|
THE FOUR DIRECTIONS |
| In their worship the Dakota Indians (Sioux) are
very attentive to the Four Directions. When praying with the Sacred
Pipe, both in private and public ceremony, they face each direction
successively, beginning with the West.
In worship the color of the West is Black. Evil is Black. Danger is Black. Black is the condition of Man as he stands before Wakantanka (Wakan - Mystery - - - Tanka - Great). The color of North is Red. Red is conflict. Red is tension. Red is decision, as Man determines whether to revert to Black or go on to White. The color of East is White. White is victory. White is purity. White is life. The rising Sun eliminates Redness and brings clear sky. The color of South is Yellow. Yellow is Peace. Yellow is fruitfulness. Yellow is warmth. Whatever danger or tension or conflict there might have been, it is now all past; now the Camp can rest. Unfortunately, every man knows that at another time, in his prayer, he will have to begin again and will have to face the Black. cf. Charles Alexander Eastman's THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN |