Sundance

Wiwáŋyaŋg Wačípi

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The sun dance of the roots of the earth

 

~ A tree alone

~ a dance alone

~ a drum alone

~ a heart alone.

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The Sun Dance is an essential part of the Path of the Roots of the Earth.

Raymundo Perez was a sun dancer in Big Mountain, USA, and one of his dreams was to create a Roots of the Earth dance where we can strengthen our spirit for the service we do with the Kiva in different regions.

Following the steps of the Sun Dance and the instructions of Reymundo Perez, Heriberto committed himself for four years in the early 1980s. After 20 years, he rejoined the Sun Dance, which was founded in Amatlán, Mexico from 2010 to 2013. Under the altar of the Crow Dog Family from South Dakota, the Sicangu Lakota clan.

After completing a cycle of service and work in the fire for four years in Amatlán, later, because of the connection we had with the Oglala-Lakota clan of South Dakota, the American Horse-Afraid of Bear family began ours to lead the dance.

With the support of Loretta Afraid of Bear, grandfather Joe American Horse and other important allies of this clan, such as Milo Yellowhair and the Red Cloud family, Raíces de la Tierra performs the Dance of the Sun in Mexico in the 2014 to 2017 cycle.

In Chile the cycle begins from 2017 to 2020.

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On a personal level, the dancer usually needs to feel a call coming to him through a dream or vision, leading him to participate in the ceremony.

 

The Sun Dance is a period of four days of abstinence from food and water. Before the dance, people take part in preparation ceremonies. The ceremony is a search, a purification, an act of communion - or at least an attempt to unite or at least unite with the higher power of the Creator, the Great Spirit.

 

The Sun Dance also has a social or communal dimension, as the dancer participates not just as an individual. He is also a member of a family. And the family prepares his things to accompany him and remain present throughout the ceremony.

 

The dancer is there as part of a core, and his loved ones support him, both spiritually and physically, by accompanying him with the drum, helping him prepare ceremonial clothing, praying, visiting the nearby camp, or simply standing in silence.

At this point it is important to remind the dancer that even though he is there alone and the power given to him, called medicine, is to be used, that power does not belong to him. This power comes from an infinite source and is given to him for one purpose: to use it in the service of his community.

Dance becomes an instrument, a way through which the entire community experiences renewal and strengthens its strength, brings health, well-being and unites and binds all the families present into one big family.

So, we are told that as long as the tradition of the Sun Dance will continue and as long as there will be individuals who have the dream and vision to move forward and follow the path of the tree, survival, the joining of forces and ultimately the community as Everything is secured for future generations.