Black Elk's Religion

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the life and beliefs of Black Elk, member of the Oglala Sioux nation. According to the paper, Black Elk had many visions, the first of which he experienced at age nine. The paper goes on to discuss how Black Elk provided leadership in the acceptance of Christianity for a peaceful coexistence with the dominant society, while at the same time remaining a Lakota traditionalist at heart.

From the Paper:

"Black Elk shared his vision with the entire tribe, which then carefully enacted each detail (Wink 2000). They gathered sixteen horses: four black horses which represented the west, four white horses for the north, four sorrels for the east, and four buckskins for the south, and all with riders painted accordingly (Wink 2000). Then they began dancing, wheeling from one quadrant of the sacred circle to the next, drawing everyone into the circle until all were within the center (Wink 2000). A stick was planted in the earth that would flower as a sign of life and hope for the Sioux tribe (Wink 2000)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Black Elk. Retrieved November 27 2006 from:http://home.pacbell.net/wgraetz/wgraetz/black.html
• Downey, Anne M. (1994, September 22). A broken and bloody hoop: the intertextuality of 'Black Elk Speaks' and Alice Walker's 'Meridian.' MELUS. Retrieved November 27 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Hoxie, Frederick E. (1996). Encyclopedia of North American Indians. Houghton Mifflin Company. 1996. Pp. 73,74.
• Wink, Walter. (2000, March 01). Without a Vision the People Perish. The Other Side. Retrieved November 27 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.

More papers on Black Elk's Religion:

• Comparison Essay # 109634 : "Many Religions; Universal Ideals"
• Analytical Essay # 74532 : "Black Elk and Russell Means"
• Analytical Essay # 86893 : "Black Elk Speaks" "

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