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August 2020 THE INDIAN TRADER
The Sioux Dance... A Ceremony of Self-Torture
The Sun Dance, painting by George Catlin.
Due to its gruesome aspect, the “Sun Dance” of the Sioux has received much attention from historians, however, almost identical ceremonies were held by every tribe of the plains. All were predicated on the custom of self-torture as a means of expressing their devotion to the good God. Before and immediately following the arrival of the white man, the medicine ceremonial was of the greatest significance, but as “civilization” made inroads among the tribes, the ritual faded from a brutal ordeal to a routine celebration. THE ORIGIN The medicine dance and ceremony evolved naturally because of three basic circumstances and character traits among the early, wild Indians. First, it provided a very expressive means of demonstrating their deep religious faith (or what “civilization” people term “superstition” when such faith is applied to a religion other than the one they believe in). Secondly, throughout history, demonstrations of religious faith have been most brutal among the least civilized people gladly accepted any accompanying torture with no reservations that reason might impose. Thirdly, among all worldly people of the early days, the American Indian was bestowed with the most significant physical prowess and endurance and welcomed
the opportunity to demonstrate his strength in a display of devotion to his God. PERFORMANCE OF THE ORIGINAL MEDICINE DANCE The medicine dance and ceremony among the early tribes of the plains were held about once a year under the close supervision of the Medicine Chief, in a large unique built structure that housed the main arena some 20 feet in diameter. After all neighboring tribes and bands were summoned to a great”camp meeting,” the Medicine Chief selected the dancers, usually in a ratio of one warrior for every hundred persons of his band in attendance. He then chose the “guards” who were to surround the dancers and assure the proper functioning of all aspects of the rituals. At a specified time, the dancers, stripped to their breach cloths, were escorted to the arena and assembled in a circle facing a small doll effigy suspended from the top poles of the Lodge. One side of the hanging doll was white, representing the good God, and the other was black, indicating the presence of the bad God. Each dancer was furnished a whistle of bone or wood that he would be required to hold in his mouth for the duration of the dance. Upon the signal to commence, each dancer, with his eyes fixed on the suspended image, began to slowly encircle the arena, blowing continuously on the whistle at the same time. The will of the Gods
