- Black Elk
Infobox Person
name = Black Elk
caption = Black Elk with wife and daughter, circa 1890-1910
dead = dead
birth_date = 1863
death_date = 1950
Black Elk (Hehaka Sapa) (c. December 1863 –
August 17 orAugust 19 ,1950 (sources differ ) was a famous "Wichasha Wakan" (Medicine Man or Holy Man) of the Oglala Lakota (Sioux). He wasHeyoka and a second cousin ofCrazy Horse . Black Elk participated, at about the age of twelve, in theBattle of Little Big Horn of 1876, and was injured in theWounded Knee Massacre in 1890.In 1887, Black Elk traveled to
England withBuffalo Bill 's Wild West Show, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2005/07/28/buffalo_bill_salford_280705_feature.shtml] an unpleasant experience he described in chapter 20 of "Black Elk Speaks". [http://blackelkspeaks.unl.edu/blackelk.pdf]Black Elk married his first wife, Katie War Bonnett, in 1892. She became a Catholic, and all three of their children were baptized as Catholic. After her death in 1903, he too was baptized, taking the name Nicholas Black Elk and serving as a
catechist . He continued to serve as a spiritual leader among his people, seeing no contradiction in embracing what he found valid in both his tribal traditions concerningWakan Tanka and those of Christianity. He remarried in 1905 to Anna Brings White, a widow with two daughters. Together they had three more children, remained married until she died in 1941.Towards the end of his life, he revealed the story of his life, and a number of sacred Sioux rituals to
John Neihardt andJoseph Epes Brown for publication, and his accounts have won wide interest and acclaim. He also claimed to have had several visions in which he met the spirit that guided the universe.Influence
The visions and teachings of Black Elk are honored and studied by The National Spiritist Church of
Alberta (Native Spirituality Church) inCanada .Books
* "
Black Elk Speaks : being the life story of a holy man of the Oglala Sioux" (as told to John G. Neihardt),Bison Books , 2004 (originally published in 1932);
* "The Sixth Grandfather: Black Elk's Teachings Given to John G. Neihardt," edited by Raymond J. Demallie,University of Nebraska Press ; new edition, 1985
* "The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk's Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux" (as told toJoseph Epes Brown ),MJF Books , 1997
* "Spiritual Legacy of the American Indian" (as told to Joseph Epes Brown),World Wisdom , 2007Books about Black Elk:
*"Black Elk and Flaming Rainbow: Personal Memories of the Lakota Holy Man," by Hilda Neihardt, University of Nebraska Press, 2006. ISBN 0-8032-8376-8
*"Black Elk: Holy Man of the Oglala", by Michael Steltenkamp
*"Black Elk: Colonialism and Lakota Catholicism", by Damian Costello
*"Black Elk Reader", edited by Clyde Holler,Syracuse University Press ; 2000VHS Video and DVD
* "Writings of Black Elk" (C-SPAN, 2001) ID: 165060. From the jacket: The program, telecast from the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, contained portions of an interview with Black Elk’s great-granddaughter, a re-enactment of the battle, and looked at several artifacts from the site. Length: 2:32.
* "Black Elk" (C-SPAN, 2001) ID: 165105. From the jacket: Ms. Black Elk spoke about her great grandfather, his impact on U.S. history, Native American history, and tribal culture. Length: 0:34.
* [http://www.nativespiritinfo.com Native Spirit and the Sun Dance Way] , DVD documentary, 2007, World Wisdom.
ee also
*
Lame Deer External links
* [http://hometown.aol.com/kels3984/Elk.html?f=fs Black Elk's Family Speaks]
* [http://www.heyokamagazine.com/HEYOKA.6.MEDICINE.PeteCatches.htm Heyoka magazine, Pete Catches Interview]
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