In the late 1880's Indian tribes desired to find a way of revitalizing their traditional culture as well as a way of obtaining salvation. While facing hardships such as poverty and disease these tribes created the new religion of the Ghost Dance as a direct reaction to the government forcing them to submit to authority as well as reservation life. The Ghost Dance religion promised an apocalypse in future years in which Erath would be completely destroyed and would then be recreated with Indians as the inheritors of the new Earth. This dance was first performed by Jack Wilson (Wovoka) who first taught the religion in Nevada and from their it quickly spread to Oklahoma as well as California. According to their prophecy Indians were being punished with these hardships as a result of their sins but since they had taken enough from the whites they came to believe that when this apocalypse hit that whites would be obliterated and buried and they would then rule over them.
See photo at: http://www.deathreference.com/images/medd_01_img0058.jpg
http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/woundedknee/WKghost.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dance
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This reminds me of how the slaves would sing to express their emotions and their pain. This dance seemed to give them hope, which was clearly much-needed at this time.
ReplyDeleteI find it sad that both the white settlers and Indians felt the need to place themselves above one another. If the Indians truly wanted to coexist, why do they dream of ruling over a certain race?
ReplyDeleteI think that the indians have had a strong culture and the idea that they had to shift thier beliefs just to satisfy or accomodate the white man, is just ludacris. america says that people have the right to practice what ever religious belief they desire, well then why are they so negative towards a different point of view when it comes to religion?
ReplyDeleteI think the indians felt like they could not share the land with the whites anymore because the whites were taking control of the land. They seemed tired of being opressed. Its like little kids on a playground, if a little kid starts playing with another kid and his toy its ok. It is a problem when the new kid steals the toy from the kid who is already playing with the toy. The indians want the land to be theirs, like the first little boy wants his toy back
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