NOTICES
Looking Horse Proclamation on the Protection of Ceremonies
I Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th
Generation Keeper of the Sacred White
Buffalo Calf Pipe, would like to thank
all the people that attended this historic
“Protection of Ceremonies” meeting:
Bernard Red Cherries, Northern
Cheyenne Nation, Northern Cheyenne
Arrow Priest and Elk Society
Headsman; Tweety Little Bird,
Northern Cheyenne Nation, Northern
Cheyenne Elk Hom Scraper Society;
Lee Pedro, Southern Arapahoe Nation,
Southern Arapahoe Rabbit Man (Holy
Man); Dave Chief, Oglala Nation,
Lakota Spiritual Leader; Dave Swallow
Jr., Oglala Nation, Medicine Bundle
Keeper; Kevin Horse Looking, Oglala
Nation, Medicine Bundle Keeper;
Floyd Hand. Oglala Nation, Medicine
Bundle Keeper; Selo Black Crow,
Oglala Nation, Medicine Bundle
Keeper; Sam Moves Camp, Oglala
Nation, Medicine Bundle Keeper; Chris
Leith, Prairie Island Dakota
Community, Medicine Bundle Keeper;
Gaylen Drapeau Sr., I-hank-to-wa
(Yankton Sioux) Nation, Medicine
Bundle Keeper; Gaylen Drapeau Jr.,
I-hank-to-wa (Yankton Sioux) Nation,
Medicine Bundle Keeper; Ambrose
Little Ghost, Spirit Lake Dakota Nation,
Dakota Spiritual Leader; Calvin
Medicine Bear First, Assinoboine
Nakota Nation, Nation Spiritual
Leader; Leonard Crow Dog,
Si-c’an-g’u Rosebud Sioux Nation,
Medicine Bundle Keeper; Roy Stone
Sr., Si-c’an-g’u Rosebud Sioux Nation,
Medicine Bundle Keeper; Ned
Medcalf, Si-c’an-g’u Rosebud Sioux
Nation, Interpreter/advisor; Leon Red
Dog, Hoh’-wo-ju Cheyenne River
Sioux Nation, Medicine Bundle
Keeper; Steve Vance, Hoh’-wo-ju
Cheyenne River Sioux Nation,
Medicine Bundle Keeper; Francis
Yellow, Hoh’-wo-ju Cheyenne River
Sioux Nation, Medicine Bundle Keeper;
Jacob Sanderson, Cree Nation Canada,
Medicine Bundle Keeper; Kevin
Ta-c'an, Sioux Valley Manitoba Dakota
Nation, Dakota Spiritual Leader.
On March 8 and 9, Spiritual
Leaders and Bundle Keepers of the
Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Nation,
Cheyenne Nation, and Arapahoe Nation
were called together to discuss the
protection from the abuse and
exploitation of our ceremonies. The
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Siletz News
meeting was held at the Cultural Center
in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, hosted
by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. I
would also like to acknowledge the
financial donation from the Prairie
Island Dakota Community.
Discussions in the meeting in
cluded the molestation taking place in
ceremony, indecent mockery, mixing of
new age beliefs, charging for cere
monies and death, which was never
heard of before in our ancient cere
monial history. There was also discus
sion of the use of other “medicines”
(drugs) in and around our ceremonies.
When the White Buffalo Calf
Woman brought the Sacred Bundle, she
instructed that only those with a pure
mind and heart should touch the
C’anupa. The ceremonies in question,
in reference to all the Plains Tribes,
were the I-ni-pi (Purification
Ceremony), Wi-wanyang-wa-c'i-pi
(Sundance Ceremony) and Han-ble-c'i-
ya (vision quest) Sacred Rites.
We put out notice in the newspapers
and Native radio stations and also
contacted people through the phone. I
offered prayers for the safe journey of
the People to this very important
historic meeting. Those that could not
attend, I acknowledge their prayers for
a good outcome for our concerns.
After long discussion and testi
monies of the concerns and issues, it
was decided that it would be up to me,
as the Keeper of the Sacred White
Buffalo Calf Pipe, to make a decision.
It was good to feel the beginning of a
unity amongst our People. This has
been my concern for many decades,
especially now, when we are facing an
oncoming war. We need to stand strong
with our ceremonies!
