Sundance

When the Lakota want to do something really special for the people, they make a promise to take part in the Sundance.  The Sundance is a sacred ritual in which the dancer offers himself – his body –  on behalf of the people.  His crying and pleading to the Great Spirit, while he hangs from the cottonwood tree, brings blessing and power to their lives.  He is willing to suffer any kind of pain, if it means that the circle of life will be made strong and that the people will live good lives. 

First a Holy Man is sent by himself to find a cottonwood tree that is the right size and shape.  It will stand in middle of the dancing circle.  When he finds the tree, he returns to tell the people, and they go with him to the tree, singing.  When they are standing around the tree, some women who are pregnant dance around it.  They do this, because the Spirit of the Sun loves everything that bears fruit.                      

After they have finished dancing, a warrior strikes the tree, counting ‘coup’ on it.  Since he has done this, he has to give away gifts to the most needy people.  The better and braver he is, the more he will always give away.

Then some young girls come to the tree carrying axes and singing.  These girls have to be virgins, and they must be so good that no one can criticize them.  They are the ones who chop the tree down and trim off the branches.

When the girls have finished their work, the leaders of the people carry the tree home.  They never let it touch the ground.  On the way they stop four times, once for each season of the year.  Each time they stop they give thanks for a season.

Before the tree arrives at the camp, some of the young men have a contest.  They act like warriors and race to the spot where the tree will stand.  Whoever touches the sacred spot first will not be killed in war that year.  After all of this, there is a big feast with plenty for everybody to eat.

The next day the tree is placed in the center of the dancing circle.  It is put into place by Holy Men who sing sacred songs and make vows to the Spirit.

The following day the dancers fast and go into the INIPI to purify themselves.  They pray to be made ready for dancing.  When they come out, they dress for the dance.  They wear sage wreaths around their heads, with eagle feathers on them.  They also wear beautiful blankets around their waists and have eagle bone whistles hanging around their necks.

As the dancers stand at the West. looking up at the tree, they hold their hands raised.  The Leader of the Dance says a prayer to Wakantanka.  He asks Him to look down on the dancers and the holy tree.  He prays that their prayers and their fasting and their suffering will bring good to the people, and that God will take pity on them, while they are gathered here, and always thereafter.

Throughout the sacred days, while there is drumming and the dancers are singing, all the dancers move to their left, raising their hands to the tree and blowing on the eagle bone whistles.  Finally each goes to the center and lies down beneath the tree, where each is pierced.

Piercing means that an eagle claw or sharp stick is pushed through the skin on the chest, and a long leather thong from the tree is tied to the claw or stick.  After this is done, each of the dancers gets up and continues dancing again.  While they are moving around the tree in a wide circle, dancers blow their eagle bone whistles and pull back strong on the thongs.  They do this so that after a while they can tear themselves loose from the tree.  Some dancers need a long time to do this, others do not.

When they tear loose, they return to the tree and lie down, while the Leader puts healing plants on their wounds.  Then they rest for a while, until it is time to rejoin the group.

When everyone has finished dancing, the Leader takes the Sacred Pipe and prays to the Great Spirit, asking Him to hear the voices that have been raised to Him in their suffering.  He tells Wakantanka that they all wish to live well and grow as relatives with all created things.

When the Leader finishes, everyone smokes the Pipe, and then the dancers leave for the INIPI.  There the Leader talks to them about the sacred things they have done during this Sundance and how they ought to have pity on others from now on.  By giving of their bodies and souls to Wakantanka they have made the people stronger.

After the INIPI is finished, all the dancers join the rest of the people for a feast.  Everyone is happy, because the Sundance has made the lives of the people strong again.  Many gifts are given to the dancers, and they are honored.