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This article deals with the Native American spiritual movement Ghost Dance. For the novel of the same name by John Norman, see Ghost Dance (novel).
The Ghost Dance by the Ogallala Sioux at Pine Ridge Agency, Harper's Weekly, December 6, 1890. The Ghost Dance, also known as the Ghost Dance of 1890, as noted in historical accounts, was a short-lived millennialistic spiritual movement among Native Americans that began toward the end of 1888 and peaked at just before Wounded Knee in 1890; although the religion is still practiced.
History
The movement began with a dream by a Northern Paiute named Wovoka, also known as Jack Wilson, during the time of the solar eclipse on January 1, 1889. In his dream he was taken into the spirit world and shown a new earth. In his dream, the Indians were taken up and the land destroyed and restored to its natural state. The Indians, along with their dead loved ones, were put back upon the earth to live in peace. Wovoka was shown that by dancing the round-dance continuously, the vision would become reality and the participants would enjoy the new earth.
Wovoka's teachings followed a previous Paiute tradition predicting an Indian renaissance. Wovoka's message varied somewhat and contained much Christian doctrine. He told his followers that since Jesus was upon the earth already, they should dance the new dance and that, although he did not know if the resurrection would be in the winter or the spring, it would be soon. He also told them to remain peaceful and keep the reason for the dance secret from the white-men.
Wovoka's message quickly spread to many other tribes and soon many of them had given up all activity but the dance. The Indian agents grew disturbed when they became aware of so many Indians from so many tribes coming together and participating in a new and unknown event.
When the dance spread to the Sioux, the Indian agents became very alarmed. The Sioux developed a militaristic approach to the dance and began making ghost shirts they said would protect them from bullets. They also spoke openly about why they were dancing. The Sioux Indian agent eventually sent the Indian police to arrest Sitting Bull, a leader respected among the Sioux, to force him to stop the dance. In the struggle that followed, Sitting Bull was killed along with a number of policemen. A small detachment of cavalry eventually rescued the remaining policemen. Following the killing of Sitting Bull, the United States sent the Seventh Cavalry to disarm the Sioux and take control. During the events that followed many Sioux were killed and several soldiers died.
When it became apparent that ghost shirts did not protect from bullets and the expected resurrection did not happen, most former believers quit the Ghost Dance. Wovoka, disturbed by the death threats and disappointed with the many reinterpretations of his vision, gave up his public speaking. He remained well respected among his many followers however, and continued his religious activities. He traveled and received visitors until the end of his life in 1932. The Ghost Dance religion is still practiced today.
Paiute foundational traditions
The Paiute tradition that lead to the Natdia (Ghost Dance) began in the 1870 in the Western Great Basin from the visions of Wodziwob (Gray Hair) concerning earth renewal and the reintroduction of the spirits of ancient Numu (Northern Paiute) ancestors into the contemporary day to help the Numu.
This movement continued with additional revelation to a Paiute known as Wovoka (Woodcutter) during a solar eclipse. Central to the Natdia religion was the dance itself—dancing in a circular pattern continuously—which induced altered spiritual states.
Practices and principles
The dance as envisioned by Wovoka; "When you get home you must make a dance to continue five days. Dance four successive nights, and the last night keep up the dance until the morning of the fifth day, when all must bathe in the river and then disperse to their homes. You must all do in the same way. ...I want you to dance every six weeks. Make a feast at the dance and have food that everybody may eat." He also told the dancers to remain peaceful, work for the white-man, be truthful, and abstain from alcohol.
The Natdia, it is claimed, brings about renewal of native society and decline in the influence of the white man. In essence, it is said to heal the earth and to heal all the people of the four worlds, that is, red, black, white, and yellow.
Believers in the Ghost Dance spirituality are convinced that performing the Ghost Dance will eventually reunite them with their ancestors coming by railway from the spirit world. The ancestor spirits, including the Spirit of Jesus, are called upon to heal the sick and to help protect Mother Earth. Meanwhile, the world will return to a primordial state of natural beauty, opening up to swallow up all other people (those who do not have a strong spirituality based upon the earth). The performers of the Ghost Dance theoretically will float in safety above with their ancestors, family, and peoples of the world who follow the extensive spirituality.
Samples
- Download recording Ghost Dance and gambling song from the Paiute and Arapaho Native Americans from the Library of Congress' Emile Berliner and the Birth of the Recording Industry Collection; performed by James Mooney (possibly along with Charles Mooney; neither are believed to be Native Americans) on July 5, 1894
See also
Medicine man, Nongqawuse
References
- Bailey, Paul. Wovoka, the Indian Messiah. Westernlore Press; Los Angeles, 1957.
- Du Bois, Cora. The 1870 Ghost Dance. University of California Press; Berkeley, 1939.
- Osterreich, Shelley Anne. The American Indian Ghost Dance, 1870 and 1890. Greenwood Press; New York, 1991.
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