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Show E. l Locations of Religious Ceremonies and Rituals There are a number of locations in areas of proposed development where important religious ceremonies and their rituals are now taking place or were performed in the past. These are areas that need to be avoided entirely or that require extreme care and consideration if any development is to move forward. E. 2.1 The Sun Dance A major part of the Utes ceremonial year is the Sun Dance. This dance, with minor variations, has been practiced by many American Indians living in the Plains and Rocky Mountain regions for more than a century ( Liberty 1980: 164). The Sun Dance was introduced among the Northern Utes between the 1880' s and 1890' s from the Shoshones at Wind River by a Uintah man named Grant Bullethead, " General Grant," who also became the first Ute Sun Dance chief ( Jorgensen 1972: 19; Smith 1974a: 208, 215; Conetah 1982: 131- 132). Although the Ute Sun Dance has been studied by scholars and interpreted from many different perspectives ( Opler 1941: 71; Jones 1955; Jorgensen 1972; Smith 1974a), it is essentially a ceremony of healing and spiritual renewal not only for those who dance but for the entire community which benefits from the pledges and sacrifices made by the dancers ( Jorgensen 1972: 7, 25). The Sun Dance is conducted by men who through spiritual guidance are directed to lead the ceremony. The Sun Dance chiefs select a committee including a gate keeper, fire tender, waterman, and lodge policemen to support them in making a dance, and they also encourage good singers to participate as well. The men who intend to dance consult with the Sun Dance chief and others who have danced previously to obtain instruction ( Jorgensen 1972: 178- 9). In addition to the direct participants, families and friends of the dancers play important supporting roles. Besides helping in the construction of the Sun Dance corral, they assist the dancers in specialized ways before and during the conduct of the ceremony Jorgensen 1972: 189- 194, 265; Smith 1974a: 174- 215). And finally, other Utes and even people from other tribes come to witness the dance and partake in its spirit of reconciliation and renewal ( Jones 1955: 239, 245, 251- 3; Jorgensen 1972: 5, 25, 265). Through the visiting and gifting that take place at the Sun Dance, bonds of kinship and friendship are renewed among the participants and those who assist them or simply witness the dance. In the 1950s, it was reported that even informal tribal and intertribal political meetings were held during the dance ( Jones 1955: 252- 3). This is not surprising given the overall sense of unity and goodwill that are believed to come from the 103 |
