Greengrass Pipe Dancers

Infobox Book
name = Greengrass Pipe Dancers
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Lionel Little Eagle Pinn
illustrator = Matthew Atkinson
cover_artist = Matthew Atkinson
country = United States
language = English
series =
subject = United States History, Native Americans Grief and healing
genre =
publisher = Happy Camp, CA, Naturegraph Publishing
release_date = 2000
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pages = 257
isbn = ISBN 0-87961-250-9
preceded_by =
followed_by =

Lionel Little Eagle Pinn Greengrass Pipe Dancers, published in 2000, is a deeply personal history of Native Americans and the fundamental but profound processes by which they live their lives. Pinn pushes the envelope of expression and discovery in his biographical telling of his life from 1988 to 1992. The book is presented in "5 key elements" which include his wife "Tamara Lynn Brown" who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 at the age of 32. "The Healing" is describe as the second element and is initially pertains to a healing of Tamara's cancer but later becomes a healing of a family and native people. The third element of the book is presented in a broader sense as "The People" which brings to life the beauty and majesty of the Native American culture. The fourth element is a significant symbol and instrument of the ceremonial Indian life described in the book as "The Pipe Bag". The specific pipe bag of this story is thought to have been owned by legendary Lakota mystic and spiritual leader Crazy Horse. The book leads the reader through the 100 plus years of the chronological history of the pipe bag from its original owner Dr. Alexander Brown a reservation doctor of the late 1890s to his son, Vinson Brown and eventually to Pinn. The fifth more metaphysical element of the book is call "The Dance". Pinn expresses that "Life is a dance itself" and the many phases and stories are steps in that dance. The physical dance most centered in the book surrounds the traditional sun dance of the Lakota Sioux nation.

Content

The book is broken out in to three parts described as separate "books" and 77 chapters. Book One entitled "Learning the Dance" brings to live the special relationship of native people with the earth as well as among themselves. It introduces the geography of the journey which includes the Pine Ridge and Cheyenne River Tribe reservations of South Dakota as well as the spiritual geography of native America which is represented, in this segment of the book, in part, as the re-introduction of the sacred White Buffalo Calf Woman pipe back into ceremony after after seven years in hiding by Chief Arvol Looking Horse the 19th generation Keeper of the Pipe. Book Two opens with the return of Pinn and his wife to Greengrass, South Dakota. The purpose of these travels are to gain enlightenment and instructions as to the responsibilities surrounding the keeping of Crazy Horse's pipe bag which had been passed on to Pinn. Among the teachers and guides to enlighten Pinn include Steven Old Coyote, Frank Fools Crow, Pete Catches, the Chipps family, Wallace Black Elk, Celine Not-Help-Him, Tom and Shirely Calfrobe as well as Arovl Looking Horse. Readers get a first hand viewpoint of some of the most sacred and protect ceremonies surrounding their deeply spiritual beliefs. Book Three opens with the powerful and emotional chapter called "Truth". Pinn and his wife are driving on a Washington state highway just after becoming aware of the explosive reality of Tamara's diagnosis with terminal cancer. Readers are exposed to the vulnerabilities of that transitioning time.

Chapters

# Rain Bugs in Paradise - "BOOK ONE - LEARNING THE DANCE"
# Downtown Greengrass
# Big Bear Sweat
# Eagle Dream
# Hey You!
# Micmacs in South Dakota
# Council Tree
# First Sweat
# Sam Bald Eagle's Council
# Coyote and the Kitchen Boss
# The Changing Pipe
# Land of Eyanska
# Pipe Bag Visit
# Wambli comes to Greengrass
# Gathering Song
# Give Away
# Coyote Vision
# Mingling Spirits
# Calf Pipe Story
# Old Coyote Message
# Time to Dance
# Returning the Dance - "BOOK TWO - RETURNING THE DANCE"
# Tom Calfrobe
# Hey You! Part Two
# Greengrass Morning
# Top of the World
# God's Big Toe
# Listening to the Clouds
# Mother's Wisdom
# Living Pipe Bag
# Cabin in the Clouds
# Pipe Keeper's Visit
# Greengrass Farewell
# Pine Ridge
# Fools Crow's Eyes
# Fools Crow Sweat
# Smoking with the Pope
# The Elder's Message
# Not-Help-Him Helping
# Celane's Smile
# The Lance Society
# Xat Medicine Society
# Tears from Nowhere
# Raven's Trailer
# Keepers of the Flame
# Yuwipi Preparations
# Crazy Horse Sweat
# Yuwipi Time
# Young Bear
# Pete Catches' Medicine
# Celane's Message
# Going Home Again
# Truth - "BOOK THREE - RELEASING THE DANCE"
# Time Flies When You're Dying"
# Moon of the Greengrass Sun Dance
# 'Chanunpamony'
# Sweatlodge Visit
# Can-Wanka Mystery
# Keven Brown Eagle
# Dream Bag
# Day One of the Greengrass Sun Dance
# Arvol's Council
# Two Men Dancing
# Paha Sapa Council
# Day Two of the Greengrass Sun Dance
# Winged One Pays a Visit
# Noon Meal
# Dancing On
# Calf Robe Wrapping, Hey You!
# Day Three of the Greengrass Sun Dance
# Sun Dance Healing
# Coyote Smoke
# Drumming for Strength
# Sweet Dreams
# Day Four of the Greengrass Sun Dance
# Two-Feather's Council
# The Pipe Day, Releasing the Dance