Warrior Woman Research Paper

Warrior Woman: A Spiritual Awakening

Mary Crow Dog, an American Indian activist and member of the Lakota tribe in South Dakota, struggled with her identity because of her mixed ethnicity and her exposure to conflicting religious influences early in life. Her complex religious views resulted from her confusion over the stark contrast between the positive representation of woman in traditional Native American religion and the negative treatment and limited power of native women in modern culture. However, Mary’s reconnection with traditional native beliefs ultimately allowed her to find her voice and gain a sense of purpose. Identifying with the Sioux culture helped her acquire qualities she lacked when she was estranged from the traditional
However, this symbolic representation does not translate to women’s treatment and designated roles within modern Native American culture. In Native American religion, women are regarded as more than just wives and mothers; they were viewed traditionally as the bond and support system that held the tribe together. Mary describes how her husband, medicine man and American Indian Movement leader, Leonard Crow Dog, explained to her the importance of women in Lakota religion when she questioned her role as the medicine man’s wife and her role as a woman in the Lakota tribe. Leonard accounted that in one Lakota legend, the “First Woman” was regarded as the creator of the Lakota people. According to the myth, this woman “was given power to create the things necessary for [Lakota] survival” and that she was “the center of the Earth.” Her presence resulted in the birth of We-Ota-Wichasha—the first man (Crow Dog, 247). Likewise, the White Buffalo Woman brought the Lakota people a sacred pipe, the “ptehincala-huhu-chanunpa” (Crow Dog, 247) and taught them to use it in a sacred manner. This pipe has great symbolic importance in many different rituals, specifically the Sun Dance. Furthermore, a “maiden who has never been with a man makes the symbolic first cut” (Crow Dog page needed) of the cottonwood tree that stands in the center of the Sun Dance circle, exemplifying women’s centric role in the community. Mary learned about the strength and importance of the native women of legends from her husband; however, “he was careful never to blur the role of men and women in traditional Indian life” (Crow Dog, 249), believing that each gender had an important role in the way of the society and ritualistic practices. Mary explains that her confusion concerning a Lakota women’s role in society stems from her understanding as a young girl that menstruating women are banned from ritualistic