Mi’kmaq Sun Dance
By
Jeff Ward
3275637
Professor G. Tucker English 1103
31 July 2007
The Sun Dance is a sacred ceremony that connects the First Nations people directly to the Great Spirit: The Creator. This ceremony is one of the most scared ceremonies known to First Nation peoples across Turtle Island (North America). Up until the last decade the Sundance was rarely performed, if at all, for the last 400 years. However, there are numerous theories and legends about its origin. Some believe that this ceremony had originated with the Minans or Aztecs. While the Plains Indians have oral teachings which say that the White Buffalo Calf Women came from the south to teach their people. However, according to the Mi’kmaq teachings this Sun Dance was known and practised since the creation of time. Now, by using the great resources of oral history, personal accounts, and pictographs the Mi’kmaq people are reclaiming the Mi’kmaq Sun Dance.
According to an old First Nation saying that has been passed down for centuries, one must walk a mile in another person’s moccasins before you understand their history. One must remember that the Mi’kmaq was one of the first tribes that came into contact with Europeans and other nations as they arrived and started to settle on Turtle Island ( North America) This was the beginning of assimilation and oppression. Therefore, a lot of the Mi’kmaq ways and traditions were lost, hidden or right out banned. For example:
Missionaries and government agents in the United States and Canada eventually condemned the Sun Dance, and it was officially banned in both countries. Subject to arrest, practitioners were forced to discontinued the ceremony or to practise it in secret. …Other pressures by the same individuals in the 1890s included holding an officially sponsored sports day to compete with the ceremony, threatening to deny employment to a traditional religious leaders and invoking the CANADIAN INDIAN ACT before it actually applied to the sun dance. ( Hirschfeld,A., Molin, p. 1992.)
Tragically this is one of many reasons why the Mi’kmaq Sun Dance ceremony was not practised up until the past decade since it has returned.
Today, as First Nation People become aware, the Sundance has been reclaimed in the hearts of the Mi’kmaq. This Sun Dance has a home is all our hearts. Like the returning to your grandmother’s home and smelling her home cooking. That inner feeling of peace and security. Or like being on a long road trip and arriving at your house with the feeling I am home again. This feeling is echoed by many Mi’kmaq people once they step into the Sun Dance grounds. In order to understand the true feelings one must understand the nature of the ceremony and its meaning. But the closest thread that can describe that can describe that feeling would also explain why one participates. Lawrence (2007) states:
“Sun dance participants strive to obtain supernatural aid and personal power through their sacrifice which will not only assure the accomplishment of desired outcomes but which will bring them a richer and more meaningful life as a member of their society. The sacred ritual reaffirms tribal membership and cultural identity and ensures that the people will prosper for another year. Following the sun dance, there is a renewed feeling of social harmony. And because of a world view that includes nature and all living beings within the realm of kinship that sense of harmony extends beyond human relationships to include the entire creation. ( Society & Animals Journal of Human-Animals Studies ) (2007,p3).
The Mi’kmaq Sun Dance is close to people’s heart because it brings a true sense of belonging. Like that picture at grandparents place that can be seen time and time again. That picture gives a sense of security and belonging.
Now that your home at your grandparents place and see a family picture on the wall you have seen over a thousand times but never really took the time to look at it and you notice that is picture has a significant meaning in my life. That is my family and that’s where I come from. This is similar to the awakening of the Sun Dancer when looks at the pictographs from Fairy Lake, New Grafton, Nova Scotia. One of the Authors of The American Naturalist stated that following after seeing one of these pictographs and stated that following:
The interpretation which has suggested itself is as follows : The likeness to a dance-mask or dance-tablet is so close that the possibility of its being a representation of some of the paraphernalia of the dances occurred to me…We may have here a presentation of an old dance figure wearing on the head a mask not like the masks still carried by the tribes which have preserved to the present day their ancient religious rites. If this interpretation of the head dress of the pictographs from Nova Scotia is a correct one, as seems plausible, it may give us an insight into the character of the dress of the dancers in ancient Micmac ceremonials. (Fewkes 1890.p997)
After reading this and seeing the picture of the pictograph, I can only see my own shadow. The head dress he spoke about represent the same type and style of head dress that I wore for four days. The dress that is spoken about represents a sun dance skirt or dress that I wore for four days. That pictograph is a of a young warrior dancing. He is not only Sun Dancing for himself, but all living things and non living things, his people, and his Nation.
