Keeping of the Soul

When a child dies, and the parents want to do something special and sacred about it, they call for a Holy Man who shows them how to “keep” the soul of their child with them for a while.

A special tipi is set up where the soul will be kept for one year.  The Holy Man prays and cuts a little hair from the child’s head.  Then he blesses the hair with the smoke of Sweet Grass and wraps it in some buckskin.  After that it is hung up in the special tipi.

The Holy Man tells the parents how they should live from now on, because their child’s soul is being kept there in the tipi.  They should not fight or argue and always keep the soul of their child in mind.  No bad person should be allowed to enter the tipi.

Whenever the parents eat, they should leave something for the soul of the child.  If anyone wants to leave gifts, they should keep these gifts in a special wrapping and later give them away to the poor and the needy.

After one year has gone by the Holy Man comes back again.  This time he is going to release the soul.  Another special tipi is put up.  When the Holy Man is sitting down in it, the mother goes to the tipi where the soul is being kept and brings back the sacred bundle with lock of her baby’s hair in it.  Then the Holy Man speaks to the soul in the bundle, telling it that this is a day on which the Great Spirit is in it and in everyone present.  Therefore, this is a sacred day, because God is with them in a special way.

Some buffalo meat and cherry juice are brought in.  Some of it is put before the sacred bundle, and the rest of it is given to four girls to eat.  They have been chosen to do this, and they are virgins.  These girls are reminded that from now on they should share what they have with those who are poor.

Then the Holy Man picks up the sacred bundle and says that this soul is going to leave them on a sacred journey.  Before the Holy Man goes out of the tipi with the sacred bundle the father embraces it, and the Holy Man assures the father that, if he is good to all the people who are still alive, then the memory of this beloved child will live on.

As the Holy Man walks through the door of the tipi with the sacred bundle, he calls on the soul that, while he leaves on his sacred journey, he should remember those people that are left behind and to help them, as well, to stay on the sacred path.

At this moment the soul is released and makes its way to Wakantanka along the Spirit Path.  

After that the family and relatives celebrate by sharing a meal and giving gifts.