Sun Dance
Before the dance begins, a large tree is cut down to be used as the central pole and is decorated. The central pole is meant to symbolize Wakan Tanka, as he is the center of the universe. A large circular area around the central pole was cleared and Buffalo skulls are placed in a circle around the central pole.
Although anyone is allowed to dance, it is usually young men who participate in the dance. The ceremony lasst four days during which many different people would dance. Dancers often purify their body through the rite of Inipi, a sweat lodge, as well as smoking the sacred pipe. Dancer often wear rings of sage around their head, wrists and ankles. Before the ceremony begins, holy men would approach the dancers in front of the central pole. A piece of bone is pierced into the dancers' chests. Strips of rawhide would be tied to the central pole, and then to the piece of bones in the dancers chest, although some choose not to be tethered to the pole. After this the dance would begin. The goal of those dancing is to have the piece of bone that pierces their chest to be removed through dancing. This is a form of self-sacrifice as well as show of strength and endurance. Once the dancing begins, the dancers would not stop until the bone had been removed from their chest, with short breaks without food or water being allowed. Dancers pray during the ceremony and often report seeing visions. The ceremony lasts for four days, and dancers only stop when they have pulled the bone from their chest or when the day has ended.
The tradition of the Sun Dance was banned both in Canada and the United States. This was done in order to help force the Native Americans to assimilate into western culture. The United States Government recognized the importance the Sun Dance held to the Lakota, and saw it as a major part of the tribe's culture. If the tribe was ever to successfully assimilate into western culture, their own culture and religion would need to be replaced. The Sun Dance was banned in an attempt to help end the Lakota religion, and substituted with Christianity. No longer could the Lakota openly practice their religion, and their children were sent to Christian schools. While the Sun Dance was outlawed for many decades, many tribes still practiced the tradition in secret. By the 1950's Canada lifted its ban on the Sun Dance but the U.S did legalize the dance until the late 1970's, although the law prohibiting it was not often enforced. Today many Native tribes still practice the Sun Dance as their most important religious ceremony. Some of these ceremonies are even open to the public, but sometimes certain parts of the ceremony or even the entire ceremony are not open to non-Native Americans.