Here are the summaries my group had:

 

Question 1. The sacred pipe was given to the people by the buffalo

captain. Because prayer was diminishing, a ceremony was required to be

performed. The rights came to the people through a vision. The need to

perform the ceremony was not quesioned because it was believed that

Wakantanka was communicating with Kablaya.

 

Question 2. The pipe was a way of connecting with the spirits. The shape

of the pipe symbolized the layout of the connection between man and the

spiritual world. The bowl represented not only the lodge but also the 4

directions and the circle with no end (everything goes back to

Wakantanka). The shaft was the path to the lodge going the right

direction. Other symbols include the tree, which was the center of the

lodge. Our group determined that this was a symbol for Wakantanka.

 

Question 3. The way the grandfather and father are one entity is

reminiscent of the trinity in the Christian religion. The actual ceremony

was similar to a Catholic communion, which is also a way of communicating

with the spiritual world. The disappearance of the buffalo was directly

related to the presence of the white man. The idea of sacrifice is similar

to that of Jesus on the cross.

 

Question 4. The Sun Dance was intended to strengthen the relationship

between people and the universe, to unite the 4-leggeds, the 2-leggeds,

and the wingeds. It was also meant to make the buffalo reappear and to

rekindle ancient knowledge of the ceremony.

 

I was going to speak during question 2. Do you want my notes on the

reading also?

 

Fern Grether

 

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Elsa Sarenana

 

THE SACRED PIPE:

 

1.  Buffalo Calf Woman gave the pipe to the indians.  Kablaya had a vision to begin performing a ceremony because their prayer was diminishing.  He wasn't questined by the other people because it was believed that Wakantaka was directly communicating with Kablaya.

 

2.  Pipe-way to communicate with spiritual world.  The shape of the pipe symbolizes the layout of the connection of man and the spiritual world.

Lodge-symbolized by the bowl of the pipe.  it is circular and a circle has no end --! > all things are connected and everything comes back to Wakantaka.

Shaft-path to the lodge.  Also was the "right way," or ethical and moral way of life.

Tree-wakantaka at the center of the lodge.

Blue-spiritual world

Red-life

Smoke-purification

 

3.  Father and Grandfather --> one entity, like Christianity's Holy Trinity.

Disappearance of the Buffalo because of the white man.

Jesus--suffered for the people.  He sacrificed himself.  The Indians sacrificed their flesh.

 

4.  They strengthen the relationship between them and the universe.  Unite "4 leggeds, 2 leggeds, and wingeds."  They also used the ceremony to make the buffalo reappear.  It was a way to rekindle and reconnect with the knowledge of their history.

 

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Feb. 28th Class Discussion

Group 3-Danica Campos

Sacred pipe by Black Elk

 

Q1- The sacred rites come to the Lakota through a vision. Kablaya receives

a vision from Wakan-Tanka and it causes him to drop his robe and begin

dancing.The other men think he is crazy at first but believe once Kablaya

explains how he has seen a new way of prayer. The vision was sent to

Kablaya because his people had become weak and lax in their prayer.The

rite is made possible through the sacred pipe which was given by the White

Buffalo Cow Woman.

 

Q2-The smoke from the pipe symbolizes purification and is used in the

ceremony to cleanse the people and the instruments. The blue drying rack

used in the ceremony represents heaven and when the pipe touches the

drying rack it signifies that their prayers will fallow a path from earth

to heaven.The tobacco is prayed over and held up to the sky to represent

the four powers, when the tobacco is put in the pipe it brings the people

knowledge and protection.The hole in the pipe is straight and represent

the straight path from earth to heaven. The pipe is used in the ceremony

to point to the four directions to symbolize tradition and balance.The red

paint symbolized the sun and life which the sacred pipe will strengthen.

The pipe symbolizes a way of prayer connected with knowledge and to the

ceremony through the morning star. The wood from treas symbolizes aid, the

limbs from a tree can be used to help and guide people walk the sacred

path. Trees are used to build the sacred lodge where the ceremony is held,

the number of logs has great symbolism and is connected to the pipe

because upon entrance to the lodge the sacred pipe is held.

 

Q3-There are some signs of non-Indian influence, mostly a Christian

influence.The Union between grandfather and father mirrors the concept of

the holy trinity and multiple entities in one. There is emphasis put on

prayer and sacrifice, more specifically a connection to the offering of

flesh and the practice of Catholic communion. A connection can be seen

between the sacrament of the Eucharist practices in the catholic mass and

the sacrifices Kablaya makes at the alter wile saying:"May the people

behold it, That they may live." Alternately the story also makes mention

that the white people have caused the buffalo to disappear.

