Arapaho Sun Dance Facts & Worksheets

The Sun Dance is a ceremonial practice performed by the Indigenous peoples of the Plains in contemporary Canada and the United States (US). Its purpose is to rouse the land, rejuvenate the community, express gratitude for the sun, seek blessings, or express thanks to the Great Spirit.

See the fact file below for more information about the Arapaho Sun Dance, or you can download our 24-page Arapaho Sun Dance worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ORIGIN

• The exact roots of the Sun Dance remain uncertain. However, certain historians have proposed that the modern iteration of this ritual may have been influenced by the celebrations of the Mandan, an Indigenous nation residing in the Great Plains. 
• George Catlin, a former lawyer turned artist, embarked on a journey across the North American frontier during the 1830s. His purpose was to document the lives of the Indigenous peoples through pictures and written accounts.
• According to him, the Okipa ceremony, one of the Mandan festivals, commences with the erection of a temporary lodge, before which the participants undergo four days of fasting, abstaining from sleeping and beverages, and sleep.
• The Okipa ceremony commenced with a ceremonial dance to invoke the presence of the buffalo. 
• Subsequently, the individuals observing a fast were guided to a lodge with an open roof, where they positioned themselves to gaze upwards at the sun through the aperture.
• Wooden pegs were placed into their chests and secured with ropes. While looking at the sun, the other participants lifted them into the air, where they stayed suspended, maintaining their concentration on the sun until the pegs pierced their flesh and caused them to fall to the ground or lose consciousness and be brought down.
• The combination of fasting, sleep deprivation, intoxication, and intense physical agony resulted in the manifestation of visions, which were perceived to be advantageous not just to the individual but also to the entire community.
• The ceremony concluded with those fasting engaging in an arduous contest of endurance and, presumably, imparting their visions to the medicine men (shamans), who would disseminate them to others.
• The specifics of this ritual may vary among the Lakota Sioux, the Hidatsa, Cheyenne, and other Indigenous nations. Still, the fundamental structure and purpose remain consistent: expressing gratitude, making personal sacrifices for the benefit of others, and commemorating rejuvenation and fresh starts.
• The Mandan people were connected to the Hidatsa, Lakota Sioux, and other tribes through their shared Siouan language. However, they were a separate country with their unique customs and calendar of events. Among them, the Okipa festival had the utmost significance.
• The Sun Dance may have derived from the Okipa ceremony; alternatively, both rituals may have common origins. Within the Sioux culture, all seven sacred rites carried equal significance. However, the Sun Dance held particular importance as it directly engaged the people in the annual rejuvenation of the planet.
• The Sun Dance included the entire community, fostering connections of camaraderie, kinship, and personal fulfillment. 
• It attracted individuals from neighboring villages who shared a common language or ancestry, either as observers or active participants.

PREPARATION

• The planning for and execution of the Sun Dance varied across different nations but typically had many similar elements.
• The ritual was commenced by an individual, typically a male, who had received a divine revelation instructing them to perform the ritual or make a sacrificial offering to obtain favorable responses to prayers, expressing gratitude for prayers already answered, or as a collective act to ensure the prosperity of the village, bountiful harvests, and an abundance of buffalo.
• The event often occurred in the early summer, generally in June. It commenced with the knowledgeable individuals of the village (medicine men/shamans) providing education to the participants. They imparted knowledge of the holy songs, dances, and cleansing rituals to the young males.
• Simultaneously, individuals from nearby communities would gather, and a tree, typically a cottonwood, would be felled to function as a central pole. Subsequently, additional posts were positioned in a circular formation surrounding the central pole, symbolizing the link between Earth and Sky as the revered World Tree.
• Saplings were then employed, fastened between the apex of the central pole and the adjacent poles to construct a lodge enclosed with a roof and walls made of buffalo hides. An esteemed huntsman from the village was assigned the task of slaying a buffalo with a single shot, and after that, the buffalo’s head or skull (sometimes the skin) was mounted on the central pole.
• Leather strips, often known as ropes, were fastened to the upper part of the pole to be utilized by the dancers later. The lodge’s entrance was oriented towards the east, facing the direction of the rising sun.
• A shrine was built within the lodge, positioned directly opposite the entrance. Vertical logs were placed on either side of the central pole, creating a division within the interior. On one side were the drummers, singers, and spectators, while on the other was the altar’s sacred ground. 
• This is where the participants would dance, and the medicine man (or men) would lead the ritual. Some indigenous communities constructed their lodges with an aperture at the apex, directly above the central pole or buffalo head. On occasion, the interior of the lodge was fully enclosed.

