The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk's Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux

Black Elk of the Sioux has been recognized as one of the truly remarkable men of his time in the matter of religious belief and practice.



Black Elk was the only qualified priest of the older Oglala Sioux still living when The Sacred Pipe was written. This is his book: he gave it orally to Joseph Epes Brown during the latter's eight month's residence on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, where Black Elk lived. Beginning with the story of White Buffalo Cow Woman's first visit to the S...