity. It teaches us that holiness is found in our actions toward our neighbors, not just in the heavens.
For the rest of us, this influence serves as a powerful reminder that spirituality must be practical. We learn that we are partners in creation. When we stand up for the vulnerable or volunteer our time, we aren’t just “being nice”—we are engaging in a spiritual act of putting the world’s broken pieces back together.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Tikkun Olam: The mandate to actively heal the world through justice and charity.
- Shabbat: The spiritual practice of rest and disconnecting from work to reconnect with family.
- Scholarship: Viewing study, questioning, and debate as high forms of worship.
Top 9. French Canadian / Acadian
Imagine a freezing winter night in rural Quebec or the swamps of Louisiana. The wind is howling outside, but inside, the wooden floorboards are shaking from the rhythm of fiddles, spoons, and dancing feet. This is the world of the French Canadian and Acadian spirit. It is a culture forged in ice and exile, from the banks of the St. Lawrence River to the bayous of the Cajun south. It is a story of survival against the odds, kept alive not by armies, but by stories, songs, and an unshakeable refusal to disappear.
At its core, this culture offers the spiritual gift of Joie de Vivre (joy of living) mixed with a fierce solidarity. For centuries, the Catholic parish was the heartbeat of the village, but the true spirituality here is resilience wrapped in celebration. Whether it’s the legend of the Chasse-galerie (the flying canoe) warning against selling one’s soul, or the community gathering for a “kitchen party,” the message is clear: we survive the hard winters of life by holding onto one another and finding joy in the present moment.
This spirit teaches us that cultural identity is a sacred thing worth fighting for. In a world that often demands conformity, the French Canadian and Acadian legacy reminds us that staying true to your roots—your language, your songs, your family—is a spiritual act of defiance and love.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Joie de Vivre: Finding deep joy and celebration even in harsh conditions.
- The Parish Unit: Historically, the village church was the absolute center of social and spiritual life.
- Folklore: A rich oral tradition of legends that mix Catholic morality with magical storytelling.
Top 8. Asian American Influences
Picture a quiet room in a busy city where a group of people sits in total silence, focusing only on their breath. Or think of the “Beat poets” of the 1950s sitting in San Francisco cafes, reading translations of Zen haikus. While diverse in origin—spanning Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Korean, and many other ancestries—the Asian influence on North America has fundamentally shifted how the West understands the mind. It brought the scent of incense and the sound of the temple bell into the American consciousness.
The “soul” of this influence lies in the concepts of Mindfulness and Interconnectedness. Before this cultural exchange, North American spirituality was largely about looking outward to a God above. Asian traditions, particularly Zen Buddhism and Vedantic philosophy, taught North Americans to look inward. They introduced the radical idea that the present moment is the only place where life truly exists. This shift has been so profound that “mindfulness” is now practiced in schools, hospitals, and boardrooms across the continent.
We connect with this everyday when we take a deep breath to calm down or realize that our actions affect the whole planet. It is a spiritual gift that asks us to slow down, stop chasing the future, and realize that everything we are looking for is already right here, right now.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Mindfulness: The practice of being fully present, now a cornerstone of modern wellness.
- Non-Duality: The philosophical shift from “good vs. evil” to seeing the unity of all things.
- Holistic Health: The introduction of acupuncture, yoga, and herbalism as spiritual-physical practices.
Top 7. Gullah Geechee
On the humid sea islands stretching from North Carolina to Florida, there are porches painted a specific shade of pale blue-green. This isn’t just a design choice; it is “Haint Blue.” It is painted to trick evil spirits (haints) into thinking the ceiling is water or sky, which they cannot cross. Here, among the Gullah Geechee people—descendants of enslaved Africans who lived in relative isolation—you will find bottle trees with blue glass glinting in the sun, waiting to trap malevolent energy.
The Gullah Geechee culture is the most authentic preservation of African spirituality in North America. Their spirit is one of protection and continuity. They didn’t just adopt Christianity; they adapted it, blending it with ancestral African beliefs in the “Ring Shout”—a counter-clockwise circular dance that induces spiritual ecstasy and connection with the Holy Spirit. It is a culture that refuses to separate the physical world from the spiritual one; the ancestors are always watching, and the community is always listening.
