Oglala Women: Myth, Ritual, and Reality (Women in Culture and Society Series)

Based on interviews and life histories collected over more than twenty-five years of study on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, Marla N. Powers conveys what it means to be an Oglala woman. Despite the myth of the Euramerican that sees Oglala women as inferior to men, and the Lakota myth that seems them as superior, in reality, Powers argues, the roles of male and female emerge as complementary. In fact, she claims, Oglala women have been better able to adapt to the dominant white culture and provide much of the stability and continuity of modern tribal life. This rich ethnographic portrait considers the complete context of Oglala life—religion, economics, medicine, politics, old age—and is enhanced by numerous modern and historical photographs."It is a happy event when a fine scholarly work is rendered accessible to the general reader, especially so when none of the complexity of the subject matter is sacrificed. __Oglala Women__ is a long overdue revisionary ethnography of Native American culture."—Penny Skillman, __San Francisco Chronicle Review__"Marla N. Powers's fine study introduced me to Oglala women 'portrayed from the perspectives of __Indians__,' to women who did not pity themselves and want no pity from others. . . . A brave, thorough, and stimulating book."—Melody Graulich, __Women's Review of Books__"Powers's new book is an intricate weaving . . . and her synthesis brings all of these pieces into a well-integrated and insightful whole, one which sheds new light on the importance of women and how they have adapted to the circumstances of the last century."—Elizabeth S. Grobsmith, __Nebraska History__ Based on interviews and life histories collected over more than twenty-five years of study on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, Marla N. Powers conveys what it means to be an Oglala woman. Despite the myth of the Euramerican that sees Oglala women as inferior to men, and the Lakota myth that seems them as superior, in reality, Powers argues, the roles of male and female emerge as complementary. In fact, she claims, Oglala women have been better able to adapt to the dominant white culture and provide much of the stability and continuity of modern tribal life. This rich ethnographic portrait considers the complete context of Oglala life—religion, economics, medicine, politics, old age—and is enhanced by numerous modern and historical photographs. "It is a happy event when a fine scholarly work is rendered accessible to the general reader, especially so when none of the complexity of the subject matter is sacrificed. Oglala Women is a long overdue revisionary ethnography of Native American culture."—Penny Skillman, San Francisco Chronicle Review "Marla N. Powers's fine study introduced me to Oglala women 'portrayed from the perspectives of Indians ,' to women who did not pity themselves and want no pity from others. . . . A brave, thorough, and stimulating book."—Melody Graulich, Women's Review of Books "Powers's new book is an intricate weaving . . . and her synthesis brings all of these pieces into a well-integrated and insightful whole, one which sheds new light on the importance of women and how they have adapted to the circumstances of the last century."—Elizabeth S. Grobsmith, Nebraska History Contents 8 List of Illustrations 10 Series Editor's Foreword 12 Preface 14 Introduction 18 The Past 38 1. Historical Prelude 40 Introduction 40 Early History 42 The Bureau of Indian Affairs 48 2. The Buffalo Nation 52 The Cosmological Matrix 52 Creation of the Universe 53 The Sacred Pipe 59 The Coming of the Pipe 60 The Calf Pipe in Cultural Context 66 3. Wincincala: Girlhood 70 Birth 70 Childhood 74 Kinship 79 4. Wikoškalaka: Adolescence 83 Puberty 83 Women's Sodalities 90 Courtship 91 5. Winyan: Womanhood 96 Marriage 96 Kinship Terms 96 Sodalities 103 6. Winunhcala: Old Age 108 The Grandmothers 108 Medicine Women 113 Ritual Participation 115 The Ghost Road 117 The Present 122 7. Growing up Oglala 124 Government Gravy 124 Early Education 126 Two Cultures 133 Courtship 137 College 140 Organizations 143 8. Making the Mark 145 From Buffalo to Beef 145 Earning a Living 147 Small Business 151 Arts and Crafts 153 9. It's the Men Who Are the Chiefs 158 The Tribal Council 158 Women Chiefs 162 Activist Women 166 Law and Order 187 10. Hard Times 194 Sickness and Health 194 The Compound 199 Battered Women 206 The Pitiable 211 11. All My Relations 215 Christianity and Traditionalism 215 Yuwipi 232 12. Sex Roles and Social Structure 236 Myth and Reality 236 Something Old, Something New 243 Notes 248 References 256 Index 268 Based on interviews and life histories collected over more than twenty-five years of study on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, Marla N. Powers conveys what it means to be an Oglala woman. Despite the myth of the Euramerican that sees Oglala women as inferior to men, and the Lakota myth that seems them as superior, in reality, Powers argues, the roles of male and female emerge as complementary. In fact, she claims, Oglala women have been better able to adapt to the dominant white culture and provide much of the stability and continuity of modern tribal life. This rich ethnographic portrait considers the complete context of Oglala life -- religion, economics, medicine, politics, old age -- and is enhanced by numerous modern and historical photographs While the white man was calling the Indian woman a drudge, old He dog, at ninety-two, told me: "It is well to be good to women in the strength of our manhood because we must sit under their hands at both ends of our lives." Examines the relationships between Oglala Indian men and women and discusses the roles of women in Oglala society