The Sundance, or known to the Lakota as Wiwanyag Wachipi, is one of the most fundamental and sacred rites of the Lakota people. It is also one of the more complex rituals, as it is a dance aligned with the sun for three days and two nights and there are numerous small details that must be done before the ritual can take place. Created as a means of bringing together the Lakota people and providing community during hardship, the Sundance is the largest and quickest pan-Indian movement up to date. Wiwanyag Wachipi is one of the “seven classical rites” described by William Young in his book Quest For Harmony.
Also included is the sweat lodge, vision quest, girl transitioning into a woman, making relatives, soul keeping, and throwing the ball. There are several more sacred rituals, most concerning life-cycles. The Sundance emerged as one of the most practiced ceremonies amongst the Lakota as it represented them and the troubles they have endured while also making spirituality the focus of their culture again. The dedication that it takes to complete these rituals is outstanding as fasting occurs over the three days, and dancing begins with sunrise and doesn’t stop until the sun is down.
All of this showcases sacrificing to compensate for the suffering of Lakota people. Young describes it as follows; “.. the sun dance continues to help give the Lakota a sense of identity and unity. It also contributes to intertribal understanding, since many Native Americans from other nations participate in open dances. ” (Young, 2002: 214), which explains why the Sundance spread so rapidly throughout the entire nation. William Young believes there are three core values of spirituality in the form of renewal.
The first consisting of language. Without knowing the Lakota language, the eremonies aren’t interpreted with as much emphasis and the traditional way of life begins to disappear. An increase in those participating in the sacred rites, such as the Sundance, means that it is crucial the Lakota language is not separated and lost in time. Second, is the growth of rites not included in the “seven classics” like Yuwipi, as well as maintaining ideologies such as the Sacred Hoop, Paha Sapa, and the Four Directions; rooted traditions of the Lakota. Lastly is the addition of the Christian religion to the Lakota nation and its ability to express their beliefs in another manner.
The Wiwanyag Wachipi did in fact have non-Lakota influences as Edgar Red Cloud compared the two; “The wreath worn by the dancers was like the crown of thorns Jesus wore; the piercing of the chest is a reminder that Jesus was pierced on the cross” (LaPointe, 1976: 115). The Lakota (and not Lakota) influences come from individuals such as White Buffalo Woman, Nicholas Black Elk, the Roman Catholic Church, as well as non-natives that practice these sacred ceremonies alongside the Lakota (Young: 197, 215). In order for the Sundance to take place, specific sub-rites must be racticed throughout the ceremony or it will not have been done properly. Several vision quests must be completed before the ceremony begins to allow the person to participate in the Sundance. To start the dance, a pipe mentor (sponsor) must be found to help provide all needed materials such as a sweat lodge, the Sacred Tree to be used, as well as the dancers who will participate.
A ribbon is placed around the tree and prayers are said monthly up until the day the tree is cut. The Sacred Tree is then transported to the designated location without touching the ground and a lodge is built centered around it after a branch s cut off, as well as a sweat lodge made nearby. The tree must be buried on a buffalo piece too! When it comes time for the ceremony, dancers enter the lodge from the East at sunrise wearing attire specifically for the Sundance and their sacred pipes. Prayers are made, dancing begins, and it doesn’t stop as long as the sun is up. The second day allows for ear piercings, mainly for children, and the Four Directions dance is performed. Finally, on the third day, late morning healing occurs followed later by flesh sacrifices made to emphasize the struggle of the
Lakota people and all Native Americans as a whole (Class notes). A small communal meal is then served, and the ceremony is brought to an end. Mary Crow Dog has a slightly different perspective of the Sundance. Residing on the Sioux reservation with her husband Leonard and children, the Sundance was not only a means of giving support through turmoil, but also a way to bring a community back together again. After Leonard was imprisoned and Mary had to spend time away in the big city of New York, life on the reservation seemed so much different than before, and they had to reacquaint” themselves.
Tragedy and suffering brings about separation, so rituals have become outlets to seek companionship and belonging to those affected as they are all- inclusive. Called the “granddaddy of all Indian ceremonies” (Crow Dog,: 252), the Sundance allowed for sacrifices to be made for loved ones and to help others. Mary emphasizes the importance of spiritual rituals as they provided her with fond memories of past experiences and the act of sacrificing. As these ceremonies were so common and frequent in her community, she connected each one with a positive hought of something occurring in her life. This shows the connection between rituals and life-cycles once again. She also discusses that traditions and beliefs must stay alive and true and that you must think of the greater good and not only about yourself.
Her own Sundance sacrifice as told to her, “I’ll cut the skin from your arm. That’s a sacrifice. Your prayers go out for those suffering in jail, for friends who are sick. ” (257). Influences sought out to stop the Sundance, and Mary believed it to be that of other religions and the government combined. Claiming that he annual ritual was just like the sole sacrifice of Jesus was disrespectful to her because it was such a selfish notion that one man suffers for all beings and not what the true meaning of the Sundance was. Also after the tragedy at Wounded Knee, Indian rituals became intimidating to non-Natives. In 1883, the BIA passed general guidelines prohibiting the practices of medicine man, which essentially made ceremonies illegal. This was due to the dance being viewed as “barbaric, superstitious, and preventing the Indians from becoming civilized. ” (253).
These negative outlooks on such an influential ritual made it lmost impossible for Natives to practice their religion because their beliefs were seen differently and it killed morale amongst the nations. Luckily, the ban was lifted and the Sundance and other sacred rites can be performed again. Learning about the Sundance ritual through the eyes of an “insider” as well as an “outsider” made the purpose of the dance become much more vivid. Seeing that both William Young and Mary Crow Dog viewed the ceremony as a way to give homage for what they hold dearly, it also was interesting to notice the two slightly differed as well. Young viewed the spiritual rites as a somewhat are phenomenon that only had specific instances in which they were used, but Crow Dog explained these rituals as everyday occurrences in life as they are important, but also very common – she didn’t know a life without them.
The two perspectives vary in purpose of the Sundance, Mary sees them as a way to connect with all spirits alike and to bring about better outcomes for the whole, while William looks at them as a ceremony that benefits the Lakota and their struggles as a nation more than anyone else. These ceremonies clearly have much more dimension and meaning for those within the reservations than nyone who has not participated or grown up practicing these ideologies. Without debate, all of the spiritual rituals practiced by Native Americans are awe-inspiring and detrimental to the survival of traditions, the Sundance just so happens to be one of the most popular ones. With its purpose of sacrificing to help others, carrying on beliefs, as well as paying respect to the Earth, Under-Earth, Sky, and Sun, it’s no mystery as to why the Sundance is such a complex and fundamental ceremony not only to the Lakota, but to all Natives and non-Natives collectively.