I will state what the decision is and
also explain the reasons. I will state the
protocols to our Seven Sacred Rites,
which were passed down to me when I
became the next Keeper at the age of
12. These protocols are traditional
knowledge passed down through our
oral history and need to be brought back
to strengthen our Ho-c'o-ka (our sacred
alters) once again.
I will also address the areas that I
cannot be involved in. My respon
sibility is the Seven Sacred Rites.
It was decided, from March 9,
2003, and forward, there will be no non
□ July 2003 -
Natives allowed in our sacred Ho-c’o-ka
(our sacred alters) where it involves our
Seven Sacred Rites. The only protection
with this decision in government law;
is that only enrolled members can carry
an eagle feather. In all the Seven Sacred
Rites, there has always been the
understanding of earning and a
requirement of an eagle feather while
participating in these Rites. The eagle
feather stands for Indigenous knowl
edge and guidance in our spiritual ways.
The Wi-wanyang-wa-c’i-pi
(Sundance Ceremony): The only
participants allowed in the center will
be Native People. The non-Native
people need to understand and respect
our decision. If there have been any
unfinished commitments to the
Sundance and non-Natives have
concern for this decision; they must
understand that we have been guided
through prayer to reach this resolution.
Our purpose for the Sundance is for the
survival of the future generations to
come, first and foremost. If the non
Natives truly understand this purpose,
they will also understand this decision
and know that their departure from this
Ho-c’o-ka (our sacred altar) is their
sincere contribution to the survival of
our future generations.
Please understand the Wi-wanyang-
wa-c’i-pi Ceremony is not only taking
place in the center (Ho-c’o-ka) with the
dancers. The ceremonial participation
also depends on all the supporters on
the outside of the arbor who should be
in prayer. From the gate to the cook
shack to the fire-keepers to the sup
porters around the arbor, to even the
moon camp, all people are still a part
of this sacred ceremony.
There should be a preparation of
Han-ble-c’i-ya (vision quest) before you
become a participant of the Sundance.
We shall go back into this
ceremony with the proper protocols
before and during the ceremony itself.
Only those that have had the dream or
direction through a ceremony, in
concern of someone’s health, should be
dancing. Dancers should be secluded
from outside participants, as to not be
contaminated by other people’s energy
or thoughts. There should be absolutely
no food or water during this four-day
ceremony. If there are health problems,
you should choose a person to finish
your commitment. This ceremony is
supposed to be for those that believe
they can fulfill all required four days
of the ceremony.
Han-ble-c’i-ya (Vision Quest):
The vision quest should be only for
Native People that have had the dream
or vision. This Rite is also for the young
men and women that reach the age of 12.
I-ni-pi (Purification Ceremony):
Those that run this Sacred Rite should
be able to communicate with Tun-ca-
s’i-la (our Sacred Grandfathers) in their
Native Plains tongue. They should also
have earned this rite by completing
Han-ble-c’i-ya and the four days and
four years of the Wi-wanyang wa-c’i-pi.
The other four sacred rites of the
Hun-ka ka-g’a (Making of a
Relative), the Ta-pa kah’-g’o-ya
(Throwing of the Sacred Ball),
Wi-yan is’-na ti (Womanhood
Ceremony) and the Na-g’i glu-ha
(Keeping of the Spirit Ceremony),
should be only handled by legitimate
Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Oyate (People).
It was also decided only legitimate
Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Oyate
Medicine Bundle Keepers should
handle any other ceremonies that are
connected to our Ho-co-ka, such as the
Lo-wa-pi and U-wi-pi ceremonies.
There should be no price tag
allowed to participate in any of our
Sacred Ceremonies. The only protocol
needed for a ceremony is to o-pa-g’i,
meaning to offer your C’anupa or offer
tobacco that has been prayed with, in
which the Medicine Person accepts or
not accepts if he is not able to assist.
Medicine People do need to survive,
and if people wish to give a monetary
or any other gifts after they receive their
help from a ceremony, giving it from
their hearts, I see no problem with that.
We have to have faith that the
Grandfathers will provide for our needs
to survive in this modern society,
whether the gift is money, blankets,
food, or anything that represents how
much they appreciate the help. Some
people can afford big gifts, some people
cannot. It all balances out.
My position is only for the Seven
Sacred Rites. I cannot dictate to our
Medicine People who they allow to
attend and support these Rites, in
See Sacred on page 21