The Lakota Ritual of the Sweat Lodge: History and Contemporary Practice

by Bucko, Raymond A.

• ISBN13: 9780803261655
• ISBN10: 0803261659
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-08-01
• Publisher: Univ of Nebraska Pr

Summary

For centuries, a persistent and important component of Lakota religious life has been theInipi, the ritual of the sweat lodge. The sweat lodge has changed little in appearance since its first recorded description in the late seventeenth century. The ritual itself consists of songs, prayers, and other actions conducted in a tightly enclosed, dark, and extremely hot environment. Participants who "sweat" together experience moral strengthening, physical healing, and the renewal of social and cultural bonds. Today, the sweat lodge ritual continues to be a vital part of Lakota religion. It has also been open to use, often controversial, by non-Indians. The ritual has recently become popular among Lakotas recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. This study is the first in-depth look at the history and significance of the Lakota sweat lodge. Bringing together data culled from historical sources and fieldwork on Pine Ridge Reservation, Raymond A. Bucko provides a detailed discussion of continuity and changes in the "sweat" ritual over time. He offers convincing explanations for the longevity of the ceremony and its continuing popularity.

Author Biography

Raymond A. Bucko is a professor of anthropology at Creighton University.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	vi
Orthographic Key	vii
Entering the Lodge	1	(251)
Ethnohistorical Accounts of the Sweat Lodge	24	(35)
The Contemporary Lakota Sweat Lodge	59	(38)
Continuity and Change in the Sweat Lodge	97	(25)
Language and the Sweat	122	(23)
Stories of Power and Weakness	145	(23)
Personal Accounts of the Sweat Experience	168	(47)
Harmony and Alliance versus Discord and Separation	215	(37)
Leaving the Lodge	252	(8)
Notes	260	(35)
References	295	(15)
Index	310