The Ghost Dance War was an armed conflict in the United States between the Lakota Sioux and the United States government from 1890 until 1891. It involved the Wounded Knee Massacre wherein the 7th Cavalry massacred around 300 unarmed Lakota Sioux, primarily women, children, and elders, at Wounded Knee on December 29, 1890.
What was the outcome of the Ghost Dance movement?
The Ghost Dance movement resulted in a massacre at Wounded Knee which had a lasting impact on many people. The religion of the Ghost Dance started with a man named Wovoka. On January 1, 1889, he had a ‘vision’ during a solar eclipse in Nevada (Peterson 27). It brought a message of hope to the oppressed Indians of only the Indians living.
Who started the Ghost Dance?
The original Ghost Dance movement (1870) The original Ghost Dance began on the Walker Lake Reservation in Nevada, in 1870. It was initiated by Wodziwob (Gray Hair), a Northern Paiute Indian, as a result of his visionary experiences in the late 1860s. He told of having traveled, in a trance, to another world, where he was informed that an Indian renaissance was at hand, and declared that Indians could create a new paradise by performing a series of rituals.
What is the purpose of Ghost Dance?
What was the purpose of the Ghost Dance? The Ghost Dance was associated with Wovoka’s prophecy of an end to white expansion while preaching goals of clean living, an honest life, and cross-cultural cooperation by Native Americans.
What is the Native American Ghost Dance?
The Ghost Dance (Natdia) is a spiritual movement that came about in the late 1880s when conditions were bad on Indian reservations and Native Americans needed something to give them hope. This movement found its origin in a Paiute Indian named Wovoka, who announced that he was the messiah come to earth to prepare the Indians for their salvation.
Why did the Ghost Dance movement decline?
Following the Wounded Knee Massacre, open participation in the Ghost Dance movement declined gradually for fear of continued violence against practitioners. Like most Indian ceremonies, it became clandestine rather than dying out completely.
Who did the ghost dance ceremony?
During the Wounded Knee incident of 1973, Lakota men and women, including Mary Brave Bird, did the ghost dance ceremony on the site where their ancestors had been killed. In her book, Brave Bird writes that ghost dances continue as private ceremonies.
Why did Kehoe believe the movement did not gain traction with the tribe?
Kehoe believed the movement did not gain traction with the tribe due to the Navajo's higher levels of social and economic satisfaction at the time. Another factor was cultural norms among the Navajo, which inculcated a fear of ghosts and spirits, based on religious beliefs.
What is the ghost dance?
The Ghost Dance ( Caddo: Nanissáanah, also called the Ghost Dance of 1890) was a new religious movement incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. According to the teachings of the Northern Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka (renamed Jack Wilson), proper practice of the dance would reunite the living with spirits of the dead, ...
Why did Wodziwob dance the circle dance?
Wodziwob's peers accepted this vision, likely due to his reputable status as a healer. He urged the populace to dance the common circle dance as was customary during a time of celebration. He continued preaching this message for three years with the help of a local "weather doctor" named Tavibo, father of Jack Wilson.
What was the purpose of the Ghost Dance?
The Ghost Dance was associated with Wovoka's prophecy of an end to white expansion while preaching goals of clean living, an honest life, and cross-cultural cooperation by Native Americans. Practice of the Ghost Dance movement was believed to have contributed to Lakota resistance to assimilation under the Dawes Act.
Why was Sitting Bull arrested?
On December 15, 1890, Sitting Bull was arrested for failing to stop his people from practicing the Ghost Dance. During the incident, one of Sitting Bull's men, Catch the Bear, fired at Lieutenant "Bull Head", striking his right side.
What was the ghost dance movement?
As the 1890s began, the emergence of the ghost dance movement was viewed by white Americans as a credible threat.
When did the ghost dance spread?
Decades earlier, in the late 1860s, during a time of privation among western tribes, there had been a version of the ghost dance which spread through the West. That dance also prophesied positive changes to come to the lives of Native Americans. The earlier ghost dance spread through Nevada and California, but when the prophecies did not come true, ...
How did Sitting Bull die?
The legendary Sitting Bull was murdered in a violent altercation sparked by the crackdown on ghost dancing. Two weeks later, the confrontations prompted by the ghost dance crackdown led to the infamous Wounded Knee Massacre . The horrific bloodshed at Wounded Knee marked the end of the Plains Indian Wars.
