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"Black Elk first became known to a wide range of readers in 1932, through John G. Neihardt's
"Black Elk Speaks: The Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux."
"According to his own account, he was born in 1862. He had therefore known the old days when his
people still had the freedom of the plains and hunted the bison. But whether hunting, traveling,
or fighting, Black Elk was not as other men were. During his youth he had been instructed in
the sacred lore of his people by such great men as Whirlwind Chaser, Black Road, and the sage Elk
Head, Keeper of the Sacred Pipe, from whom he had learned the history and deep meanings of his
people's spiritual heritage. Through prayer, fasting, and a deepening understanding of this
heritage, Black Elk himself eventually became one of the wise men. Receiving many visions,
he acquired special powers to be used for the good of his nation.
Black Elk was a member of the Oglala division of the Teton Sioux. These Western Teton
were one of the seven bands or "Council Fires" of the Dakota ("Allied" nation). This is
one of the nations belonging to the large Siouan linguistic family, which also includes
the Assiniboin, Crow, Hidatsa, Iowa, Kansa, Mandan, Missouri, Omaha, Osage, Oto, Ponca,
and Quapaw. According to their own historical account, the Dakota were established on the
headwaters of the Mississippi River as late as the sixteenth century. In the seventeenth century
they were driven westward from Minnesota by their enemies the Chippewa. In leaving the forests
and lakes, the Dakota substituted the horse for the bark canoe with remarkable ease. In the
nineteenth century they became known and feared as one of the most powerful nations of the plains.
Indeed, it was these Dakota Sioux who offered perhaps the strongest resistance of all the Indian
groups to the westward movement of the whites."
Joseph Epes Brown
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"In the great vision which came to me in my youth, when I had known only nine
winters, there was something which has seemed to me to be of greater and greater importance
as the moons have passed by. It is about our "Sacred Pipe" and its importance to our people.
We have been told by the white men, or at least by those who are Christian, that God sent
to men His son, who would restore order and peace upon the earth; and we have been told that
Jesus the Christ was crucified, but that he shall come again at the Last Judgment, the end of
this world or cycle.
This I understand and know that it is true, but the white men should know that for the red people
too, it was the will of Wakan-Tanka,The Great Spirit, that an animal turn itself into
a two-legged person in order to bring the most holy pipe to His people; and we too were taught
that this White Buffalo Cow Woman who brought our sacred pipe will appear again at the end of
the "world," a coming which we Indians know is now not very far off.
We should understand well that all things are the works of the Great Spirit. We should know that
HE is within all things: the trees, the grasses, the rivers, the mountains, and all the
four-legged animals, and the winged peoples; and even more important, we should understand
the HE is also above all these things and peoples. When we do understand all this deeply in
our hearts, then we will fear, and love, and know the Great Spirit, and then we will be and act
and live as HE intends."
Black Elk
�
It has now been 30 years since Joseph Epes Brown wrote these words. I found this such a wonderfully
enlightening book. I have no intentions of abusing copyrights of this book, only to allow others knowledge
of the teachings of this great man. All context have been put in " " referring to the writing of
Joseph Epes Brown, or the words of BLACK ELK.
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Black Elk Wallace - Following the Footsteps
Charolotte Black Elk
Black Elk - Account of the Fetterman Fight
Native American Quotes
Inspirational Quotes Collection
Wounded Knee - Massacre of 1890
Black Elk: Earth Prayer & The Sunset
PAL: Black Elk (1863 - 1950)
Black Elk
Black Elk Vision
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With Tremendous Gratitude to Canyon Records for the Music Background
"Dreams of the Grandfathers"
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