Visiting the Lowcountry or learning about the Gullah teaches us that survival is creative. It reminds us that even in the darkest chapters of history, the human spirit can preserve its light by holding onto the rituals of the past. It’s a powerful lesson in the spiritual technology of protection and rhythm.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Haint Blue: A spiritual color used to ward off evil spirits from the home.
- The Ring Shout: A rhythmic spiritual dance that connects the community to the divine.
- Bottle Trees: Garden features designed to trap negative spirits inside glass bottles.
Top 6. Amish & Mennonite (The Plain People)
Driving through the backroads of Pennsylvania or Ohio, the world suddenly slows down. You see black buggies clipping along the shoulder, clothes drying on a line in the wind, and fields plowed by horses rather than massive tractors. This is the world of the Plain People. It is a deliberate choice to step out of the “rat race” of modern technology and convenience to prioritize something they value more: God and neighbor.
The spiritual core here is Gelassenheit, a German word meaning profound humility, submission, and yielding to the community. While the rest of North America celebrates the individual—my career, my success, my brand—the Amish and Mennonites celebrate the collective. They practice a spirituality of “radical simplicity.” They do not avoid technology because they don’t understand it; they avoid it because they believe it fragments the family and distracts from the quiet voice of God.
Even if we never give up our smartphones, there is a deep lesson here for us. The Plain People ask us to question our tools. They challenge us to ask, “Does this new thing bring me closer to the people I love, or does it pull me away?” In a distracted age, their quiet life is a booming message about focus.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Gelassenheit: A spirit of yielding to the community and God, valuing humility over pride.
- Barn Raisings: Faith in action—the entire community coming together to build for one family.
- The Ordnung: The unwritten set of rules that keeps the community aligned and separate from the world.
Top 5. Native Hawaiian (Kanaka Maoli)
In Hawaii, “Aloha” is not just a hello or goodbye sticker on a dashboard. It is a law written into the state constitution, and deeper than that, it is a spiritual discipline. When you see a traditional Hawaiian greeting—the touching of foreheads and noses to share breath—you are witnessing the “Ha,” the breath of life. This culture is born from the most isolated island chain on Earth, where survival depended on absolute cooperation and a deep reverence for the land.
The soul of this culture is Mana and Aloha. Mana is the spiritual power that exists in all things—people, rocks, waves, and words. You can gain mana by acting with integrity, or lose it by acting shamefully. Aloha is the coordination of mind and heart; it is the recognition that we share the same breath. It teaches that you cannot harm another person without harming yourself, because the separation between you is an illusion.
This connects to us on a visceral level. It tells us that “paradise” isn’t a place you go to on vacation; it’s a way of treating others. The Hawaiian spirit reminds us that we are stewards of the energy we bring into a room. Are we bringing life (Ha), or are we draining it?
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Aloha Spirit: A joyous, life-affirming attitude of mutual regard and affection.
- Mana: The spiritual energy or power found in people, objects, and nature.
- Ohana: The concept that family extends beyond blood, binding people in responsibility to one another.
Top 4. Appalachian Folk Culture
High in the misty ridges of the Appalachian Mountains, there is a form of Christianity that feels as old as the hills themselves. It’s a place where the Bible is read by candlelight, but where grandma also knows exactly which root to dig up to break a fever or how to “talk the fire” out of a burn. This is a “thin place”—a region where the veil between the natural and supernatural is worn sheer by centuries of isolation and poverty.
The spiritual essence here is Mystical Pragmatism. Often called “Granny Magic,” this culture blends Protestant faith with Indigenous plant wisdom and Scots-Irish folklore. It is a spirituality of self-reliance. Here, God isn’t far away in a cathedral; He is in the creek, the wind, and the soil. It is a culture that accepts signs, omens, and dreams as valid parts of daily life, refusing to sterilize the world with pure logic.
Appalachia teaches us to re-enchant our world. It reminds us that nature is God’s first Bible. It challenges the modern idea that we can buy a solution for everything, reminding us instead that sometimes the cure for what ails us is growing right in our own backyard, if we only knew how to look.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Granny Magic: A blend of faith healing, herbalism, and folk practices used by community elders.
- Connection to Land: A belief that the mountains themselves are sacred and protective.
- Fatalism & Faith: A stoic acceptance of life’s hardships, balanced by a deep reliance on Providence.
