Customer Reviews

Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a Lakota

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(3)

 

 

Those who know Wallace Black Elk personally know that Bill Lyons captures the flavor of Grandfather's humor, the deeper teachings that lay behind the words, as well as the pain and difficulties that have gone into making access to the Spirit available to all. When you read this book, you'll know why the early government and Christian religions wanted to stop the Indian practices - they're real, and you'll be glad for the triumph of these sacred teachings. Like his predecessor, Nicholas Black Elk, Wallace Black Elk's vision goes beyond the borders of race to encompass all beings, so that once again, the great hoop may be whole. For Indian peoples who have lost contact with spiritual origins, whatever they may be, this book can be a powerful reclamation of the Spirit. For all people who have been searching for the something that has been missing, you will find it in Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a Lakota. This book and others detailing the shamanic practices of our ancient Indian cultures are a real coup for the American Indian: in spreading the teachings, these courageous men and women have transformed the children of the enemy into friends and allies. The whole world benefits.

It is rather interesting to see the controversy surrounding Wallace Black Elk and his activities. Although Wallace is a Rosebud medicine man with impeccable credentials, he has become too well known and that means he has broken an unspoken taboo that cannot be forgiven within his community. Many Native Americans, like so many other peoples (indigenous or not) simply cannot tolerate the success of one of their own and are prepared to do anything to bring them down. After all, a true member of the tiospaye is supposed to be self-effacing, humble, generous... and poor.

I cannot be a judge of Black Elk's character. But I know a good thing when I see it. Anyone who has had even remote experience of Lakota healing ceremonies will know immediately that with this book we are given a great gift. The book will be useful to all who want to understand social and ceremonial aspects of Lakota life and the practical manifestation of their worldview and religious practice. God knows that our country and our planet are in need of these teachings. We get highly useful descriptions of major rituals, such as the Kettle Dance, the sweat lodge and the "vision quest"; more importantly, we get an intimate glimpse into a Lakota medicine man's relationship with his spirit helpers and guides and with his sacred pipe (Chanunpa). The book bristles with the reverence for the pipe and with acknowledgement that the medicine man is only a channel ("a hollow bone") for the Spirit. There can be no question about Black Elk's credentials, about the validity and importance of his experiences and his ability to heal people through sacred Lakota ceremonies.

The book is also funny in a way that Lakota themselves can be funny by being at the same time self-deprecatory and self-congratulatory. Black Elk obviously enjoyed the process of describing his experiences; he also inserts a few pages on his encounters with unindentified flying objects and their denizens but I suggest the reader checks this out for herself.

In short, this is a warm, informative and rewarding book that addresses crucial elements of Lakota religious life through the words of an authentic practitioner. It glows with gratitude to Great Spirit, Mother Earth and the Chanunpa. I recommend it.

Wallace "Black Elk"'s real name is Wallace Black Elk Cow. He is NOT related to the famous Black Elk in any way. The real Black Elk's family has been trying to get Wallace to quit deceptively using their family name for decades. He is not even of the same tribe. What is truly sad is that so many whites who don't know any better will look to a shady character like Wallace for guidance. Wallace sells ceremonies, which is considered unethical by native traditionalists. In this book he reveals a lot of things that are supposed to be kept private or only taught orally and face to face in the traditional way. Wallace has greatly dismayed native people with his selling out to the New Age for the sake of cash. The saddest thing is that, nearly thirty years ago, he once was a respected medicine man. But he threw all that away for cash. If you want to learn about native religions, try Vine Deloria's God Is Red. But don't give this opportunist your cash instead.

This was at Upland Hills Ecological Center deep in the woods northeast of the Detroit/Pontiac suburbs, sometime in the mid-80's. And I remember meeting there for the first time a wonderful fellow-traveler named Brooke Isberg.

Wallace gave a number of story-telling sessions/lectures, then at night was the sweat lodge. What was most notable - was that the effect of incredibly wholesome well-being and benign protection lasted well over a month - and something was planted that never ever left me. Numerous previous (and subsequent) weekend meditation, neo-pagan, medicine wheel and new-age retreats had the predictable outcome of making me feel incredibly good for 2-3 days afterwards, never much more than that (and then the 'work' would start). The same with various local ceremonies/rituals. And all that was fine, as cumulative effects did build up - obvious growth occurs - that's as it usually should be in the work.

I'm just saying that the work that week with Wallace was not in any sense the usual.

Over a period of many years, subsequent sweat lodge experiences with a variety of so-called 'leaders' (both native and Anglo-) paled in comparison. Wallace is truly the Grandfather; making each person feel thoroughly at home, more than even at your own home; well-mannered, humble and glowingly capable, he treated each of us as a valued and honored guest in his and the spirits' lodge, as it were. Without it being said as such, you felt you were being welcomed into the world. Wallace was/is thoroughly heart/breath, and is no way trapped inside his skin. So we felt less confined in yours.

