Sioux Indian culture is very unique. You can find evidence of this culture by looking at this group’s family lives, gender roles, spirituality, food, and attire. With regards to the Sioux Indian’s family lives, they have always been deeply devoted to their families. The Sioux Indians were very fond of their children, whom were called “Wakanisha” (meaning sacred). Children were rarely punished, and when they were it was by taking away something that they held dear. Children remain a very high priority in the family unit today. They are considered sacred and are treated as such.
The roles of men and women in Sioux society also give us some insight into the culture of this group. Historically, female and male roles were very traditional. Men were the providers. They did the hunting while women ruled the home. Today, these roles remain the same. Men provide for their families, most being engaged in farming and ranching, and women continue to take care of the household. Polygamy was common among the Sioux in the past due to the fact that there were often more women than men in a tribe. One Indian hunter could kill enough buffalo to feed a number of women and children, so he would take more wives and provide for them. Infidelity on the woman’s part was not accepted however. These women could be punished by disfigurement. Presently, polygamy is no longer as acceptable in Sioux Indian society, and women are no longer punished by disfigurement. The gender roles in this society show that the Sioux are a traditional group of people.
Religion is also a large part of the Sioux Indian culture. The Sioux Indians are very spiritual. Some practice Christianity, while the other Sioux Indians still follow beliefs that are more traditional. These traditional beliefs include the belief in one all-powerful god, Wakan Tanka, or the Great Mystery. The Sioux Indians believe that Wakan Tanka created all things. The Sioux also believe that everything has its own spirit, which shares the same spiritual essence with Wakan Tanka. Another spiritual figure that is of great importance to the Sioux Indians is that of the “White Buffalo Calf Maiden.” She first appeared to the Sioux in human form, but she was also a white buffalo. Her coming taught the Sioux that those who live in ignorance and have evil in their hearts might be destroyed by their own actions. She also brought the sacred pipe into Sioux culture. Seven Ceremonies were to be practiced with this pipe. In times of religious persecution, these ceremonies had to be performed secretly. The pipe was easy to hide, and Sioux spirituality became dependent upon its secret expression with this pipe. The “White Buffalo Calf Maiden” taught the Sioux culture a great deal about spirituality.
As previously mentioned, the Sioux Indians practiced seven ceremonies as a part of their spirituality. The first of these was that of “The Keeping of the Soul.” In order to reconcile the death of a loved one, this ceremony permits the resolution of things left undone and the healing of the spirit. It allows the transition of the deceased into the Spirit World. The second ceremony is called the “Sweat Lodge Ceremony” or the “Rite of Purification.” This is a cleansing ceremony that takes place before an important event. Before the event, the individual must prepare by cleansing himself in the sweat lodge. The smoke from the sacred pipe, the heat from the fire in the sweat lodge, and ancient rituals that are performed release guilt, burdens and evil from the participant, bringing them closer to Wakan Tanka. The ceremonies known as “Vision Quests” are private, belonging only to the individual and the Creator. When the time for the vision quest arrives, the seeker will go into the sweat lodge for purification and then proceed to a vision quest site. Depending on the area, this could be a mountaintop, a forest or a desert. The Vision Quest helps the seeker to realize his oneness with all of life. The “Sun Dance” ceremony is yet another ritual performed in the Sioux culture. This ceremony involves fasting and dancing for four days. It is performed to offer thanks and honor to Wakan Tanka. Participants endure suffering, shedding their own blood, so that others will not suffer. This suffering can be symbolic, spiritual, or, as in the past, very real. In the past, one’s skin was pierced with wooden pegs that were attached to a Sun Dance Pole. That individual would then dance around the pole until the skin would rip to release the wooden peg. The “Making Relatives” ceremony was used to establish a relationship between two people, much like an adoption. This ceremony was completed through prayer to Wakan Tanka and the exchange of food and smoke from the sacred pipe. The “Preparation of Womanhood” ceremony is a puberty ceremony that purifies a girl who has her first menstrual period. It prepares her for womanhood and childbirth. This is when the girl becomes a link to the preservation of the tribe. The final ceremony is the “Throwing of the Ball.” This ritual expresses the belief that Wakan Tanka is a part of all things. This ceremony is performed only by women, and participants hold a ball and throw it in the direction of the four quarters of the universe. Today, other ceremonies have supplanted some of the original seven ceremonies taught by the Buffalo Calf Woman. The Sun Dance, Sweat Lodge and Vision Quest are still major ceremonies that are widely practiced however. These ceremonies are a huge part of the Sioux Indian culture.
The Black Hills is a very sacred location for the Sioux. Legend states that when the universe was created a song was given to it. Each part of the universe received a part of the song. In the Black Hills, however, this song can be found in its entirety. This is why many Sioux men and women go to the Black Hills each year for their Vision Quests. The Black Hills are believed to be the center of the universe by the Sioux culture.
The Sioux’s culture can also be found in the foods they eat and clothes they wear. In the past, Sioux Indians ate buffalo (predominantly), bear, deer, antelope, turkey and hens. The Sioux also shared their food with the entire tribe. They wore clothes made from animal skins, with the women wearing long dresses and leggings. The men wore deerskin shirts and tight leggings. The clothes were often decorated with colorful bead and quill embroidery. Feathers, shells, animal claws, animal teeth, and paint could be found in the design and decoration of the Sioux clothes. Moccasins were worn for shoes. Today, you can find that the Sioux Indians still use some of the same ingredients in the preparation of their foods. A popular dish among the Sioux Nation is that of fry bread. Most Native Americans wear contemporary American and Canadian clothes in their daily life now. Unique American Indian clothing styles still exist today however. It is apparent that the Sioux Indians have a very rich and interesting culture.
Resources:
Brown, J. (1997). The sacred pipe; black elk’s account of the seven rites of the oglala sioux. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
Landau, E. (1989). The sioux. New York: Franklin Watts.
Lonehill, K. (2004). Sioux. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers.
Lund, B. (1998). The sioux indians. Mankato: Bridgestone Books.
Todd, A. (2003). The sioux: people of the great plains. Mankato: Bridgestone Books.
