![]() The US government has been hard at work denying the Native Americans of their traditional ancestral lands and herding them into reservations. In doing this he is able to, at least in his own personal capacity, fight against the death of his way of life. While participating in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show Black Elk is able to once again don the traditional garb of the tribal medicine man and practice the ancient rituals of his people. Despite the nature of Buffalo Bill’s traveling show, it is, at least for a brief moment, a metaphor of hope as it gives him a platform to draw attention and create interest for his people and his culture. Although his shamanic practices are really nothing more than a side show attraction and his role as a medicine man taken largely for entertainment and esoteric value he is still able to draw mainstream interest to his and his people’s way of life in addition he is able to establish himself again as a medicine man. This exotic way of life draws a dedicated group of curious participants, which eventually grows into a sizable following. Metaphor for Hopeīlack Elk participates in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show for some time and here he is able to practice his people’s shamanic rituals. Not just their literal defeat in combat but also their defeat as a culture, and on a more personal level, Black Elk’s defeat as a leader to his people. The US government, because of its participation in the destruction of a people and culture, become a metaphor for defeat. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.īlack Elk, after having gone through so many battles and after seeing the horrible crimes committed against his people eventually comes to realize the bitter truth: the US government is hell-bent on making sure that his-and by extension all Native Americans-way of life is completely obliterated through various means. GradeSaver, 26 March 2020 Web.These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Next Section Quotes Previous Section Glossary How To Cite in MLA Format Anonymous "Black Elk Speaks Themes". Will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback. You can help us out by revising, improving and updatingĪfter you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. ![]() By the time he states that he firmly believes the gods and his ancestors intentionally revealed his calling to him, the motif is accomplished: he is a shamanic prophet with a leadership role in his community, a leadership role that seemingly stems from his authoritative spiritualism. His life is a portrait of the power of powerful religious awakening in a person's life. He even attains spiritual abilities for healing and navigating spiritually complicated situations-to the point of fame. Without a doubt this book focuses on Black Elk's prophetic shamanism, featuring his tales of dramatic and full-blown religious experiences and their descriptions. More technically, it's actually more of a United States government issue, not a personal reflection of his merit. This leads to a terrible tragedy where he is martyred by fate (and the US government), but he still blames himself, wrongly believing that it was his fault that the Native American culture does not survive. Black Elk has powerful religious experiences which open his mind to an ideal way of life, an ideal outcome, and although he has his hesitations, he comes to believe because of ecstatic religious experience that the purpose for his ideal visions is to manifest them in real life through his own work. If this tragedy involves any kind of hubris, it is probably the hubris of idealism. The white soldiers have no idea that these people's culture ties them to their land in a deeply spiritual way that cannot be easily removed. His journey is a martyrdom at the hands of the US government through which Black Elk is made to suffer and witness the horrible truth that he gradually begins to admit-that Native culture is being systematically eliminated by the government through harassment and relocation. For him, culture goes way below the skin, into the inward parts of the human soul. Written by people who wish to remain anonymousīlack Elk does not believe he is simply preserving a costume. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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