Relevance of the Vision
Quest to the Lakota
The Lakota were originally a woodlands society in
Minnesota. When their enemies the Assiniboine acquired guns, the Lakota
escaped to the high plains region. By the 1700s, the Lakota had become
a plains society. The Lakota’s lives were deeply influenced by their
religion; they believed that Wakan Tanka, the Great Mystery, was an
omnipresent, omnipotent force composed of a number of deities and
animals. They also believed that man was a part of Wakan Tanka, and
they sought to connect with Wakan Tanka. Ceremonies, an important way
to connect with Wakan Tanka, played a vital role in the Lakota society.
The vision quest was one such ceremony. The vision quest was vital to
both the individual Lakota and Lakota society because it provided
spiritual power, social standing, bravery, and life purpose.
Primary Sources
Black Elk. Black Elk Speaks. Lincoln: University of
Nebraska, 1961.
Black Elk, an Ogala holy man, vividly describes his own vision
quest and its influence on his life. He tells about the healing
ceremonies he preformed, and relates many other aspects of the life of
a medicine man. Many historians believe that Neidhart, the translator
for Black Elk, somtimes inserts some of his own beliefs and
perspectives into the translation, slightly tainting Black Elk's ideas
with his own. Nevertheless, Black Elk voice is heard in Black Elk
Speaks, providing good primary information on Lakota culture,
religion, and the vision quest.
Standing Bear, Luther. Land of the Spotted Eagle.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1933.
In Land of the Spotted Eagle, Lakota Chief Standing Bear
tells about Lakota life and culture. Although he does not give a
personal account of the vision quest, he provides the Lakota's
perspective on the vision quest. He also describes the dreamers
ceremonies and the rituals of the dreamer cults. Chief Standing Bear
tells about everyday Lakota life and gives a somewhat romanticized
account of Lakota history. Writing during the 1900s, he also gives a
good description of reservation life. Because Chief Standing Bear wrote
this book in English, Land of the Spotted Eagle contains the
exact words of the cheif, making this an excellent source for gaining
Lakota perspective about the vision quest.
Walker, James R. Lakota Belief and Ritual. Lincoln:
Nebraska Press, 1980.
Dr. James R. Walker was a physician at Pine Ridge reservation. He
recorded much about Lakota religion and culture. In this book he
translates the dialogues of Lakota holy men, such as Thomas Tyon and
George Sword, on the Lakota's beliefs. In Lakota Belief and Ritual the
holy men provide both accounts of the vision quest and the Lakota's
perspective on the vision quest. Because of his Christian perspective,
Dr. Walker sometimes translates the Lakota religious terms as Christian
terms, eg. he translates Wakan Tanka as God. Overall, his book is an
excellence source on Lakota culture and religion. 
Secondary
Sources
Bucko, Raymond A. The Lakota Ritual of the Sweat Lodge.
Lincoln: University of Nebrasks Press, 1998.
Raymond Bucko gives a detailed description of the Lakota's sweat
lodge. He talks about the different ceremonies preformed in the sweat
lodge, including the purification ceremony for the vision quest. Bucko
explains much of the symbolism used in the purification ceremony and in
the vision quest itself. The Lakota Ritual of the Sweat Lodge
gives very detailed information on the use of the sweat lodge in the
vision quest and is thereby conducive to a better understanding of the
vision quest.
DeMallie, Raymond J. and Douglas R. Parks, ed. Sioux Indian
Religion. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1987.
Composed of essays on different aspects of Lakota religion, Sioux
Indian Religion gives a general overview of the vision quest and
its symbolism. It also describes the healing rituals of the shamans and
dreamer ceremonies. The authors of the essays are a mixture of Lakota
medicine men and anthropologists, so both Lakota views and scholarly
views on the vision quest are presented.
Hassrick, Royal B. The Sioux. Norman: University of
Oklahoma Press, 1964.
This is a useful source for learning about many aspects of Lakota
life. Hassrick gives an overview of Lakota history and talks about the
morals of Lakota society. He describes the four essential virtues of
the Lakota and the importance of bravery to the Lakota. Also, he
explains the structure of Lakota society. Hassrick devotes one chapter
of The Sioux to the vision quest. He describes the vision
quest, the dreamer societies, and the dreamer rituals. The bibliography
of The Sioux contains many books that are useful for further
researching the vision quest and the Lakota in general.
Lewis, Thomas. The Medicine Men. Lincoln: University of
Nebraska Press, 1990.
Online e-book at NetLibrary
Lewis talks mainly about shamans in plains culture and
provides useful information on the vision quest's relationship to
becoming a shaman. He talks about heyokas in detail. Roughly a chapter
of The Medicine Men is about the vision quest.
Mohatt, Gerald and Joseph Eagle Elk. The Price of a Gift.
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
Joseph Eagle Elk tells of his vision which led him to become a
shaman. He talks about the vision quest and the impact it has on a
Lakota. Eagle Elk also provides good general information on the vision
quest.
Sources Consulted
Ingham, Bruce. English-Lakota Dictionary. Great
Britain: Curzon Press, 2001.
This is a dictionary of English words with their Lakota
counterparts. While it is not directly useful in researching the vision
quest, it clarifies the distinction between Sioux, Lakota, and Dakota
and is helpful for finding the Lakota terms for their religious
ceremonies.
Powers, William K. Sacred Language. Norman: University
of Oklahoma Press,1986.
Powers talks about the sacred language that Lakota shamans use. He
focuses on the linguistics of Lakota religious language. Sacred
Language is not very useful for researching the vision quest, but
Powers does talk about the sacred language that Lakota recieve from
their vision quest.
Walker, James R. Lakota Myth. Lincoln: University of
Nebraska Press, 1983.
Another work by Dr. James R. Walker, this is collection of Lakota
myths. These myths can provide insight into Lakota culture, but are not
directly helpful in researching the vision quest.
Useful Websites
All of my sources came from the ACC and UT libraries.
ACC Library Catalog
UT Library Catalog
The Library of Congress Catalog
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