 Nicholas Black Elk |
All text and images are 2007 Christopher Sunami.
(Illustrations by Michael Krone)
All rights reserved.
No duplication in any form
except by written permission of the author.
Reprinted here by permission.
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Nicholas Black Elk was born in December 1863, along the Little Powder River (now in Wyoming). He was a member of the indigenous Oglala Lakota people (formerly known as the “Sioux Indians”), and came of age at a time when the westward expansion of the United States of America was beginning to intrude on the homeland of his ancestors. As a young child, he experienced a mystical vision, and was subsequently initiated as a traditional healer for his community.
Upon reaching young adulthood he joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show as a way to learn more about the world and beliefs of the whites. It was here, during his travels through America and Europe, that he first encountered Christianity, which he considered to reflect some of the same truths as the religion in which he was raised. In later life he converted to Roman Catholicism (adopting the name “Nicholas”) and became a catechist, or lay religious teacher. In that position he was considered personally responsible for nearly four hundred conversions to the Christian faith.
Near the end of his life, he took an interest in preserving the culture of his people, and granted interviews that became the basis for several influential books about traditional Lakota culture and religion, of which the most famous is Black Elk Speaks. He continues to be a controversial figure because of his attempts to reconcile his traditional Lakota beliefs with his Christian faith. He died August 19, 1950 in Manderson, South Dakota.Notable Attributes:Openness, Nonviolence, MercyPrinciples:Forgive Your Enemies
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