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Crowbear
Aug 7, 2001, 2:44:21 AM8/7/01
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The eight days that I was at sundance were very magickal and very awe
inspiring. The first 4 days were pretty much spent getting ready for the
actual dance. I went with a friend from work, and the special bonus there is
that she owns a teepee, and I got to stay in it. My son was also with me,
and I want to say now how proud I was of him, he helped whenever he could
and got many compliments on his behaviour. The day before the dance is when
they take the old tree down and then burn it in the fire that they keep
going for the whole dance. I was a fire tender this year, so I got to help
with the fire, I learned a lot of things with fire, for one I see fire as a
woman, especially that fire. She is a very loving fire, but you need to take
care of her, and I looked at the wood as being make-up and making sure that
everything looked in alignment and "pretty" she gave me lots of kisses but
never was I really burned, and let me tell you it got really hot.
A few things about sundance. There is a lot of confusion as to what
it is about, it isn't about pain, it isn't about ego, and definately not
about power. It is one big prayer that is being focused on by all who are
present. The dancers act as a medium to help focus that energy to the tree
and then up to Tankashala (great spirit). The dancers also give a sacrifice
of themselves "suffering for the people" so that others won't have as much
to suffer, kind of like a universal scale. The dance lasts for 4 days, each
day starts at sunrise and ends at sunset. The dancers go through "rounds"
meaning that the drummers/singers keep a beat going while the sundance chief
puts them through that rounds "dance". The round that most focus on is the
piercing round, for men it is usually in the chest area, which is attached
to a harness, which is attached to a rope, which is attached to the tree.
Toward the end of the round the sundance chief gives a signal and then the
dancer then breaks free of the harness. Again this is not an ego thing, cuz
you don't have to pierce and if you are doing it for ego, the spirits tend
to slap you down for it. The third day, the most significant round I would
say is the healing round, where anyone who wants healing will go into the
circle of dancers and they are given special healing energy from Tankashala
at this time, and they pass it on the the people that are there... I have
seen people that were crippled up and barely able to walk out there, get up
and walk normally, and seen one do a full day of dancing in the circle as a
Sundancer. On the last day after the dancers are done there is a feast for
everyone who was there. The whole thing has a feeling of oneness with
everyone there, a great feeling of love.. unconditional love.
For me there are a few things that stick in my mind, one is the
first day, I was the one taking care of the fire during the piercing round.
Things starting to go awry, when I was doing the fire Alex came up to the
gate and kept asking questions, he was really feeling clingy, and I was
taking care of the fire, so my focus was split, and the fire unfortunately
got out of balance, I also know that the round was very difficult. I felt in
some way responsible, because I was angry at Alex, and it wasn't his fault.
After the round was over I went to the tee pee and thought about it. The
anger that I felt should not have been directed at Alex, it was a reaction
to feeling helpless, and torn, cuz I wanted to make sure that he was okay,
but I had the responsibility of the fire. I then decided what I needed to
do, I took some red cloth (red being a sacred color) and wrapped two
packages of tobacco in them. One I took to the fire chief (long standing
bear woman) and told her that I felt some responsibility of the round being
difficult, the reasoning being that whatever happens at the fire is
magnified out in the arbor (dancing circle) she accepted it and said that
there was other stuff that was going on, but she was glad that I had came to
her, the next stop that I had was the sundance chief (Cooney) I reiterated
the situation to him, and he said that it was a good thing to come to him,
cuz I came to him in a humble way, and the spirits look in favor upon us
when we walk humbly. He also said that my concern for my child was a good
one, because the children are our future and will be responsible for taking
care of these ways, and they are the most important thing next to the
chanupa (sacred pipe). Needless to say there were many tears in my eyes,
that were shed without embarrassment, the next thing that I did was to go
back to camp and hug my son, and tell him that I was sorry for being angry,
and told him that it wasn't his fault in any way shape or form. Another time
that comes into focus is me being at the fire and bending down to pick up
some tobacco to give to the fire (tobacco is sacred) and when I stood up the
eagle staff that was there grabbed ahold of my shirt. I figured why it had
grabbed me, it was the sign that I was looking for, but what I voiced was "I
wonder why he did that" standing right there was the sundance chief, and he
got a big ole smile on his face and said "Maybe because he wants you" which
cinched, that is when I made my decision that I was going to dance next
year, I found a sponsor and he is going to help me get ready. Another time
that comes into focus was the last night that I was there, I was on fire
watch, and I had asked if I could bring my chanupa and share it with
everyone (meaning fill it and smoke it) Everyone said yes, well what I
forgot to mention to them is that my chanupa bag is actually the skin of a
coyote, with the legs still attached too. It was dark when I put it on the
altar and had to go to the bathroom. Evidently while I was gone the head
fire tender saw it on the altar and jumped about 6 feet away, and got pretty
vocal. I came back and told her that it was my chanupa, she immediately fell
to laughing, the laughter was infectious and everyone started to laugh, even
the fire chief who was there (bear woman) and when she took a look at it she
said it was a wolf... no coyote medicine allowed, but there was this gleam
in her eye, I said "No gramma it is a coyote" she still insisted that it was
a wolf, and began to laugh. The intercessor was there, he is an important
part of the dance, he came from South Dakota to make sure that the sundance
was done in a good way (Grampa Ted) I even saw him crack a smile when
everyone else was laughing, it was a very magickal and silly night, and was
needed after all the seriousness that was going on.
