Fools Crow

ames Welch tells of many of the Lone Eaters traditions and practices in Fools Crow. Few of have had the emphasis and meaning that is placed in the ceremony of the Sun Dance and praise of the Sun Chief. There are many reasons and ways the people worship the Sun Chief, some that can be explained and some that will never be understood.

The people of the tribe have many gods that they call the Above Ones. None is more important and reverenced in such a way as the Sun Chief. " I now pray to you to grant us abundance in summer and health in winter" (Welch 112). He is prayed to for all sorts of things including long life, plentiful harvest, water, and good animals. The god of the sun is their god above gods. The Sun Chief is what Zeus was to the ancient Greeks. They pray to other gods, but they are lower gods or messengers t

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Basically, the whole fortune of the people for the next year rests on her shoulders. For all the good the Sun Chief could bring to the people, he could also bring bad and that would be blamed directly on Heavy Shield Woman. " If you are successful, the Pikunis will prosper and enjoy favor with the spirit world. He was especially looking for healing for Yellow Kidney because he felt somewhat responsible for his misfortunes. He was to bring them rain at the right time, thick and everlasting blackhorns, pity to the poor, and healing to the sick. She was chosen to be the leader of the prayer to him and this role is as momentous of a challenge and honor that there is in the tribe. The stone would give him power as he prepared to take action on the Napikwans.

Heavy Shield Woman has the most important role of anyone in the rituals honoring the Sun Chief. He had also given White Man's Dog his power, in the white stone and the song" (Welch 125). The spiritual and natural aspect of the Black Feet is a fundamental root to the people as Welch has it depicted to us. White Mans Dog had a dream when his animal spirit, the wolverine, came to him by a river and told him to take a white stone out of the river. " I believe our father, Sun Chief, is satisfied with us. What White Man's Dog didn't know was that the cleansing had also been given to Kills-close-to-the-lake.