It was through 400 years of oppression, assimilation, secrecy, hidden ceremonies, and the power of the Creator, that saved our Sacred Ceremonies. For the last decade the Sun Dance has returned to the Mi’kmaq people, Through pictographs, stories, oral history and personal experiences. Strong evidence suggests that the Mi’kmaq people conducted this sacred ceremony. Now it time for healing for all Nations.
Bibliography
Fewkes.W.(1890).A pictrograph from Nova Scotia. The American Naturalist.287, 998.
Hirschfeld, A. & Molin, P.(1992) The Encyclopaedia of Native American Religions. NY: Fast on File.
Lawerence, E. (2007) Sun Dance. Society and Animals Journal of Human-Animal Studies. Retrieved: 10/01/2007. from http://www.psyeta.org/sa/sa1.1/lawerance.htm/
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Chapter 4
Read Chapter 4 - Wikis: Easy Collaboration For All; Pages 59-74Answer the following questions on your personal blog.If blogs are about conversation and wikis are about collaboration/content, which of the following student projects would you use each tool for? Why?
Novel study with author participation
I would suggest a wikis for this, For the reason that it has the ability to go to the masses. It is quick and easy to reach millions of people. Also the Author would have the ability to share his/hers point of view.
Students at two first nations schools in New Brunswick and British Columbia recording and
sharing native stories and music.
I think a Wiki space would be idea for this. A prime example for this is our current wiki space for this class, there is 57 students and we are located all over NB and Que. It also allows us to put on videos, links, and all kinds of goodies.
Daily science journal.
This is definitely a blog type of deal. This will allow you to keep take of your progress of your journal. It will allow others to comment on your progress as well as make suggestions. Blogs are fairly short.
Student creative writing with peer review.
This is also would be a blog. Because you can always edit post that you have already created. It also will allow other to criticize your work.
Novel study with author participation
I would suggest a wikis for this, For the reason that it has the ability to go to the masses. It is quick and easy to reach millions of people. Also the Author would have the ability to share his/hers point of view.
Students at two first nations schools in New Brunswick and British Columbia recording and
sharing native stories and music.
I think a Wiki space would be idea for this. A prime example for this is our current wiki space for this class, there is 57 students and we are located all over NB and Que. It also allows us to put on videos, links, and all kinds of goodies.
Daily science journal.
This is definitely a blog type of deal. This will allow you to keep take of your progress of your journal. It will allow others to comment on your progress as well as make suggestions. Blogs are fairly short.
Student creative writing with peer review.
This is also would be a blog. Because you can always edit post that you have already created. It also will allow other to criticize your work.
Responds to RICHARDSON
What types of issues would you worry about in terms of students producing content for sharing with the world via the web?
Hate propaganda, rumors, dangerous actions, how to make dangerous weapons or bombs and how to cheat on tests, that would be the negative of sharing with the world by web. Anything that is morally wrong and that would hurt or harm another. Taking fictitious stories or untrue facts and pass it on to others, Many times it will tend to create a life of its own, and uneducated people will believe it s true. People tend to want to believe everything that is written. Another example on how harmful the web can be is, in the media last year, there was a kid that working on a project for school. He filmed myself doing a display for Star wars with the light saver, Another kid received a copy of it, tagged it and sent it out on the web. It got over a million hits and a million laughs. However it was not intended to be funny and dramatically hurt that child.
Identify three practices or "rules" that you believe would be good practice in protecting students on the web. Elaborate on why you have chosen each.
1. Create your own web tours before hand.
2.Make sure that students parents, and even administrators are clear about the expectations and the reasoning's for the blog and make sure everyone has the proper permission.
3.Read what they write and become the administer.
Hate propaganda, rumors, dangerous actions, how to make dangerous weapons or bombs and how to cheat on tests, that would be the negative of sharing with the world by web. Anything that is morally wrong and that would hurt or harm another. Taking fictitious stories or untrue facts and pass it on to others, Many times it will tend to create a life of its own, and uneducated people will believe it s true. People tend to want to believe everything that is written. Another example on how harmful the web can be is, in the media last year, there was a kid that working on a project for school. He filmed myself doing a display for Star wars with the light saver, Another kid received a copy of it, tagged it and sent it out on the web. It got over a million hits and a million laughs. However it was not intended to be funny and dramatically hurt that child.
Identify three practices or "rules" that you believe would be good practice in protecting students on the web. Elaborate on why you have chosen each.
1. Create your own web tours before hand.
2.Make sure that students parents, and even administrators are clear about the expectations and the reasoning's for the blog and make sure everyone has the proper permission.
3.Read what they write and become the administer.
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