A Study of Siouan Cults / Eleventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1889-1890, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1861, pages 351-544

Name: A Study of Siouan Cults / Eleventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1889-1890, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1861, pages 351-544
Author: James Owen Dorsey

By James Owen Dorsey

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History - Religious Religion/Spirituality

About This Book

The study surveys religious beliefs and ceremonial practices among several Siouan-speaking peoples, opening with definitions and the specialized vocabulary used for supernatural forces. It documents worship of wakanda and its many manifestations—sun, moon, stars, winds, a thunder-being, and subterranean powers—and outlines common ritual forms such as dances, invocations, offerings, and fasting. Close attention is paid to sacred objects and fetishes, personal and tribal mystery decorations on tents and robes, and the organization and duties of shamans. The work also treats taboos, sorcery and jugglery, death customs, and beliefs about a future life, supported by ethnographic notes and illustrative plates.

About the Author

James Owen Dorsey

James Owen Dorsey was an American ethnologist and linguist known for his extensive work on Native American cultures, particularly those of the Siouan language family. He served as a key figure in the Bureau of Ethnology, where he contributed to the understanding of indigenous traditions and languages through detailed reports and studies. His notable works include "A Study of Siouan Cults," which explores the religious practices of the Siouan tribes, and "Omaha Dwellings, Furniture and Implements," which provides insights into the material culture of the Omaha people. Dorsey's research has been instrumental in preserving the knowledge of Native American heritage.