Ceremony of Ecstasy

One of the most famous ceremonies is the Sun Dance. Particularly popular among the Plains Indians, it was practiced annually to bring about cosmic regeneration and tribal success. Mystics and others sometimes dance for up to five days, gazing at the sun. Some will bind themselves to totem poles with thongs and spikes driven through the chest. Acts of self-mutilation occur. The ultimate result is absolute deprivation, leading to a trance. The dance was often performed individually when the mystic or leader, respectively, made such a momentous decision. Before the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Sitting Bull went berserk to perform the dance. He was the first to make 50 cuts in his chest as a sacrifice and dance for 24 hours. Exhausted, he entered a trance and saw white soldiers falling from the sky.