What did Wovoka say about the dead?
The dead of his people would be restored to life. Game which had been hunted nearly to extinction would return. And the white people would vanish and stop afflicting the indigenous peoples. Wovoka also said a ritual dance which had been taught to him in his visions must be practiced by native populations.
What did the Little Wound say about the ghost dancers?
In "It Looks More Like War," the New York Times claimed that Little Wound, one of the leaders at the Pine Ridge reservation, "the great camp of the ghost dancers," asserted that the Indians would defy orders to cease the dancing rituals. The article said the Sioux were "choosing their fighting ground," and preparing for a major conflict with the U.S. Army.
How did white society view the ghost dance?
An example of how white society viewed the ghost dance appeared in the form of a lengthy story in the New York Times with the subheadline, "How the Indians Work Themselves Up to a Fighting Pitch." The article explains how a reporter, led by friendly Indian guides, trekked overland to a Sioux camp. "The trip was extremely hazardous, owing to the frenzy of the hostiles." The article described the dance, which the reporter claimed to have observed from a hill overlooking the camp. 182 "bucks and squaws" participated in the dance, which took place in a large circle around a tree. The reporter described the scene:
Why was Sitting Bull arrested?
The federal authorities decided to arrest Sitting Bull, as it was suspected he was about to lead a major uprising among the Sioux.
What was the purpose of the ghost dance?
The Ghost Dance, introduced by the Northern Paiute tribe, was a ceremony that acted as a hope to bring back prosperity and liveliness to all of the natives who had fallen under attacks and displacements from their homelands by white American settlers . These Ghost Dances sought to unify the tribe and bring their people together in the hope of returning to their previous ways of living; it was through this Ghost Dance that a strong connection to the spirit world was maintained. Dating back to its beginning in Nevada in 1869, the Ghost Dance was introduced by the visions of the prophet Tävibo, a Northern Paiute. He spoke of a time when Indians would once again be prosperous and no longer be under the control of white people, claiming that white people would disappear altogether. This would allow native Americans to return to the life they once had before the Europeans came, and their buffalo would once again be plentiful. This was the wish many Indians held, to return and resume to act in their cultural ways with no interruption. Tävibo also claimed that in introducing the Ghost Dance, he had spoken to their deceased ancestors. He claimed that it was these dead family members who contrived and shaped the dance into a circular performance dance ceremony. This supposed interaction with the dead and their overall influence on the living is how the name of the practice came to be called the Ghost Dance. The dance grew in popularity as it spread throughout the land, over the great plains to Nevada and California, and even to Oregon. 1
How long did the buffalo dance last?
The dance would last for four days ; it was a round dance that united the entire tribe. During the dance some would take fans that were woven from the wings of eagles and fan those partaking in the round dance. This act was said to put the dancers into a trance, and while submerged, those in the trance would see their relatives who had passed on to the afterworld. The dancers would see them in a place of complete serenity. The lives they were living were the ones of the past where all were happy and under no oppression, with the supply of buffalo easily at hand. 3
How many people died in the wounded knee massacre?
While the military lost only twenty-five men, it was celebrated among the white people as a success. People believed that the “savage ways” of the Indians may finally be over. The Medal of Honor was presented to twenty individuals for their acts during the massacre at Wounded Knee, as their actions was seen as being extremely heroic. The Wounded Knee Massacre was the final blow to the Indians as this ended the four hundred year conflict between the whites and the natives. In only ten years, the Indian population reached a low of 250,000 people. This massacre resulted in the Ghost Dance ceremonies dying out among the Lakotas, but elsewhere in the plain, the acts continued. In some areas as far away as Canada, the Ghost Dance was practiced well into the 1960’s. The ceremonial Ghost Dance holds a rich cultural importance to all of those who were a part of it. It was an expression of native tribes longing for the return of their happy, prosperous, and unbothered lives before the introduce of white settlers. It shows the practice as being completely connected with ones spirituality, in that it reunites members to those who have passed. It highlights how important culture is to native Indians by the acts of dancing, singing songs, and the clothing they put on their bodies. The true purpose of these Ghost Dances was to inspire hope, and it continues to do so in that it shows that even today this Indian culture should not die out as time progresses.
Why was the ghost dance performed in 1890?