SUN DANCE

• The participating dancers would observe a period of fasting, prayer, and abstinence from water and sleep for a specific duration before the event to purify themselves.
• The event commenced with a dignified parade of the healers, male and female vocalists, percussionists, and dancers, accompanied by onlookers, towards the lodge.
• Upon entering the lodge, they would select a location on the southern side to place their sage and suspend their medicine bundle. The principal shaman would occasionally commence the ceremony by paying homage to supernatural beings with a freshly acquired scalp from an adversary in battle.
• The chief medicine man ignited the sacred tobacco ceremonial pipe, known as the chanupa. It was then presented to the four cardinal directions and the Great Spirit before being passed on to his colleagues.
• Male and female vocalists and percussionists positioned themselves on the southern side of the lodge, to the left of the entrance. A fire was ignited to the east of the central pole.
• The dancers, positioned on the consecrated terrain, would elevate and descend on their tiptoes while fixating their gaze either on the sun through the aperture at the apex of the lodge or on the buffalo head. 
• The spectators would be the final individuals to enter and would position themselves either standing or sitting on the right and left sides of the entryway. Subsequently, the dancers would provide food to the paternal relatives in the audience at that moment or before the performance. 
• Once the fire was alight and all participants were in their designated positions, the drummers would initiate the performance, followed by the singers, who would recite the sacred hymns. In contrast, the dancers simultaneously commenced their choreographed movements.
• After the ritual concluded, the lodge was disassembled, except for the central pole, remaining as a symbol of the event, the sacrifices made, the visions shared, the stories recounted, and the ties forged.

Arapaho Sun Dance Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Arapaho Sun Dance across 24 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Arapaho Sun Dance. The Arapaho Sun Dance is to rouse the land, rejuvenate the community, express gratitude for the sun, seek blessings, or express thanks to the Great Spirit.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Arapaho Sun Dance Facts
2. Arapaho Nations
3. Like or Dislike?
4. Arapaho Crossword
5. Sun Dancing
6. Storyboard
7. Local Ceremony
8. Diversity
9. Celebration
10. Around the World
11. Mutual Respect

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Arapaho Sun Dance?

The Arapaho Sun Dance is a traditional ceremony practiced by the Arapaho people, primarily to honor the sun, seek blessings for the community, and ensure harmony with nature. It involves various rituals, dances, fasting, and communal activities over several days.

What is the significance of the Sun Dance to the Arapaho people?

The Sun Dance holds profound cultural and spiritual significance for the Arapaho. It symbolizes renewal, strength, and the interconnectedness of all living beings with the natural world. Through the ceremony, participants seek spiritual guidance, healing, and blessings for their community and the broader universe.

What are some key elements of the Arapaho Sun Dance ceremony?

The ceremony typically involves erecting a ceremonial lodge, adorned with symbolic items like eagle feathers and sacred objects. Participants undergo purification rituals, fasting, and various dances, including the iconic Sun Dance. Offerings are made to the sun and other spiritual entities, accompanied by prayers and chants.

How is the Arapaho Sun Dance traditionally conducted?

Traditionally, the Sun Dance begins with a period of preparation, including fasting and purification. The main ceremony takes place within a sacred circle, where dancers perform intricate movements to the beat of drums and chants. Participants may undergo rituals such as piercing, where they attach themselves to a central pole by skewers inserted into their skin as a form of sacrifice and spiritual devotion.

Has the Arapaho Sun Dance evolved over time?

While maintaining its core spiritual essence, the Arapaho Sun Dance has adapted to changing circumstances and influences over the centuries. Colonial pressures, Christian missionary efforts, and government policies aimed at suppressing indigenous practices have impacted the ceremony’s practice. However, many Arapaho communities continue to preserve and revive their cultural traditions, including the Sun Dance, as a means of asserting their identity and resilience.

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