Ghost Dance

The Native American Ghost Dance (Natdia in Indian language, the “circle” or “round” dance) was a ceremonial ritual practiced among Native Americans that called for dancers to move zealously in a circle and chant, calling for the regeneration of the Earth and communion with the spirits of their ancestors, or ghosts. It became a widespread movement among Native Americans toward the end of the 19th century, when Indians and their culture were facing destruction. This dance had existed since prehistoric times, but the newer version originated with the Paiute Indians in the western United States around 1870 and had a revival in 1889. It was a spiritual ceremony that combined elements of Native American customs with Christian practices. These indigenous people had been subjugated by the U.S. government and, as a result, faced annihilation because of poverty, illness, and hunger. These observances provided them with hope and were often magical, according to many accounts. Today the dance is still practiced [Page 964]privately among some tribes, but it has primarily become obsolete, replaced by Christianization and adaptation to white culture.

There were often regional conflicts among many of the Indian tribes, which led to intense fighting. However, the emergence of the Ghost Dance, which promoted peace, diluted this and brought about a unity among the tribes that made U.S. government officials nervous. This bonding together gave them strength in numbers, which in one circumstance led to the defeat of General George Armstrong Custer. U.S. authorities were wary of this now-peaceful nation.

These hunter-and-gatherer tribes didn't have political leaders but followed shamans (medicine men) instead. These self-proclaimed, spiritually anointed men organized rituals for the betterment of the community that took place at certain times of the year, aligned with hunting parties or harvests. These spiritual conduits had a great deal of influence throughout the tribes, so when two prophets emerged with the Ghost Dance philosophy, their words carried weight. Even as their numbers and culture diminished in the late 1800s, the Indians honorably relinquished their societal place by displaying and promoting peace.