Top 3. Mexican & Mestizo Culture
In early November, the scent of marigolds (cempasúchil) fills the air in Mexican-American neighborhoods across the continent. Altars are built in living rooms, stacked with sugar skulls, photos of grandparents, and their favorite foods. This is Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), but it is not a funeral. It is a reunion. It is the most visible expression of a culture that refuses to let death sever the bonds of love.
The soul of this culture is The Eternal Bond of Family. In the Mestizo worldview—a blend of Spanish Catholic and Indigenous Aztec/Mayan beliefs—death is not the end, but a different stage of life. The ancestors are not gone; they are just waiting to be invited back. This perspective flips the Western fear of death on its head. It replaces silence and mourning with color, food, and music.
For anyone who has lost a loved one, this culture offers a profound gift: permission to grieve with joy. It teaches us that as long as we tell their stories and speak their names, our loved ones never truly leave us. It transforms the graveyard from a place of fear into a place of picnic and memory.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Día de los Muertos: A joyful annual reunion between the living and the dead.
- The Ofrenda (Altar): A sacred space in the home acting as a bridge for spirits.
- Syncretism: The seamless blending of Indigenous rituals with Catholic iconography.
Top 2. African American Heritage
If you trace the roots of American music, civil rights, or popular culture, you will almost always find yourself at the steps of the Black Church. Born in the crucible of slavery, this culture created a spiritual technology for surviving the impossible. It turned the master’s religion into a tool for liberation. Whether through the sorrow songs of the fields or the thunderous joy of a Sunday gospel choir, this is a culture that knows how to transmute suffering into gold.
The spiritual core here is Resilience and Hope. It is a spirituality that doesn’t deny pain but sings right through it. The concept of “Soul” isn’t just a genre of music; it’s a way of being—an emotional depth and authenticity that refuses to be fake. From the pulpit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the literature of Toni Morrison, this culture has taught the continent that spiritual growth is inextricably linked to the fight for freedom and dignity.
We connect with this legacy whenever we find strength in our darkest hours. It teaches us that we can be “troubled on every side, yet not distressed.” It reminds us that the human voice—raised in song or protest—is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons we possess.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- The Black Church: The historic hub of spiritual, political, and social life.
- Gospel Music: A musical tradition designed to uplift the spirit and induce catharsis.
- Liberation Theology: The belief that God is always on the side of the oppressed.
Top 1. Indigenous Nations (Native American / First Nations)
Before the cathedrals, before the skyscrapers, and before the borders, there was the Land. The Indigenous cultures of North America—from the Inuit in the frozen north to the Navajo in the painted deserts—hold the foundational spiritual frequency of this continent. For thousands of years, they have maintained a covenant with the Earth, viewing the planet not as a resource to be used, but as a relative to be honored.
The “soul” of this number one ranking is Harmony and Relationality. The concept of the “Medicine Wheel” teaches that all life is a circle. You cannot hurt the water without hurting yourself. You cannot neglect the elders without starving the future. This isn’t just “nature worship”; it is a sophisticated system of balance. It involves ceremonies like the Sweat Lodge or the Sun Dance that act as hard resets, realigning the human spirit with the rhythms of the universe.
Why is this the most influential? Because in an era of climate crisis and isolation, the Indigenous worldview is the wisdom the world is desperately trying to remember. It teaches us that we are not above nature; we are part of it. Standing on this soil, their ancestors’ prayers are still in the wind, reminding us to walk gently and live with gratitude.
Cultural & Spiritual Highlights
- Mitakuye Oyasin: A Lakota phrase meaning “All my relations,” acknowledging connection to all life.
- The Medicine Wheel: A symbol of balance between physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
- Stewardship: The spiritual obligation to protect the land for the next seven generations.
Conclusion
Looking at this list, it becomes clear that North America is not a melting pot where distinct flavors disappear into a grey soup. It is a mosaic. Each of these cultures—from the stoic Amish farmer to the joyful Gospel singer—holds a piece of the puzzle of what it means to be human. They offer us different tools for different days: the stoicism of the mountains for our hardships, the mindfulness of the East for our stress, and the warm “Aloha” of the islands for our loneliness.
At Spiritual Culture, we believe that you don’t have to be born into these cultures to learn from them. You just have to listen with respect. By understanding these deep spiritual roots, we don’t just learn about our neighbors; we expand our own souls.
What is one tradition from this list that you can respectfully bring into your life this week? Maybe it’s a moment of silence, a family meal without phones, or a walk in nature to thank the land you stand on.
