the Ghost Dance: Ethnohistory And Revitalization [Paperback]

Alice Beck Kehoe (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1577664531 | ISBN-13: 978-1577664536 | Publication Date: June 15, 2006 | Edition: 2

In this fascinating ethnohistorical case study of North American Indians, the Ghost Dance religion is the backbone for Kehoe’s exploration of significant aspects of American Indian life and her quest to learn why some theories become popular. In Part 1, she combines knowledge gained from her firsthand experiences living among and speaking with Indian elders with a careful analysis of historical accounts, providing a succinct yet insightful look at people, events, and institutions from the 1800s to the present. She clarifies unique and complex relationships among Indian peoples and dispels many of the false pretenses promoted by United States agencies over two centuries. In Part 2, Kehoe surveys some of the theories used to analyze the events described in Part 1, allowing readers to see how theories develop, to think critically about various perspectives, and to draw their own conclusions. Kehoe’s gripping presentation and analysis pave the way for just and constructive Indian–White relations.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Other Waveland Press titles by Alice Beck Kehoe: Shamans and Religion: An Anthropological Exploration in Critical Thinking (ISBN 9781577661627) and The Kensington Runestone: Approaching a Research Question Holistically (ISBN 9781577663713). Titles of related interest also from Waveland Press: Garbarino-Sasso, Native American Heritage, Third Edition (ISBN 9780881337730); Hultkrantz, Native Religions of North America: The Power of Visions and Fertility (ISBN 9780881339857); and Johnson, Also Called Sacajewa: Chief Woman's Stolen Identity (ISBN 9781577665342).

From the Back Cover

“Kehoe’s The Ghost Dance is a first-rate analysis of the effects of culture contact on Native American societies as manifested in changing religious practice and worldview over the course of a century or more. While ostensibly focusing on the life of Jack Wilson (Wovoka) and the Ghost Dance, Kehoe examines other prophets and other cultural developments in both earlier and later times. All of this she contextualizes in the economic, political, and social milieu of the day. Included here is a concise history of the complex relations between Native American tribes and American and European societies from the sixteenth century up through to the present day. The personal details of her research, as both preface and epilogue, also reveals the changing nature of anthropology itself and of anthropologist’s relationships with members of other cultural groups. Kehoe’s engaging critical anthropological and historical analysis of the Ghost Dance and other revitalization movements should be required reading of all students of anthropology, Native Studies, religion, and related areas of study. As with many of A. C. Wallace’s seminal publications on culture change, Kehoe’s work has comparable longevity and continued relevance.” — George Nicholas, Simon Fraser University
“. . . an enjoyable and valuable read.” — Ethnohistory (Fall 2006)
“The Ghost Dance, 2/E, provides the perfect scholarly background I need to complement two feature-length films and a documentary that deal with historical and contemporary events surrounding Wounded Knee that I will show my class. The case study is an excellent way to bring the relationship between past and present issues into vivid focus for those who have no previous exposure to contemporary Native peoples, and Kehoe’s book is written in an engaging style that will be accessible to the undergraduates in my course.” — Cory Willmott, Southern Illinois University
“Kehoe provides a thorough overview of a complex and representative cultural movement and historical event. A must-read for students of Native American history and culture.” — Brian Campbell, University of Central Arkansas

Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: Waveland Pr Inc; 2 edition (June 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577664531
• ISBN-13: 978-1577664536
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #290,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I am ambivalent about this book., August 23, 2001

By 

W. Lambdin "Two Bears" (Ellensburg, WA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghost Dance Religion (Csca) (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology) (Paperback)

Ms. Kehoe did a good job at tracing the practise of the ghost dance from the time that Wovoka (A Paiute medicine man) was given this ceremony to the masacre by the military at Wounded knee creek South Dakota in 1890 to the second incident at Wounded knee creek in 1973.

For people interested in seeing the ghost dance watch the dance in the movie "Billyjack" after Billyjack goes through the ceremony with the rattlesnake. I have heard that Wovoka's son or son-in-law supervised that scene of the movie.

Basicly the people would dance until they would faint from exhaustion, and while unconscious they would see into the spirit world something similar to an OBE.

