The Lakota Ritual of the Sweat Lodge: History and Contemporary Practice
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Book Overview
For centuries, a persistent and important component of Lakota religious life has been the Inipi, the ritual of the sweat lodge. The sweat lodge has changed little in appearance since its first recorded description in the late seventeenth century. The ritual itself consists of songs, prayers, and other actions conducted in a tightly enclosed, dark, and extremely hot environment. Participants who "sweat" together experience moral strengthening, physical healing, and the renewal of social and cultural bonds. Today, the sweat lodge ritual continues to be a vital part of Lakota religion. It has also been open to use, often controversial, by non-Indians. The ritual has recently become popular among Lakotas recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. This study is the first in-depth look at the history and significance of the Lakota sweat lodge. Bringing together data culled from historical sources and fieldwork on Pine Ridge Reservation, Raymond A. Bucko provides a detailed discussion of continuity and changes in the "sweat" ritual over time. He offers convincing explanations for the longevity of the ceremony and its continuing popularity. Raymond A. Bucko is a professor of anthropology at Creighton University.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0803261659
ISBN13:9780803261655
Release Date:August 1999
Publisher:Bison
Length:340 Pages
Weight:1.10 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
4 ratings
Great insight into this multifaceted ceremony!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
This book was a wonderful source of information for me to learn more about a ceremony that I'd been through countless times. The Sweatlodge is a powerful ritual on many different levels & this book sheds some light on that, especially for those of us not brought up in the Lakota culture.
Good introduction
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
This book was very well done. Many people who are looking for information on what to expect from sweatlodges in general will benefit from this book. The author gives a good amount of information about the history and the many different styles of the inipi ceremony. I personally have been in many different inipi (sweatlodge) ceremonies and found that there are different styles but there are a lot of common things as well. This book is well written and well worth the read. The author sticks to just the plains indians style of lodges and does not go to compare with the many different styles of sweatlodges around the country and around the world. I liked that he kept his information consistant and from the people who wanted to share it first hand. There were quite a few people who shared information that might take a lifetime of looking to find.
Good work!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
Not only the most throughout chronicle of the sweat lodge ritual, but also one of the best books on contemporary Lakhota religion. Good work!
great book
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
I read through this book in one day. I couldn't put the book down except to make a coffee. Excellent reading.
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