Black Elk: Warrior and Healer

The HPOD is back after a brief hiatus to catch up on non-leisure writing. Today, the HPOD introduces it's first, of what will probably be many, Native American subjects. This initial offer goes to Black Elk.

Black Elk is important for a number of reasons. He's one of the survivors of the Battle of the Little Bighorn (arguably the most famous battle of the Plains Indian Wars), he was a prominent and well respected member of his people, and was able to relate many stories and aspects of Lakota Sioux culture to John Neihardt, which he complied into the book Black Elk Speaks, which is a fascinating look at many things regarding plains culture and ideologies.

He was an Oglala Lakota. The Lakota Sioux are one of three groups of the Sioux nation, which are then further subdivided into specific tribes. The Lakota have seven such tribes, the Oglala being one. Black Elk was a medicine man, or a holy man. A man who had visions, and thus was well respected among his people. In the early 1900's, Black Elk converted to Catholicism but he was a firm believer in the similarities between Christianity and and Sioux rituals regarding the Great Spirit, so even after his conversion, he continued to serve his people as a healer.

There is a lot of talk and debate about whether or not John Neihardt falsified or embellished any of Black Elk's accounts in the book. Regardless, Black Elk still stands as a leader of his people, and a valuable part of preserving Lakota customs for future generations to learn about. He passed away at the age of 87 in 1950, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, and one future generations would come to admire. His spiritual stories would come to be a vital resource during the American Indian Movement, insuring that Black Elk's life work would have far reaching effects.