One last thing to mention, two days after I got back I was lying
down on my bed contemplating things that had gone on, and just as I was
about to go to sleep, the grandfathers added on to my name. I normally like
going by Bear, and have realized how much it fits me, well now I have some
more growing to do, in order to fit the new name. It was Eagle Bear Man, the
eagle is a very sacred being to the Lakota, he is the one that takes our
prayers to Tankashala, so this is great medicine that I have been given and
I hope that I will be able to fill those shoes.
inspiring. The first 4 days were pretty much spent getting ready for the
actual dance. I went with a friend from work, and the special bonus there is
that she owns a teepee, and I got to stay in it. My son was also with me,
and I want to say now how proud I was of him, he helped whenever he could
and got many compliments on his behaviour. The day before the dance is when
they take the old tree down and then burn it in the fire that they keep
going for the whole dance. I was a fire tender this year, so I got to help
with the fire, I learned a lot of things with fire, for one I see fire as a
woman, especially that fire. She is a very loving fire, but you need to take
care of her, and I looked at the wood as being make-up and making sure that
everything looked in alignment and "pretty" she gave me lots of kisses but
never was I really burned, and let me tell you it got really hot.
A few things about sundance. There is a lot of confusion as to what
it is about, it isn't about pain, it isn't about ego, and definately not
about power. It is one big prayer that is being focused on by all who are
present. The dancers act as a medium to help focus that energy to the tree
and then up to Tankashala (great spirit). The dancers also give a sacrifice
of themselves "suffering for the people" so that others won't have as much
to suffer, kind of like a universal scale. The dance lasts for 4 days, each
day starts at sunrise and ends at sunset. The dancers go through "rounds"
meaning that the drummers/singers keep a beat going while the sundance chief
puts them through that rounds "dance". The round that most focus on is the
piercing round, for men it is usually in the chest area, which is attached
to a harness, which is attached to a rope, which is attached to the tree.
Toward the end of the round the sundance chief gives a signal and then the
dancer then breaks free of the harness. Again this is not an ego thing, cuz
you don't have to pierce and if you are doing it for ego, the spirits tend
to slap you down for it. The third day, the most significant round I would
say is the healing round, where anyone who wants healing will go into the
circle of dancers and they are given special healing energy from Tankashala
at this time, and they pass it on the the people that are there... I have
seen people that were crippled up and barely able to walk out there, get up
and walk normally, and seen one do a full day of dancing in the circle as a
Sundancer. On the last day after the dancers are done there is a feast for
everyone who was there. The whole thing has a feeling of oneness with
everyone there, a great feeling of love.. unconditional love.
For me there are a few things that stick in my mind, one is the
first day, I was the one taking care of the fire during the piercing round.
Things starting to go awry, when I was doing the fire Alex came up to the
gate and kept asking questions, he was really feeling clingy, and I was
taking care of the fire, so my focus was split, and the fire unfortunately
got out of balance, I also know that the round was very difficult. I felt in
some way responsible, because I was angry at Alex, and it wasn't his fault.
