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Lakota Sioux Indian Dance Theatre, the Narrator Will Explain the Meaning of Each Dance

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Lakota Sioux Indian Dance Theatre, the Narrator Will Explain the Meaning of Each Dance he circle appears over T and over in the culture of the Lakota Sioux. They believe that life is a sacred circle in which all things are connected—nature, animals, and humans. Sometimes Lakota Sioux refer to the circle as the Sacred Hoop. When Lakota Sioux perform the hoop dance they are doing the dance of life, seeking harmony and balance in all things. The Lakota Sioux: A Rich History Columbus made a mistake when he Welcome to Cuesheet, Native Americans once lived throughout what is now the United States. In called the natives one of a series of 1492, when Columbus arrived in the Americas, there were about two million Native Americans living in 300 tribes. of North America performance guides “los Indios.” He published by the According to scientists, the ancestors of Native Americans believed that by Education Department came to North America from Siberia at least 20,000 sailing west from of the John F. Kennedy ye ars ago. During the Ice Age, the sea level dropped, causing a land Europe far enough Center for the bridge to appear at the Bering Strait. Hunting buffalo and woolly he would arrive Performing Arts, mammoth, they crossed the bridge. Native Americans believe their somewhere in Asia. Washington, D.C. This ancestors always lived on this continent. Like other Cuesheet is designed to Large numbers of Native Americans lived on the Great Plains.The Sioux Europeans, he did be used before and not know that the migrated there in the 1600s.They had lived along the Mississippi River as Americas existed. after attending a farmers and hunters in places that today are the states of Minnesota, performance by the Because he Wisconsin, and Iowa.When they were defeated by their American Indian thought he was Lakota Sioux Indian enemies and when white settlers seized their land, the Sioux had sailing in the Indian Dance Theatre. You may Ocean when he use Cuesheet alone or to leave their farms and hunting grounds and landed at San with others. Some of the wander in search of a new home. Eventually, they reached the Great Plains and learned to lead Salvador Island in suggested activities in it the Bahama will be more interesting nomadic lives, moving from place Islands, he called if they are done with to place in search of food. the people he met classmates, friends, or Farming, forests, and lakes “los Indios.” family members. were forgotten as the n Sioux learned to What’s in live in an Cuesheet? “ocean of The Lakota Sioux: A Rich grass”. History, page 2 Spirits and Myths, page 5 Photos cover & page 2: cover Photos Archives, National Anthrolopogical Institution Smithsonian Dances and the Circle The Great of Life, page 6 Plains cover The Lakota Sioux more than 1,500,000 Indian Dance square miles. The Theatre, page 8 terrain of the Looking and Great Plains varies. Listening, page 9 It has vast Family, Community, grasslands. It also and Nature’s Cycle, has some rugged page 10 hills, such as the The Buffalo: A Valued Black Hills, which Friend, page 12 are the sacred You May Want To..., ceremonial grounds page 12 of the Sioux. 2 THE NAMES by which we know Native American tribes were given to them by white explorers and settlers. The Chippewa called the Sioux “Nadewisue” (nay- day-wee-soo), the word for “little snake,” meaning “enemy.” French explorers had difficulty saying the name and shortened it to “Sioux.” The Sioux are composed of three principal language groups living in different The Sioux were one of the 30 tribes that lived on the Great Plains.They parts of the Great soon became fierce warriors and buffalo hunters. From 1830 until 1870, Plains: Lakota, the Sioux were the most powerful Plains Dakota, and Indians. Nakota. They all Unfortunately, contact with white settlers mean “the people.” brought the Sioux great misery. Settlers took the Sioux land and built fences around it to keep out other settlers and to prevent the Sioux from reclaiming it.The United States Government made treaties with Native Americans HERE ARE MANY guaranteeing their ownership of Tfascinating land. Unfortunately, all those details concerning the treaties were broken by Battle of Wounded the Government. Many Sioux died of diseases like smallpox and Knee. Research and RESERVATIONS measles, which the settlers brought with them and to which the Sioux were explain what role the are places set not immune. Many Sioux died in battles with army troops sent to Ghost Dance played in aside by federal control them. Like other Native Americans, they were forced to live the battle, why the and state in poverty on reservations. battle happened, and governments for what its results were. Indians to live on. For the Sioux, the final devastating massacre of their people occurred There are about in 1890 at the Battle of Wounded Knee, when almost 250 men, women, 300 reservations and children were killed by United States soldiers.The Lakota Sioux believe located in 34 that the sacred circle of life was broken for them at that states. battle, and it is only in recent times that the circle is becoming whole again. 