On page 62: Ms. Kehoe states that Nick Black Elk (Sioux holy man) was a practising Catholic. It is true that Black Elk went to mass after he married the second time. However; the prayer that Black Elk offered on Harney peak, and is recorded in the book "Black Elk Speaks" John G. Neihardt, it is abundantly clear that his spiritual beliefs in Wakan Tanka (Sioux name for the Great Spirit) never wavered. He may have went along with Catholocism for peace in the family, or to stop the proselytizing church members. I used the same tactic early in life.

Ms. Kehoe; made one statement on page 65 that made me angry! She implies that Nick Black Elk had partial blindess by using gunpowder in his yuwipi healing ceremony to fool the indians into thinking the spirit helpers had arrived by throwing a pinch of gunpowder in the fire.

With my understanding of Sioux spirituality, and the properties of gunpowder. I state categoricaly that this is impossible! 20 years ago; I used gunpowder to reload the cartridges for my high powered rifle.

In the Yuwipi ceremony the indians remove all furniture from the room, and place quilts over the doors and windows to block all light from entering the room, and the wicasa pejuta or wicasa wakan (medicine man or holy man) has his hands tied behind his back with rawhide, and then they usualy wrap him up in a star quilt like a mummy and the quilt is tied around his body. The wicasa pejuta or wicasa wakan is placed on the floor, and the lamp is put out leaving the people in total darkness (there is no fire, and the yuwipi man is tied up in a quilt; making it impossible to use gunpowder in this manner).

Ms. Kehoe may have meant the Inipi (sweat lodge) ceremony so I will describe that to you. A sweat lodge structure is built of saplings or willow limbs, and a large fire is built to heat rocks until they are red hot. While the rocks are heating they dig a hole in the center of the structure to hold the rocks, and the removed dirt is used to build a mound to the east of the structure, then the indians cover the ground with sage, and quilts are put over the structure. Water is poured over the rocks making steam inside the structure. (It would be impossible for Nick Black Elk or any wicasa wakan to use gunpowder on the rocks. Everyone is drenched with steam, and is sweating profusely. Gunpowder will not burn or explode if it gets wet. This is the reason for the saying (keep your powder dry.).)

I am NOT asking you to take my word for any of this. You can read about the Inipi and Yuwipi ceremonies in "Lakota Belief And Ritual" James R. Walker, "The Sacred Pipe" Joseph Epes Brown, "Mother Earth Spirituality" Ed McGaa, and other sources.

I only wish Ms. Kehoe had bothered to properly research material instead of making outrageous statements such as this.

Please send E-Mail if you have questions or comments about this review. Two Bears.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The essential book for understanding contemporary issues!, February 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ghost Dance Religion (Csca) (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology) (Paperback)

Anyone interested in North American Indians (Native Americans; First Nations) has to read Alice Beck Kehoe's book. She weaves together the past and present, religion and politics, and creates a book that offers more insight into contemporary issues than any other one ever written. And as a plus--for those interested in mysteries--she explains how the Ghost Dance Religion, thought to have died out in 1890, survived decades into the twentieth century.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Revitalization indeed, January 4, 2001

By 

Gregory L Dyas - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghost Dance Religion (Csca) (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology) (Paperback)

Kehoe's excellent work on the Ghost Dance religion allows the reader to be witness to a textbook example of religious revitalization movements. From the Paiute prophet Wovoka Jack Wilson's revelation during an eclipse to "Live a good, honest life" to the massacre at Wounded Knee, Kehoe describes in detail the history and beliefs of the Ghost Dance and the benefits it provided to the American Indian communities who took it up, as well as the rejection of the Ghost Dance religion by groups like the Navajo. Kehoe further describes the continuance of a variant of the Ghost Dance religion at a reservation in Seskatchewan and talks about the revitalization movement driven by Handsome Lake amongst the Iroquois and how the re-imagining of their beliefs allowed them to become more successful in a radically altered world.

This rather short read by a pre-eminent author on the anthropology of American Indian societies is sure to both educate and provide deep enjoyment to the curious reader.