Throughout the year 1890, the Ghost Dance was performed, stimulating anticipation of a return of the old ways. That turn of events was all the more remarkable for three reasons: the geographic and language barriers among the various tribes, lack of access to media or other technology to spreading the news, and.
Where did the ghost dance originate?
The original Ghost Dance movement (1870) The original Ghost Dance began on the Walker Lake Reservation in Nevada, in 1870. It was initiated by Wodziwob (Gray Hair), a Northern Paiute Indian, as a result of his visionary experiences in the late 1860s. He told of having traveled, in a trance, to another world, where he was informed ...
Why did Wovoka stop teaching ghost dance?
Wovoka stopped teaching the Ghost Dance between 1891 and 1892, owing to the sorrow he felt by the misinterpretation of his vision by other Indians, particularly the Lakota. Among the Lakota. The most enthusiastic supporters of the new movement were the Lakota. Its spread to Lakota reservations coincided with a period of intense suffering there.
What is ghost dance?
The Ghost Dance movement was a manifestation of Native Americans' fear, anger, and hope regarding the onslaught of white invaders, U.S. Army brutalization, and the U.S. legislative oppression of indigenous nations. Ghost Dance was the term Plains Indians applied to the new ritual; Paiutes, from which it sprang, ...
How long did the dance of the sailor last?
It would be performed for four or five days and was accompanied by singing and chanting, but no drumming or other musical instruments. In addition, both men and women participated in the dance, unlike others in which men were the main dancers, singers, and musicians.
Where did Wodziwob's dances spread?
Wodziwob's teachings soon spread westward among Indian groups living in California and Oregon, among them the Klamath, Miwok, Modoc, and Yurok. Each group adapted the ritual to fit within its own traditions. As the movement spread it evolved; the Earth Lodge religion and the Big Head religion were among the offshoots. After a few years, the Northern Paiute Ghost Dancers became disillusioned, since Wodziwob’s prophecies did not come true, and they gave up the dance. However, other groups to which the movement had spread continued to perform it to some degree. The 1870s Ghost Dance movement gradually subsided.
Who brought the Ghost Dance to the Pine Ridge Reservation?
Its spread to Lakota reservations coincided with a period of intense suffering there. Kicking Bear , a Miniconjou Teton Lakota, along with Short Bull, a Miniconjou mystic, made a pilgrimage to Nevada to learn about the new dance. Kicking Bear brought the Ghost Dance back to the Pine Ridge reservation.
Where did the ghost dance take place?
Mrs. Z.A. Parker observed the Ghost Dance among the Lakota at Pine Ridge Reservation, Dakota Territory on June 20, 1890, and described it: We drove to this spot at about 10:30 o’clock on a delightful October day. We came upon tents scattered here and there in low, sheltered places long before reaching the dance ground.
What is the ghost dance?
The Ghost Dance – A Promise of Fulfillment. The Ghost Dance (Natdia) is a spiritual movement that came about in the late 1880s when conditions were bad on Indian reservations and Native Americans needed something to give them hope. This movement found its origin in a Paiute Indian named Wovoka, who announced that he was ...
How long does the dance last in Wovoka?
The dance as told by Wovoka went something like this: “When you get home you must begin a dance and continue for five days. Dance for four successive nights, and on the last night continue dancing until the morning of the fifth day when all must bathe in the river and then return to their homes.
Why did the Lakota make ghost shirts?
They claimed that the Lakota developed a militaristic approach to the dance and began making “ghost shirts” they thought would protect them from bullets. They also spoke openly about why they were dancing.
What was the Natdia dance?
Central to the Natdia religion was the dance itself – dancing in a circular pattern continuously – which induced a state of religious ecstasy. Paiute Indians. The movement began with a dream by Wovoka (named Jack Wilson in English), a Northern Paiute, during the solar eclipse on January 1, 1889.
When did the Paiute dance begin?
The Paiute tradition that led to the Ghost Dance began in the 1870s 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 them. Central to the Natdia religion was the dance itself – dancing in ...
How long did the priest speak to the crowd?
After he had spoken for about fifteen minutes they arose and formed in a circle. As nearly as I could count, there were between three and four hundred persons.
Who painted the ghost dance?
Painting of the Ghost Dance as performed by Arapahos, 1900. Image courtesy National Archives.
What were the major events that happened in the American West?