3 The Sacred Pipe is the holiest HE NAMES of many of all objects for Tplaces in the United the Sioux. The oday, Lakota Sioux continue to live on reservations in North and States have American Indian names. Some of wooden stem and South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Montana. Some live in them are: pipestone bowl Canada. However, many Lakota Sioux live, as other Americans do, represent the T Potomac (River), in urban communities throughout the country. Today, Manhattan, American Indian’s there are about 1,900,000 Native Americans Chicago, body. The tobacco living in the United States. Appalachia, in the bowl Since 1924, when Indians were recognized as American citizens, their and Mississippi. represents all living lives have gradually improved. But their struggle Identify places in the green things. The goes on. New homes and roads are being city or state where you smoke that comes built on reservations.There are new live that have Indian from the pipe rep- and better schools. Over 30 tribal names. Find out resents the breath colleges and universities what the names of the people, and throughout the mean. Make a small it carries prayers to country offer dictionary of them. Wakan Tanka, the programs which Creator. include the study of Native American Part of the heritage. land taken More and more American OME FAMOUS illegally from the Indians are claiming SLakota Sioux Lakota Sioux is the their civil rights. The leaders were Chief Black Hills of South American Indian Movement (AIM) Sitting Bull, Chief Red Dakota, their and other reservation-based Cloud, Chief Black Elk, sacred ceremonial organizations have helped to bring Chief Crazy Horse, and grounds. The tribe Chief Spotted Tail. Find sued the United about change. “Self-determination,” out why they are States government by which Indians decide how they remembered. Alone or for the return of will use the natural resources on with others, make a that part on which the reservations and make other no one lives. In 1980 decisions for themselves, has booklet in which you include their the Government become important. biographies and admitted it was The Sioux are sharing more and wrong and offered pictures. Donate your more of the pride they feel about to pay millions of booklet to the school dollars to the tribe. their heritage. Sioux legends and library or media center. The Sioux refused histories have been collected and the money and published. Old skills are used appealed the ruling. again.The Lakota Sioux Indian They want only Dance Theatre shares an ancient their sacred land culture through rituals, songs, and returned. By 1994 Prayer to the Buffalo no decision had dances presented to audiences been reached. throughout the world. 4 Spirits and Myths Spirits The Sioux pray to the Great Spirit,Wakan Tanka, who created the sacred circle of life on earth.They believe Wakan Tanka THE SIOUX regard the eagle as the gave power to all things. most powerful of Native Americans believe that special EAD SOME Native birds. They also powers were given to many different R believe that it has animal spirits, such as the eagle, deer, hawk, American creation important and buffalo. Many times animal myths, for example “The White Buffalo Calf religious spirits were called upon signifi- Woman.” Choose one during vision cance. that interests you most Because quests. and do one of the it can fly high A boy following to retell it: n enough to disappear around 12 Eagle Dance draw a set of sequential behind the clouds, years of pictures n record it on the Sioux believe age was carefully prepared by tribal elders and audiotape and share it the eagle a medicine man to go on the first of many vision with your friends and communicates quests. He would go to a quiet and lonely place to family n act it out by prayers to the yourself or with others great spirit, Wakan fast, taking with him the sacred pipe.Through the n create a dance that Tanka. The most vision quest he hoped to receive a message from sacred feathers Wakan Tanka and to gain wisdom expresses its meaning. come from the and strength to help him be a eagle. Eagle good member IND OUT MORE Photos by Sakari Viika Sakari by Photos F feathers are used of the about the impor- in war bonnets, and tance of feathers to the tribe, as part of dance Lakota Sioux.
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