Lakota Tribe Ritual

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.
The first consisting of language. Without knowing the Lakota language, the ceremonies 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,
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 rare 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 anyone who has not participated or grown up practicing these