The Messiah is an article which is collected from the book named Black Elk Speaks that is written by Nicholas Black Elk. I also found this article in book name "The Native American Religious Experience". In this article Black Elk described how his people was treat by the white man when he comes back to see that hunger and disease ravaged his people. The white man who is called the Wasichus, promised the Indians to give them food, but they did not keep their promise which caused Black Elk think the reason for his father died, and his younger brother and sister have died while he was gone; however, He still works in a store for the Wasichus to get food to feed his mother. When he came back he thought that his power was gone, but it did not; therefore he used his power to help his people as a healer. But one summer, he also came back to visit his people, but this times, he got a strange news that his people believed there is a sacred man who can bring them new world and make the Wasichus disappear. The Oglalas send three men (Good Thunder, Brave Bear, and Yellow Breast) to investigate for the true, and they come back with the news that a man named Wovoka, whom the whites call Jack Wilson, is a Wanekia (a great spirit, "One Who Makes Live"). This Wanekia had a vision and says that the Indians might be saved if they perform a "ghost dance." Black Elk thinks that perhaps this man had the same vision he did and that he was meant to help him. Through the year, rumors grow about the redemption the Wanekia promises. Some believers claim to have seen their dead relatives. Black Elk is puzzled because this is not like his vision at all. The first ghost dance is held. Another is to be held at Wounded Knee Creek and Black Elk goes to see it. He sees a ceremony that is like his vision after all — a circle, with a flowering stick, and the faces of the dancers painted red. He feels sad that he has not been able to enact his own vision, but then becomes happy that perhaps the time has come to do so. He plans to dance with them.
From this article, I could gain more experiences about the Native American Religious history, and how the Ghost Dance - the most important religious music in Native American -was developed. Moreover, I also understand how native American was treated by the Wasichus (the white man). We are American. we are living in the country that was belong to Native American Indian. Now, I understand why the United States Government makes laws to care for Indians such as education funding opportunities, and American Indians don't have to pay tax on their casino.
Work Cited:
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/black-elk-speaks/summary-analysis/chapter-21.html
