Sioux Rite Of Passage: The Ceremony That Turned You To Adulthood

In the Sioux culture, religion has been an important part of daily life. With religion, traditional practices and ceremonies have been believed to be a way of connecting to nature’s spirits and gaining protection for the tribe. The Sioux based their lives on the belief of Wakan Tanka, also known as the Great Spirit. Located in the northern Great Plains where land was mountainous, Sioux men and women lived off of their marvelous hunting skills, which they were commonly known for.

Although nomadic, they kept their religious promises no matter where they were, and took challenges that defined their future. As a part of their religion and tradition, the Sioux held a rite of passage ceremony for hundreds of years, in which they gained the strength they needed going into adulthood. In this rite of passage, boys and girls have completed a series of tasks to become respected members of their tribe. Older children of the tribe took part in a four day ceremony in which boys were isolated from their tribe and taught survival skills, while the girls were taken away to a camp, where they learned motherly tasks, and were replenished as admirable adults.

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At puberty, Sioux boys were set to perform a vision quest. As a rite of passage, these boys were left in the wilderness, isolated from friends and relatives, for four days to represent end and revival. Their goal was to link with spirits and be taught how to protect their tribe. During this process, boys were expected to live off the resources of nature, hence not being provided with anything they might have needed.

Within these four days, a ritual was performed. This ritual was the Sacred Calf Pipe Smoking, in which the boys would smoke tobacco that had been blessed by prayer, symbolizing the Lakota’s instructions. It was also a way of purifying the body and showing respect to the tribe. Boys would also participate in dances, such as the Sun Dance, which brought them together with land and spirits to restart their connection to nature. At the end of their quest, they finally gained their social status and were prepared to protect the tribe from any danger as they entered the reality of manhood.

Similar to the boys, girls also participated in a four day ceremony at the age of 14. As girls, they were taught motherly tasks they were going to need in the near future. Girls were sent to a remote stop, where they were fed by mothers and women of the camp, taught modesty and courtship, and taught what it really meant to be a woman of their tribe. They weren’t able to touch food or drinks unless given to them. The first part of their ceremony was the Thirteen Moons, in which the girls were dressed in skirts and tank tops. The girls were to set up their tepees away from the camp, where they would all sleep together. During the Thirteen Moons, the girls learned about themselves. The next morning, the girls would get up and go together to collect herbs for medicine. Berries, sage, and wildflowers were also put together by the girls as bouquets. Before the day ended, the girls took these herbs and were taught how to use them to make traditional food. They then took this food to the campfire and learned religious songs. On the final day of the ceremony, the girls were bathed in a sacred sage. The mothers came to the ritual to talk to their daughters about their days from little children to young adults. Finally, the girls were dressed in ribbon dresses and moccasins and presented as women to their tribe.

Whether it be smoking the blessed tobacco or bathing in sacred sage, both boys and girls were accepted as men and women after four days of hard work and preparation. Sioux boys and girls had to show their bravery and participation through the many tasks designated to them. They reunited with nature and found their own guardian spirit. The young girls and boys of the tribe would look up to them as new leaders. They would gain a presentable status and be the next to help benefit their tribe. The rite of passage of the Sioux might amaze many because of the way they learned to grow into young adults. Although both of the rites of passages included different tasks and activities, these men and women were finally prepared to lead their tribe.