The Great Spirit Wakan Tanka

To the Sioux Indians, religion was not separate from everyday life. They believed that human beings, like the buffalo and other animals, were created... more

by Dennis Buckman

Title

The Great Spirit Wakan Tanka

Artist

Dennis Buckman

Medium

Painting - Interpretation Of Photographs

Description

To the Sioux Indians, religion was not separate from everyday life. They believed that human beings, like the buffalo and other animals, were created from the Mother Earth. Humans and nature were one. There was no clear distinction between the natural and the supernatural. The Sioux passed down their knowledge, rituals, and beliefs together with their history and moral code to the new generations in story form. Elders often gathered the young around the fire to impart important tales and legends. Some, like the story of White Buffalo Calf Woman, could take up to seven evenings to tell and could only be told when the moon was shining.

Uploaded

August 7th, 2013