The American West. The Gold Rush. The Homestead Act and the exodusters. The reservation system. The Dawes Act. Chinese immigrants and Mexican Americans in the age of westward expansion. The Indian Wars and the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The Ghost Dance and Wounded Knee. This is the currently selected item.
Where was the massacre at Wounded Knee?
A mere two weeks later, on December 29, 1890, the US 7th Cavalry Regiment surrounded an encampment of Sioux Indians near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. While attempting to disarm the Sioux, a shot was fired and a scuffle ensued. The US army soldiers opened fire on the Sioux, ...
What was the name of the spiritual movement that Wovoka founded?
The Ghost Dance. During a solar eclipse on January 1, 1889, Wovoka, a shaman of the Northern Paiute tribe, had a vision. Claiming that God had appeared to him in the guise of a Native American and had revealed to him a bountiful land of love and peace, Wovoka founded a spiritual movement called the Ghost Dance.
Overview
The Ghost Dance (Caddo: Nanissáanah, also called the Ghost Dance of 1890) was a ceremony incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. According to the teachings of the Northern Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka (renamed Jack Wilson), proper practice of the dance would reunite the living with spirits of the dead, bring the spirits to fight on their behalf, end American westward …
History
The Northern Paiutes living in Mason Valley, in what is now the U.S. state of Nevada, were known collectively as the Tövusidökadö (lit. '(Cyperus) bulb eaters') at the time of European contact. The Northern Paiute community at this time was thriving upon a subsistence pattern of fishing, hunting wild game, and foraging for pine nuts and roots such as Cyperus esculentus.
The Tövusidökadö during this period lacked any permanent political organization or officials and …
The "Prophet"
Jack Wilson, the prophet otherwise known as Wovoka, was believed to have had a vision during a solar eclipse on January 1, 1889. It was reportedly not his first time experiencing a vision, but as a young adult, he claimed that he was then better equipped, spiritually, to handle this message. Jack had received training from an experienced holy man under his parents' guidance after they realized that he was having difficulty interpreting his previous visions. Jack was also training to …
Spread of the prophet's message
Through Native Americans and some white settlers, Wilson's message spread across much of the western portion of the United States. Early in the religious movement, many tribes sent members to investigate the self-proclaimed prophet, while other communities sent delegates only to be cordial. Regardless of their initial motivations, many left as believers and returned to their homelan…
Political influence
In February 1890, the United States government broke a Lakota treaty by adjusting the Great Sioux Reservation of South Dakota (an area that formerly encompassed the majority of the state) and breaking it up into five smaller reservations. The government was accommodating white homesteaders from the eastern United States; in addition, it intended to "break up tribal relationships" and "conform Indians to the white man's ways, peaceably if they will, or forcibly if t…
Wounded Knee
Spotted Elk (Lakota: Unpan Glešká – also known as Big Foot) was a Miniconjou leader on the U.S. Army's list of 'trouble-making' Indians. On December 29, 1890, he was stopped while en route to convene with the remaining Lakota chiefs. U.S. Army officers forced him to relocate with his people to a small camp close to the Pine Ridge Agency. Here the soldiers could more closely watch the old chief. That evening, December 28, the small band of Lakota erected their tipis on th…
Aftermath
Outrage in the eastern United States emerged as the public learned about the deaths. The U.S. government had insisted on numerous occasions that the Indian had already been successfully "pacified". Many Americans felt the U.S. Army actions were unduly harsh; some related the massacre at Wounded Knee Creek to the "ungentlemanly act of kicking a man when he is already down". Public uproar played a role in the reinstatement of the previous treaty's terms, including f…
Rejection
Despite the widespread acceptance of the Ghost Dance movement, Navajo leaders described the Ghost Dance as "worthless words" in 1890. Three years later, James Mooney arrived at the Navajo reservation in northern Arizona during his study of the Ghost Dance movement and found the Navajo never incorporated the ritual into their society.
Kehoe believed the movement did not gain traction with the tribe due to the Navajo's higher level…
A Dark Moment in History
Origins of The Ghost Dance
Fear of The Ghost Dance
Role of Sitting Bull
Wounded Knee
- The ghost dance movement came to a bloody end at the massacre at Wounded Knee on the morning of December 29, 1890. A detachment of the 7th Cavalry approached an encampment of natives led by a chief named Big Foot and demanded that everyone surrender their weapons. Gunfire broke out, and within an hour approximately 300 Native men, women, and childr...
Resources and Further Reading