Savanna Taylor
Ms. Teichman
English 101 (15)
19 September 2016
‘The Ghost Dance’
It is true to say that different communities in the world became rebellious to the European civilization especially on religious matters. In this case, also the Indians in Western America had to have a rebellious cult that would enlighten their struggle from the hands of the European invader. The Indians of America and mostly from Western Great Basin hence began a cult that was known as ‘the ghost dance’ or Natdia in native America (Weiser). The ghost dance emerged in the 1870s and was purposely brought about to unite the Indians and enable them rebel against the Indian reservations. It could be the new light for the Indians who had lost hope after their lands …show more content…
Apparently, the ghost dance ceremony took five days, whereby it was a requirement for Native American to abandon anything that was introduced to them by the Whiteman. It is by this order that the Indians at the time of the ceremony abandoned clothes, rifles and never spoke English at that point. The ceremony included stages of individual meditation and linkage to the ancestors and Wakan Tanka who was believed to be the Great Spirit. The process of self-meditation was supposed to spiritually refurbish the individual. The ceremony advanced to cleansing through water and then a period of prayer then the community would feast. It continued for four consecutive nights were every night the ceremony ended in a large circle around a fire. On fifth night, the dance took place throughout night till dawn and the ceremony always had to be repeated after six …show more content…
The conclusion of the ghost fight was concluded during a fight and ‘Sitting Bull’ a Sioux Chief was shot after defying order not to have a ceremony at Standing Rock in North Dakota. After the incident, the army were disposed to disarm those on the ghost dance movement and it was apparently clear things had to be settled mutually. In the stated date above, the 7th Calvary organized a peace treaty with Sioux Chief ‘Big Foot’ that had to occur at the Wounded Knee Creek (Mooney, 104).
Work cited
Mooney, James. The ghost-dance religion and Wounded Knee. Courier Corporation, 2011.
Vestal, Stanley. New Sources of Indian History, 1850–1891: The Ghost Dance and the Prairie
Sioux; A Miscellany. Vol. 7. University of Oklahoma Press, 2015.
Walcott, Derek. Walker and the Ghost Dance: plays. Macmillan, 2014.
Weiser, Kathy. "Ghost Dance - A Promise Of Fulfillment". Legendsofamerica.com. N.p., 2016.
Web. 22 Sept. 2016.
"Native American History: Ghost Dance - The Tribe Scribe". The Tribe Scribe. N.p., 2011.
Ms. Teichman
English 101 (15)
19 September 2016
‘The Ghost Dance’
It is true to say that different communities in the world became rebellious to the European civilization especially on religious matters. In this case, also the Indians in Western America had to have a rebellious cult that would enlighten their struggle from the hands of the European invader. The Indians of America and mostly from Western Great Basin hence began a cult that was known as ‘the ghost dance’ or Natdia in native America (Weiser). The ghost dance emerged in the 1870s and was purposely brought about to unite the Indians and enable them rebel against the Indian reservations. It could be the new light for the Indians who had lost hope after their lands …show more content…
Apparently, the ghost dance ceremony took five days, whereby it was a requirement for Native American to abandon anything that was introduced to them by the Whiteman. It is by this order that the Indians at the time of the ceremony abandoned clothes, rifles and never spoke English at that point. The ceremony included stages of individual meditation and linkage to the ancestors and Wakan Tanka who was believed to be the Great Spirit. The process of self-meditation was supposed to spiritually refurbish the individual. The ceremony advanced to cleansing through water and then a period of prayer then the community would feast. It continued for four consecutive nights were every night the ceremony ended in a large circle around a fire. On fifth night, the dance took place throughout night till dawn and the ceremony always had to be repeated after six …show more content…
The conclusion of the ghost fight was concluded during a fight and ‘Sitting Bull’ a Sioux Chief was shot after defying order not to have a ceremony at Standing Rock in North Dakota. After the incident, the army were disposed to disarm those on the ghost dance movement and it was apparently clear things had to be settled mutually. In the stated date above, the 7th Calvary organized a peace treaty with Sioux Chief ‘Big Foot’ that had to occur at the Wounded Knee Creek (Mooney, 104).
Work cited
Mooney, James. The ghost-dance religion and Wounded Knee. Courier Corporation, 2011.
Vestal, Stanley. New Sources of Indian History, 1850–1891: The Ghost Dance and the Prairie
Sioux; A Miscellany. Vol. 7. University of Oklahoma Press, 2015.
Walcott, Derek. Walker and the Ghost Dance: plays. Macmillan, 2014.
Weiser, Kathy. "Ghost Dance - A Promise Of Fulfillment". Legendsofamerica.com. N.p., 2016.
Web. 22 Sept. 2016.
"Native American History: Ghost Dance - The Tribe Scribe". The Tribe Scribe. N.p., 2011.