"Hey-a-a-hey! Hey-a-a-hey! Hey-a-a-hey! Hey-a-a-hey!

Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice. You lived first, and you are older than all need, older than all prayer. All things belong to you --- the two-leggeds, the four-leggeds, the wings of the air and all green things that live. You have set the powers of the four quarters to cross each other. The good road and the road of difficulties you have made to cross; and where they cross the place is holy. Day in and day out, forever, you are the life of things.

Therefore I am sending a voice Great Spirit, my Grandfather, forgetting nothing you have made, the stars of the universe and the grasses of the earth.

You have said to me, when I was still young and could hope, that in difficulty I should send a voice four times, once for each quarter of the earth, and you would hear me.

Today I send a voice for a people in despair.

You have given me a sacred pipe, and through this I should make my offering. You see it now.

From the west you have given me the cup of living water and the sacred bow, the power to make life and to destroy. You have given me a sacred wind and and an herb from where the white giant lives --- the cleansing power and the healing. The daybreak star and the pipe, you have given from the east; and from the south, the nation's sacred hoop and the tree that was to bloom. To the centre of the world you have taken me and showed the goodness and the beauty and the strangeness of the greening earth, the only mother --- and there the spirit shapes of things, as they should be, you have shown to me and I have seen. At the centre of this sacred hoop you have said that I should make the tree to bloom.

With tears running, O Great Spirit, Great Spirit, my Grandfather, with tears running I must say now that the tree has never bloomed. A pitiful old man, you see me here, and I have fallen away and have done nothing. Here at the centre of the world, where you took me when I was young and taught me; here, old, I stand, and the tree is withered, Grandfather, my Grandfather!

Again, and maybe the last time on this earth, I recall the great vision you sent me. It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives. Nourish it then, that it may leaf and bloom and fill with singing birds. Hear me, but not for myself, but for my people; I am old. Hear me that they may once more go back to the sacred hoop and find the good red road, the shielding tree!

In sorrow I am sending a feeble voice, O Six Powers of the World. Hear me in my sorrow, for I may never call again. O make my people live!"
 
 
 

Black Elk is one of those rare warriors whose lives spanned two centuries of important American History. He was present at several significant events in Native American history during his fascinating life, and has forever left his mark on mankind.

At the age of nine years old, Black Elk fell ill to a mysterious illness that left him in a coma for many days. During this time, he had his now famous vision which was recorded in the book by John Neihardt, "Black Elk Speaks."

Being a child at the time, Black Elk realized people would probably not believe him so he kept the vision to himself for quite a while. Over the years he revealed bits and pieces to other tribal members. It was from this vision, that the Sioux received the Horse Dance.

However, Black Elk's vision was not known outside the Native American community until it was published in Neihardt's book during the 1930's. Still, the book did not receive much attention until it was reprinted in the early 1960's, after Black Elk's death. Since then it has become a classic in many Native American cultural libraries.

Black Elk was thirteen years old at the time he participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn (Custer's Last Stand) in 1876. He traveled with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and toured Europe for several years. He said he did this to learn how the white man thinks, particularly in regard to religious matters.

Black Elk returned to the United States in time to regretfully see the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. It was his involvement with this battle that initially brought he and John Neihardt together in 1930.

In 1881, the Sun Dance, war dances and feasts were outlawed, with the punishment for a first offense being the withholding of food rations. In 1882 another law was passed that made it illegal for Indians to do a number of things, including gathering in groups of more than a few people. (This did not end the practice of these religious dances as many people thought, they merely were moved to remote places and were done secretly.)

However, those Indians who had converted to Christianity were allowed to congregate freely without fear of persecution. For this reason, Black Elk converted to Catholicism and became a catechist. This allowed him to move freely among his people and to offer assistance in both the traditional and the Catholic religion.

During this time Black Elk adopted the dress and many of the ways of the white man and did not talk much about his vision.

Finally, when John Neihardt arrived on the scene, Black Elk decided to share his vision with the world. Shortly before his death, he made a trip back to Harney Peak in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Black Elk said this was the "center of the world" and the place he was taken in his vision so long ago.

It was here that Black Elk offered the prayer quoted at the beginning of this article. The details of this pilgrimage were recorded in Neihardt's book, along with a detailed explanation of the vision as Black Elk interpreted it, and other details of Black Elk's life. If you have not yet read this book, I would highly recommend it.

Black Elk served his people for many years as a spiritual leader and died in 1950. He did not live to see the Sun Dance come out of hiding. This did not happen until the mid 1960's. Some of these barbarious laws prohibiting Indian people from practicing religious freedom were not changed until 1978, 1993, 1994, and 1996.