 

Q4- The purpose of the Sun dance is to bring the people closer to the

spirit world through the sacred path. It is preformed to gain spiritual

knowledge and maintain tradition.It is used to cleans the people and show

gratitude to mother nature by providing sacrifice and prayer. It will

bring the return of the buffalo and prosperity. It is done to unite the

people (two-legged) with animals and birds(four-legged and the winged)

 

 

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Here are my notes:

Sacred rites came to the Lakota through visions because they were told

that is how they would receive the rites.

The pipe symbolizes a method to connect and relationship to every other

living thing, and the smoke that rises from it is a method of

communication among all living creatures, communicating the new method of

praying.

The message or presentation of the sacred pipe is centered around

catholicsm (the very little that i know). there are many similarities in

the rituals and also in the beliefs: The Great Spirit (holy spirit),

Wakan-Tanka (God), Kablaya (jesus-or the prophet that sacrificed himself

for the people)

the idea that physical suffering/sacrifice will save the people, the

altar, the wreaths, the friends or relatives (like veronica giving water

to jesus as he walked the path to his crucifixtion)

The Sun Dance is to cleanse the souls and people of ignorance and to show

them the path to prayer, the 'sacred center' to connect to each other in

the universe. to show their devotion to god through suffering, and to

reorient themselves towards prayer.

 

I have a question though. In the story it says they have 7 ways of

praying, this was only one of them, right?

Does that mean they believe that its inevitable for people to lose their

way on the 'path' or is this a new way to gain/teach 'wisdom.'

Is this a method of acculturation to the outlawing of the sun dance?

 

One last question, in the syllabus, you said the Power Essay was due on

March 9, but on the website it says March 16. Which one is correct?

 

Thank you for your time,

 

Marthe V. Rivera

University of California, San Diego

Thurgood Marshall College

 

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Juliet Fiege

Group 3: Black Elk reading

 

1. The sacred rites came from the Buffalo Calf Woman. She gave them the sacred pipe and told them how to use it to send their prayers to the heavens. She then told them she would reveal the rest of the sacred rites by sending them visions. This is how they received the rest of the information about the rituals, such as when Kablaya had a vision about the Sun Dance.

 

2. Many rituals are built around the symbolism of the sacred pipe. The smoke of the pipe is used to talk prayers up to heaven. The lodge itself is set up to resemble the pipe, with a long walkway representing the long, straight tube. The lodge represents the bowl of the pipe with a fire in the center to simulate smoking. For the Lakota, the smoke is also a symbol of purification.

 

3. Black Elk's writing shows evidence of Christian influence. As a Christian leader speaking from a reservation setting, Black Elk's version of the story is inevitably flav! ored with Christian elements. For example, while the Sun Dance ritual clearly is of Lakota origin, Black Elk's explanation has a Christian tone when he describes the suffering of the dancers for the people. This was reminiscent of the suffering of Christ for the sin of his people. Note, however, that many cultures have a similar kind of self-sacrifice, or at the very least self-deprivation, so it is possible that this is not directly from Christianity.

 

4. The Sun Dance lodge is meant to represent the universe. The 28 poles have a few meanings, such as the number of days in a lunar month, and also the product of 4 and 7, the Lakota's two sacred numbers. According to Black Elk, the Sun Dance is done to represent the suffering and sacrifice one must through in life. Each dancer makes a sacrifice of his flesh to Wakan Tanka, while all the people cry for mercy. In my opinion, the underlying theme of the Sun Dance is frustration at the disappearance of the buffalo. It would be reas! onable to assume that the Lakota feel forsaken by their patron buffalo, and the cries to Wakan Tanka to replenish the disappearing herds is evidence for this as well.

 

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William Wohleb

 

1.)    Buffalo Calf woman gives the pipe to the Sioux people.  After this Kablaya has a vision that included performing a ceremony because prayer was diminishing.  This vision was not questioned even though Kablaya is not of high status in the tribe, because it is believed Wakan Tanka directly communicated with Kablaya.

2.)    Pipe- The pipe is viewed as a way to communicate with the spiritual world in the Sacred Pipe.  It is described as symbolizing the layout of the connection of man to the spiritual world.  What symbolizes this is the shape and form of the pipe.  What leaves the pipes bowl is offered to the heavens.  Also, the shaft’s straight line correlates to the path to the lodge or the (right way.)  Smoke also symbolizes purification in the culture and in the ceremony.  The pipe is heavily related to the spirit world.  This is seen when the pipe is rested against the blue objects that represent the heavens.  Also, how they touch the sacred tree with the pipe shows the importance.

3.)    The use religious terms including father or grandfather relate to an entity similar to Christianity.  There is also a stipulation of the buffalo disappearing because of the white people.  Also, there are references to flesh and sacrifice and Jesus suffering for the people that also relate.

4.)    The reason for the ceremony was in order to strengthen relationship between the people and the universe.  It was in order to make the people more holy because they though they were losing it.  Also, in order to bring the Buffalo back and bring all beings together (4 legged, 2 legged, winged).  And lastly to rekindle the knowledge of the ancient ceremony.