BLACK ELK

OGLALA SIOUX CHIEF

 AND MEDICINE MAN

"BLACK ELK'S FIRST

 GREAT VISION TO

 THE SPIRIT WORLD"

During his lifetime, Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux Indian Chief and medicine man had several visions that helped him guide his people through misfortunes.

His first journey occurred when he was a young eight year old boy.

During his vision Black Elk ascended to a world of cloud, and a great white plain with snowy hills and mountains.

In a tepee adorned with a rainbow at its entrance, Black Elk met the Six Grandfathers (the spirits of the East, West, North, South, Earth and Sky), the most powerful spirits of the world.

"They looked older than men can even be", he said, "Old like hills, like stars."

The Grandfathers taught Black Elk about the spiritual values of life and presented him with symbols of the powers:

SYMBOLS OF POWERS

A Cup of Water - that which makes life.

A Sacred Bow - that which destroys life.

The Healing Herb and Cleansing Sacred Wind.

The Peace Pipe and Herb of  Understanding.

The Hoop of the World - Symbolizing the Universe.

The Flowering Stick - Symbolizing the Tree of Life.

Then Black Elk was led to the center of the earth, where he was shown "the goodness and the beauty and the strangeness of the greening earth......the spirit shapes of things as they should be.  His tutelage complete, Black Elk was dismissed by the oldest Grandfather, who told him: "Go back with power to the place from whence you came."