Purification In American Culture

The ceremony included feasting, ceremonial purification bathing and dancing for four successive nights in six week intervals at the beginning, then more frequently (Mooney 782). Before the dance started, men or at least the leaders entered the sweat-house for religious purification. This tepee was a small framework with blankets and buffalo robes on the top. Stones were heated by the medicine man, then the patient went in and poured water on the stones. Until perspiration and by it purification, the medicine man prayed outside and took care of hot stone supply. Then the patient had a bath in the neighbouring stream. This element was a unique Sioux addition. After the sweating ceremony the dancer was painted only on his face by the medicine

Then these arrows were gathered up and tied to the pole together with the bow, gaming wheel and horns. Another or the same young woman stood near the tree during the dance, holding a sacred red stone pipe toward west, the direction from the messiah would appear. The dancers stood around the pole, joining hands, men, women and children, started to sing the songs and move from the right to left, following the course of the sun with the leading of the medicine man. Then the speed was increased, Sioux shouted names of their decedents and fell to the ground unconscious of exhaustion and in this trance state saw visions and met with their dead loved ones. Priests could help the dancers seeing visions by hypnotism with an eagle feather and the motion of his hands. At the end of the ceremony, dancers shook their blankets or shawls in order to drive away all evil influences. They left the fainted dancers recover from the trance, and then they gathered around the medicine man and talked about their visions. From the images and stories new songs and symbols for painting were created. Participants did not use musical instruments. The Ghost Dance was different from any other Indian tribal