Culture In John Neihardt's Book 'Black Elk Speaks'
Black Elk Speaks The Oglala people were very spiritual and believed in another world and higher being. The Oglala Sioux Nation’s rituals, traditions, and ways of life are reflected through the story of Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux medicine man, who shared his life stories with the poet John Neihardt in an attempt to preserve the history of the Sioux traditions. Neihardt’s book, Black Elk Speaks, also depicts the struggles of the Lakota Indians (Oglala Sioux Nation) as they defend their land against the “Wasichus,” or white-man, during the gold rush and they fight with the American government for their property and land. Through Black Elk’s accounts, the reader gains a knowledge of the Oglala traditions and witnesses how the culture evolves
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The end of the traditional Sioux hunting practices is a striking example of this loss of culture. The bison that roamed the prairie were considered sacred, and was a source of food that was a reminder of the providence of the Great Spirit. The Transcontinental Railroad, established when Black Elk was a child, split the bison herd into two halves. Even though the herd was half as small as it was before, it didn’t seem like much of a threat because, as Black Elk says, “…half of the herd was still more than they could use.” Every part of the bison was used, by Oglala traditions, after a hunter on horseback displayed their courage and bravery in the hunt. The butchering, food preparation, and the hide-and-bone-processing practices that followed the hunt allowed for the tribe’s sustenance. After every part of the bison has been utilized, the community celebrated with a feast, dancing, and singing. With the addition of the railroad system and settlement expansion, the “Wasichus” began to hunt the bison for sport, drastically decreasing the bison herd size. “They just killed and killed because they liked to do that,” said Black Elk, referring to the characteristic of the white-man hunting bison. Indians were ordered onto reservations on January of 1876, making food supply a way that the American government could control the Native Americans’ behavior. Native Americans were forced to rely on government rations with the bison herd diminishing and the confiscation of horses and guns, as well. When Native Americans seemed hostile, as when Sitting Bull refused to come out of Canada and live on the reservation, the government decreased rations. Starved and sickened, Native Americans had no choice but to be compliant with the American government. When the bison herd became extinct, so was contact with the
The end of the traditional Sioux hunting practices is a striking example of this loss of culture. The bison that roamed the prairie were considered sacred, and was a source of food that was a reminder of the providence of the Great Spirit. The Transcontinental Railroad, established when Black Elk was a child, split the bison herd into two halves. Even though the herd was half as small as it was before, it didn’t seem like much of a threat because, as Black Elk says, “…half of the herd was still more than they could use.” Every part of the bison was used, by Oglala traditions, after a hunter on horseback displayed their courage and bravery in the hunt. The butchering, food preparation, and the hide-and-bone-processing practices that followed the hunt allowed for the tribe’s sustenance. After every part of the bison has been utilized, the community celebrated with a feast, dancing, and singing. With the addition of the railroad system and settlement expansion, the “Wasichus” began to hunt the bison for sport, drastically decreasing the bison herd size. “They just killed and killed because they liked to do that,” said Black Elk, referring to the characteristic of the white-man hunting bison. Indians were ordered onto reservations on January of 1876, making food supply a way that the American government could control the Native Americans’ behavior. Native Americans were forced to rely on government rations with the bison herd diminishing and the confiscation of horses and guns, as well. When Native Americans seemed hostile, as when Sitting Bull refused to come out of Canada and live on the reservation, the government decreased rations. Starved and sickened, Native Americans had no choice but to be compliant with the American government. When the bison herd became extinct, so was contact with the