Walking in the Sacred Manner: Healers, Dreamers, and Pipe Carriers--Medicine Women of the Plains

by Mark St. Pierre, Tilda Long Soldier

Walking in the Sacred Manner is an exploration of the myths and culture of the Plains Indians, for whom the everyday and the spiritual are intertwined, and women play a strong and important role in the spiritual and religious life of the community.

Based on extensive first-person interviews by an established expert on Plains Indian women, Walking in the Sacred Manner is a singular and authentic record of the participation of women in the sacred traditions of Northern Plains tribes, including Lakota, Cheyenne, Crow, and Assiniboine.

Through interviews with holy women and the families of women healers, Mark St. Pierre and Tilda Long Soldier paint a rich and varied portrait of a society and its traditions. Stereotypical images of the Native American drop away as the voices, dreams, and experiences of these women (both healers and healed) present insight into a culture about which little is known. It is a journey into the past, an exploration of the present, and a view full of hope for the future.

Genres: Nonfiction, Native American, History, Indigenous, Spirituality, Religion, Book Club

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 1995

Reviews

[Susie Dunbar]

I reread this one at least once a year. It is inspirational for me. Martin HighBear is mentioned in it which makes me smile.

[Brooke Everett · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The belief that there is faith in something beyond science and money is at the core of what each of our teachers shared with us." p. 207

This is an incredibly valuable ethnography and oral history of people and traditions that colonizers have systematically nearly eradicated. The Lakota creation stories, traditions around specific periods of a woman's life (such as her first period), roles of women in Lakota societies, and the dire consequences of colonization, capitalism, and patriarchy felt particularly poignant, especially in a time where money seems to be, sadly, our primary goal.

The authors clearly define the types of holy women and their spiritual tools in the early chapters, but I did find myself wishing there was a quick reference glossary somewhere within.

There is so much wisdom in these traditions that is lost today. We've forgotten how to live in harmony with nature, and we've willfully overlooked that there are mysteries and forces that must be respected beyond what we can see and comprehend (unless it's within the context of Christianity, of course).

As Ijeoma Oluo wrote in her excellent book Mediocre, white supremacist structures have "worked according to design" for centuries. She accurately and succinctly states that, "Ours is a society where white culture is normalized and universalized, while cultures of color are demonized, exotified, or erased."

I'm grateful that these authors spent the time and effort to document the memories and dreams here. Despite the strongest efforts of the colonizers to erase non-white cultures - through religion, killing off the buffalo, and the nightmare of boarding schools, among many other insidious tactics - these traditions will remain on record.

"For the tribal peoples of this land, this balancing between two worlds can be very precarious, both spiritually and physically. What many of today's medicine men and women do most is help people who are 'injured' by living as a colonized tribal people." p. 34

"The interaction of humans with the sacred mystery is believed to be necessary for the continuation of all life, and that includes all races on this earth. This is the very essence of Lakota and other Plains tribes' ceremonial life." p. 45

Madonna Swan on her grandmother: "She also taught me about the Four Great Virtues, which govern the conduct of the Lakota people. They are generosity, bravery, fortitude (long suffering or patience), and moral integrity." p. 70

"All Lakota are well respected if they can tolerate teasing without becoming upset or, conversely, can make people laugh at their jokes." p. 80

"Lakota attitudes toward married life were far more egalitarian than is commonly believed by non-Indians. This included, or perhaps started with, attitudes towards sexuality. Among the Lakota, the woman owned her body and all the rights that went with it." p. 81

"Dreams form a large intellectual and spiritual complex and are looked to for important insights about oneself and other living people, often relatives. They are also seen as a source of contact and communication for those relatives now in the spirit world who may have help, advice, or warning to impart to the living. Dreams may then provide motivation for changing one's life." p. 106

On native men who joined the armed services: "Those who came home alive had lived, fought beside, and gotten drunk with white soldiers as equals. They returned home, however, to a very different social climate and little opportunity." p. 203

"The Christian missionaries' wholesale dismissal of the value of virtually every aspect of Indian culture has reaped a grim harvest of disorientation, dislocation, and violence. There is a common saying in Indian country: 'The white man came, and all he had was the Bible; now the white man has everything, and all the Indian has is the Bible.'
The American Indian had, and continues to have, a very adequate Bible - albeit an oral one. The Native American religion was one that eloquently spoke to all aspects of life, including the proper behavior of men and women, children, plants, and animals." p. 205

[Lee Bostrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I love the stories and I always recommend it to read. For me it was comforting & humble. It's one of my favorites & I will re-read it!

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

When areas are 'colonized' the imperial power often imposes its culture, religion and 'ethics' on the indigenous populations. The same is true for the United States. Many of the indigenous groups had an equality of the sexes with women's rights equal to that of men. Women had a major role in the creation myths and some groups even had a female "messiah" that helped their people. The spiritual and economic power of women was respected. Then came the missionaries with the Judeo-Christian patriarchal system. If not trying to physically eliminate the indigenous populations they waged a genocidal war against their culture. This work tries to fill in gaps created by that war, recovering what they can through interviewing women and relatives of women who tried to maintain the old way while coping with the government's and religious organizations' attempt to erase history.

[sjams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Do not use it to try to emulate those spiritual paths; these paths are for Native Americans only. But it was a good way to start to learn about the different cultures we in the United States live beside, and how we white people have destroyed parts of the cultures (through boarding schools, etc.). I hope the landscape is not too different from when this book was written.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning, I thought this book was a little too anthropological. But by the time I reached the end, I felt profoundly moved by the stories that the authors conveyed. Even though this is not my spiritual path, to read these experiences & to hear these storytellers say, “trust your inner experience” is important for me to hear. Many thanks to all who shared their stories & to the two authors who built trust & devoted years of their lives to collecting & writing these stories.

[Ceilidhchaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. I really think it is one of those books that you could read over and over and potentially get something new out of.

[Rebecca Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very heartening and enlightening book. The authors seem true to their roots and the women of the plains are allowed to shine through to us. Rare. I love this book.

[Laurie Hess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but slow going.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

+
First hand accounts
Learned a bunch

Struggles
Lots of what feels like repetition
Had to get through the first half to get to the second half, which felt more teaching

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned some new stories about the Sioux people. I learned about life in some interesting ways.