Sioux Indian Religion: Tradition and Innovation

Individuals of all persuasions have become deeply interested in contemporary Sioux religious practices. These essays by tribal religious leaders, scholars, and other members of the Sioux communities in North and South Dakota deal with the more important questions about Sioux ritual and belief in relation to history, tradition, and the mainstream of American life.

Contents:

(1) "Lakota Belief and Ritual in the Nineteenth Century," by Raymond J. DeMallie;

(2) "Lakota Genesis: The Oral Tradition," by Elaine A. Jahner;

(3) "The Sacred Pipe in Modern Life," by Arval Looking Horse;

(4) "The Lakota Sun Dance: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives," by Arthur Amiotte;

(5) "The Establishment of Christianity Among the Sioux," by Vine V. Deloria, Sr.;

(6) "Catholic Mission and the Sioux: A Crisis in the Early Paradigm," by Harvey Markowitz;

(7) "Contemporary Catholic Mission Work Among the Sioux," by Robert Hilbert, S.}.;

(8) "Christian Life Fellowship Church," by Mercy Poor Man;

(9) "Indian Women and the Renaissance of Traditional Religion," by Beatrice Medicine;

(10) "The Contemporary Yuwipi," by Thomas H. Lewis, M.D.;

(11) "The Native American Church of Jesus Christ," by Emerson Spider, Sr.;

(12) "Traditional Lakota Religion in Modern Life," by Robert Stead, with an Introduction by Kenneth Oliver; Suggestions for Further Reading; Bibliography.

Raymond J. DeMallie, who holds the Ph.D. degree from the University of Chicago, is Professor of Anthropology in Indiana University.

Douglas R. Parks, who received his Ph. D. from the University of California, Berkeley, is Associate Scholar in the Department of Anthropology, Indiana University.

Arthur Amiotte is well known for his paintings of Sioux ritual, which express profound understanding of his Sioux religious heritage.