Many of the other leaders I've met are so much into their own power and image, often twinged with too much machismo, exuding more politics than poetry. You just didn't feel much supported. Not so with Wallace. He is so strong to be able to be here in such a down-to-earth fashion, really buoyed by, and faultlessly representing Mother Earth, Great Spirit and the 4 Directions. With him we'd been given the inestimably fine opportunity to fall right in with it all.

This book was carefully complied from a great many audio tapes of Grandfather Black Elk talking. The result is remarkably close to sitting near him as he quietly talks directly with you. (And I'd know, I once spent a weekend doing just that.)

Wallace Black Elk invites you to share his feelings about the beliefs of his people and brings you into the rites and ceremonies of his spiritual quest.

Few people make others so generously free with their inner lives. More than a good read, it's an experience!

Wallace Black Elk is for real. Check out Song af the Stone by New Zealander Barry Brailsford. He writes: During my (first) stay in North America I didn't contact anyone within the Indian Nations. No one. The journey was to honour the ancestors of the Red Earth. The prayer to open the ancient trails was sent to them across the silence of that desert dawn.

Eight months later, in January 1992, the words chanted as the smoke rose to greet the Sun were answered. An elder in Christchurch, opened his door one morning to find an Indian standing there. The visitor said...

"Greetings my brother. I am Wallace Black Elk, of the Lakota Nation. I come for the six red stones and the fire stone, that once again we might make the pipe of peace we had 2,000 years ago."

This greatly respected Indian Shaman, who has done much to share the old wisdom of his people with the world, arrived unannounced at the home of a Kaumatua (male tribal elder) who walked closely with the book. They had not met before, no letters had been exchanged, no telephone calls and no faxes...

Black Elk stayed for two days and many things were shared. I suspect my journey to the Twelve Nations, a year later, had its origins at this time. Black Elk said...
"I know the sacred knowledge is being written. We support you. I came because I heard the prayer in the desert."

The words I spoke in the red dawn were answered. Black Elk left with enough Paunamu (nephrite/jade/greenstone) to make two peace pipes - one for the Sioux Nation and one for the Waitaha Nation.

The gathering of the old tribes had begun. The way was opening to the Nations of North America...

Would you complain while given water in the desert - that the cup was not etched with your name, that it was made in China, or that it was the wrong color?

Dear Apache brother, please drink water, water in the desert of bitterness, of elders dying with the knowledge and not passing it on. Gall bladder flushing is always a good idea when we consistently criticize and faultfind - as was the pattern in your reviews page.

I just spent a few days in an event with Wallace Black Elk and I have had a banquet flowing in the desert, and you are invited, dear Apache brother, dear New Age brothers and sisters- whatever it takes to pass the knowledge.

This one has seen a good teacher assailed by those who have not done the work, who do not have the following, or who are bitter from other personal reasons - let us love one another, cooperate - as the Earth is so wounded,

Wallace is doing his part. He shows us how. What are those doing, whom I never heard of, who here in review say he is not for real?

For one thing, what is wrong with Wallace Black Elk initiating the Light Of Truth Universal Shrine as representing all people of Turtle Island, to bring together all people fighting over religion? - Nothing is wrong, it has shown people the world over the way of peace through a universal understanding despite our differences.

Why not all do more to bring ourselves together, and, yes, preserve the indigenous teachings before they are gone -

In my heart and experience, Wallace Black Elk is an extension of the messages of Black Elk in the book Black Elk Speaks. Black Elk is not gone! He is here.

If "there is no such thing as ..." per Mr. Apache reviews, then, there should not have been glass beadwork, or cavalry jackets on formal portraits of the chiefs, or ....

The adaptation of good stuff is innate to humanity, wherever it is, and at this time, our cultural survival of indigenous needs to remain creative and nurturing.

May the Great Grandmother's bosom hold you in healing and renewal.

Thank you.

I love this book! Wallace Black Elk tells of growing up as the grandson of the legendary Black Elk with such warmth and humor. It's a great look into the culture and ritual of Lakotah life--especially for those who have no previous knowledge of this way of life.

Being interested in the wonderful subject of Native American thought and "religion" (spirituality), and having enjoyed other books of this genre, I was a "shoo in" to purchase this book. The personal quality and warmth of Wallace Black Elk pervades each page. He writes in the same vein as "Black Elk Speaks" and "Fools Crow, Medicine Man" but with a more modern, present day approach and color. This book should awake understanding of both past and present conditions of life for Native Americans. It is written in a simple and sincere manner and I recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about Indian thought and spiritual practices.

Well, it took quite a bit of courage to write this book at a time when there was so very much opposition to sharing the knowledge of Creator with us Waisichus (white eyed folks). In the way that only Wallace could speak...here in these pages he comes back to life as the Genius he truly was. He loved to tell people; "I am only a dumb Indian"...and then he'd laugh that laugh "Hee hee hee hee", knowing that he really had one up on all of us. If you read behind the lines, you'll learn something, really learn about Creator and the way things work on this Canka Luta Waste and behind that Canunpa. Enjoy this book....as this is one elder who has passed on and can never be replaced.