**2.2** *Black Elk Speaks* **Cosmos**

There is a human intimacy with the physical world or the cosmos evident in Lakota spirituality. In preparation for the opening meeting at Black Elk's home, where he would narrate his vision that would form the substance of the book, John Neihardt notes that "Many small pine trees, brought from a considerable distance, were set up around the log cabin" ([2], p. 13). The interdependence and affinity native peoples have with nature includes animals. Anyone who reads *BES* cannot help but be struck by the tradition of naming people after animals. Examples abound throughout the book. Black Elk was named after his father, grandfather and greatgrandfather ([2], p. 20); his mother was called "White Cow Sees"; his maternal grandmother was "Plenty Eagle Feathers"; paternal grandmother was "Red Eagle Woman"; his best friend from childhood was "Standing Bear" ([2], p. 31); his apparently favorite character (and cousin) was "Crazy Horse" ([2], p. 75).

The tradition of giving people the names of things in the physical world also includes elements like water and stars or phenomena that occur naturally in nature. The name of the Oglala Sioux chief and peacemaker is "Red Cloud" ([2], p. 23); the Lakota holy man who dreamed about what was to be is called "Drinks Water" ([2], p. 22). The medicine man paid to cure Black Elk of the illness he suffered during his great vision, and who also recognized that Black Elk had a genuinely mystical experience, is called "Whirlwind

<sup>3</sup> To avoid excessive repetition, *Black Elk Speaks* will be abbreviated as *BES* in the rest of this paper.

<sup>4</sup> According to Edwards [9], shamanism is the oldest spiritual practice on earth and has existed in every part of the world.

Chaser" ([2], p. 62). There are other examples throughout *BES* that show respect towards and intimate relation with nonhuman creatures and elements within the cosmic realm.

#### **2.3** *Black Elk Speaks* **Theos**

There is another realm of activity in *BES,* which is the *Theos* or realm of the Divine or the spirits. It also includes the ancestors and all that is sacred. The word sacred appears many times in *BES.* Since this realm is not visible to the physical eyes, the role of the medicine man is very important, as a channel between the realms of cosmos and theos. The holy man may also play a prophetic role, as illustrated by Black Elk, who says, for example: "A long time ago my father told me what his father told him, that there was once a Lakota holy man, called Drinks Water, who dreamed what was to be; and this was long before the coming of the Wasichus" ([2], 22).5

Thus it becomes possible for this spirit realm to penetrate the cosmic realm through the knowledge received via mystical experiences – including that received by Black Elk himself. In fact, the primary goal of *BES* seems to be a desire to convey "the things of the Other World" ([2], 12). In a most Platonic language, *BES* describes this otherworldly realm as follows: "That is the real world that is behind this one, and everything we see here is something like a shadow from that world" ([2], 98).

#### **2.4** *Black Elk Speaks* **Anthropos**

Black Elk was clearly obsessed with the wellbeing of his people. At the end of the day, the whole purpose of his spiritual vision was to help his people respond to and survive in the socio-economic and political context of colonialism – that involved the degradation of his environment. His mystical gift of healing was essentially to help his people — at no cost. He judged his success and failure in terms of how much he was able to help his people using the power received through a mystical vision. "Hear me in my sorrow, for I may never call again. O make my people live!" ([2], 287). Other writers have confirmed that the Lakota spirituality or their powers received from the spirit world is for the benefit of the community [10].

The understanding of this realm of people in *BES* is not one of individualism. The strength of the people appears to be in their community spirit and their weakness in their disintegration. Black Elk laments the lack of unity among his people based on what his father told him:

*"He said that Red Cloud was a cheap man and wanted to sell the Black Hills to the Wasichus; that Spotted Tail and other chiefs were cheap men too, and that the Hang-Around-the-Fort people were all cheap and would stand up for the Wasichus" ([2], 106).*

Hence this narrated spiritual autobiography appears to end as a tragedy. The book laments the erosion of the people's indigenous spirituality alongside the disrespect and exploitation of their physical environment. Black Elk spoke "of a holy tree that should have flourished in a people's heart with flowers and singing birds, and now is withered; and of a people's dream that died in bloody snow" ([2], 15). Black Elk lamented that he was unable to use his powers from the realm of Theos for the benefit of the Anthropos, *qua* community. Such is the importance of this realm of Anthropos in *BES.*

<sup>5</sup> *Wasichu* refers to the colonialists.