After the round was over I went to the tee pee and thought about it. The
anger that I felt should not have been directed at Alex, it was a reaction
to feeling helpless, and torn, cuz I wanted to make sure that he was okay,
but I had the responsibility of the fire. I then decided what I needed to
do, I took some red cloth (red being a sacred color) and wrapped two
packages of tobacco in them. One I took to the fire chief (long standing
bear woman) and told her that I felt some responsibility of the round being
difficult, the reasoning being that whatever happens at the fire is
magnified out in the arbor (dancing circle) she accepted it and said that
there was other stuff that was going on, but she was glad that I had came to
her, the next stop that I had was the sundance chief (Cooney) I reiterated
the situation to him, and he said that it was a good thing to come to him,
cuz I came to him in a humble way, and the spirits look in favor upon us
when we walk humbly. He also said that my concern for my child was a good
one, because the children are our future and will be responsible for taking
care of these ways, and they are the most important thing next to the
chanupa (sacred pipe). Needless to say there were many tears in my eyes,
that were shed without embarrassment, the next thing that I did was to go
back to camp and hug my son, and tell him that I was sorry for being angry,
and told him that it wasn't his fault in any way shape or form. Another time
that comes into focus is me being at the fire and bending down to pick up
some tobacco to give to the fire (tobacco is sacred) and when I stood up the
eagle staff that was there grabbed ahold of my shirt. I figured why it had
grabbed me, it was the sign that I was looking for, but what I voiced was "I
wonder why he did that" standing right there was the sundance chief, and he
got a big ole smile on his face and said "Maybe because he wants you" which
cinched, that is when I made my decision that I was going to dance next
year, I found a sponsor and he is going to help me get ready. Another time
that comes into focus was the last night that I was there, I was on fire
watch, and I had asked if I could bring my chanupa and share it with
everyone (meaning fill it and smoke it) Everyone said yes, well what I
forgot to mention to them is that my chanupa bag is actually the skin of a
coyote, with the legs still attached too. It was dark when I put it on the
altar and had to go to the bathroom. Evidently while I was gone the head
fire tender saw it on the altar and jumped about 6 feet away, and got pretty
vocal. I came back and told her that it was my chanupa, she immediately fell
to laughing, the laughter was infectious and everyone started to laugh, even
the fire chief who was there (bear woman) and when she took a look at it she
said it was a wolf... no coyote medicine allowed, but there was this gleam
in her eye, I said "No gramma it is a coyote" she still insisted that it was
a wolf, and began to laugh. The intercessor was there, he is an important
part of the dance, he came from South Dakota to make sure that the sundance
was done in a good way (Grampa Ted) I even saw him crack a smile when
everyone else was laughing, it was a very magickal and silly night, and was
needed after all the seriousness that was going on.
One last thing to mention, two days after I got back I was lying
down on my bed contemplating things that had gone on, and just as I was
about to go to sleep, the grandfathers added on to my name. I normally like
going by Bear, and have realized how much it fits me, well now I have some
more growing to do, in order to fit the new name. It was Eagle Bear Man, the
eagle is a very sacred being to the Lakota, he is the one that takes our
prayers to Tankashala, so this is great medicine that I have been given and
I hope that I will be able to fill those shoes.
Mitakuye Oyasin
m
Aug 7, 2001, 6:38:05 AM8/7/01
to
Wow! What a story. Thanks a billion for sharing that. Wish I could've
been there too....although, reading it, I almost felt like I was.
been there too....although, reading it, I almost felt like I was.
Welcome back. Hope we don't seem *too* dull by comparison. ;)
Ah, wait - I have a question. In ancient folklore, it is said that when the
Isle of Atlantis sunk, the people swam off in two directions - one to
Britain (where they became the Druids and spread throughout Europe) and the
other to the Americas (where they became American Indians (what IS the
proper name for these people? I can't say "native American" because anyone
who is born there is a native American, just as I'm a native Scot....but
that's not the question I wanted to ask you). What I'd like to know is, are
your people aware of this legend and do they lend any credence to it?
-- m
"Crowbear" <crow...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9ko2qn$5lbt1$1...@ID-10586.news.dfncis.de...
Crowbear
Aug 7, 2001, 8:32:25 AM8/7/01
to
Well, you are never boring, to say the least. The tradition that I am
following is Lakota. As for the story, I will have to run it by an elder and
see what they say.
following is Lakota. As for the story, I will have to run it by an elder and
see what they say.
"m" <redheadedgoth...@callnetuk.com> wrote in message
news:9kog9k$5licj$1...@ID-16453.news.dfncis.de...
nywgem
Aug 7, 2001, 9:59:04 AM8/7/01
to
wonderful story, Crow Bear :)
I know that you are now worth of your new name.
Meggie ;)
"Crowbear" <crow...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9ko2qn$5lbt1$1...@ID-10586.news.dfncis.de...
nywgem
Aug 7, 2001, 10:00:13 AM8/7/01
to
There are some people that do believe that.
Meggie
"m" <redheadedgoth...@callnetuk.com> wrote in message
news:9kog9k$5licj$1...@ID-16453.news.dfncis.de...
WW
Aug 7, 2001, 12:21:44 PM8/7/01
to
Wow! Very powerful experience indeed.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
Kiarnet
--
----------
"My darling girl, when are you going to realise that being normal is not
necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."
Stockard Channing from the movie Practical Magic
"Crowbear" <crow...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9ko2qn$5lbt1$1...@ID-10586.news.dfncis.de...
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