Sundance

Sundance

Sundance

Sundance

The Sundance is one of the Sioux’s greatest rites and was first held many, many winters ago after they received the sacred pipe from the White Buffalo Cow Woman.

Sundance It is held each year during

the Moon of Fattening (June) or the Moon of Cherries Blackening (July), always at the time when the moon is full, for the growing and dying of the moon reminds us of our ignorance which comes and goes; but when the moon is full, it is as if the eternal light of the Great Spirit were upon the whole world.

Sundance

In this great rite the sun dancers offer their bodies as a sacrifice in behalf of all the people, and through you the people will gain understanding and strength.

The dancers must always be conscious of these things - it is all very sacred.

Sundance

The sacred rustling tree (cottonwood) stands at the center of the great lodge.

Sundance

Helpers dress as if they were going on the warpath, and they left the camp as if to attack an enemy.

Sundance

When they come to the chosen tree, they all gather around it and the pipe is smoked in ceremony.

The chief then does a little victory dance around the tree, singing their chief’s songs.

Sundance

A man of good character, who has shown himself to be brave and self-sacrificing on the warpath, was chosen to have the honor of counting coup on the tree.

He motions with his axe three times towards the tree, and the fourth time he strikes it. The tree is then carried back to the camp.

Sundance

After chanting a song the people all cry, and then, for the rest of the day and all that night, they dance.

Sundance

The dance, during the first night, represents the people in the darkness of ignorance. Just before dawn the dance stops, and at this time the dancers and their relatives place offerings outside the sacred lodge at each of the four quarters.

Sundance

At dawn the dancers enter the lodge, and with them is the keeper of the sacred pipe. A sacred altar is made, and offerings are presented to the buffalo.

Sundance

Then the dancers all chant in a sacred manner, and they all dance to the four quarters of the universe, finally facing towards the sacred tree at the center.

Sundance

All the dancers are painted, after which they purify themselves in the smoke of sweetgrass.

Sundance

When all the preparations are finished, the dancers stand at the foot of the sacred tree, at the west, and gazing up at the top of the tree, they raise their right hands and blow upon the eagle-bone whistles.

Sundance

As the singers chant, the dancers move around in the four directions.

Sundance

As the singers and drummers increase the speed of their chanting and drumming, the helpers rush up and, grasping one of the dancers roughly and throw him on the ground.

Sundance

The helpers then pull up the skin of the dancer’s left breast, and through this loose skin a sharp buffalo bone is thrust. In the same manner the right breast is pierced.

Sundance

A long rawhide rope is tied at its middle, around the sacred tree, towards its top, and then the two ends of the rope were tied to the pegs in the dancer’s chest.

Sundance

The helpers stand the dancer up roughly, who blow upon his eagle-bone whistle and, leaning back upon his thongs, he dances and continues to dance in this manner until the thongs broke loose from his flesh.

Sundance

The medicine man puts a healing herb on his wounds, and they carry him to a place in the shade where he rests for a few moments. Then, getting up, he continues to dance with the others.

Sundance

Just before sundown, a pipe is taken to the singers and drummers as an indication that their work has been finished and that they may now smoke.

All the dancers then sit down, and the pipe was lit.

Sundance

After offering it to the six directions and taking a few puffs himself, the keeper of the pipe hands it to the dancers, passing it around in a circle.

Sundance

The dancers, however, have not finished, for they now take off their clothes and they all entered the sweat lodge to be purified once more.

Sundance

The men then go back to the sacred tipi, where much food is brought to them, and all the people were happy and rejoicing, for a great thing had been done, and in the winters to come much strength will be given to the life of the nation through this great rite.