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Show Religion 65 participate on the basis of a vision telling him to dance. In spite of the Christian elements, which may derive from the proselytizing of the Wood River Shoshone around 1890 or later from the influence of the Native American Church, the Sun Dance easily seemed a continuation of earlier ceremonials. Today the Sun Dance has become a binding factor among all the Utes who have remained culturally Indian. Those who tend toward the white man's culture do not participate. It is the symbol of the native culture which has practically disappeared ancfjall of the frustrations inherent in acculturation are shown through it. Like most revivals, the Sun Dance is an attempt to recapture a culture through a supernatural medium after realistic direct methods of retaining that culture have failed. Like the Sun Dance, the peyote cult was introduced to the Utes around 1890. Organized as the Native American Church, it is a pan-Indian, semi-Christian movement. The purpose of the ritual peyote meetings is to cure individual illness through the power of peyote and prayer. Just how the Native American Church reached the Utes is uncertain, but it corresponds to the Plains prototypes. The ideology fits the Christian-like pattern observed by Kroeber among the Arapaho. Opler reported that among the Northern Utes "Jesus" and "Jesus Save Me" occurred in several songs; prayers were addressed to Jesus, God, and Mary, and "peyote," "brotherly love," "chastity," "love," and "faith" were English words in Ute prayers. All mankind were included in their prayers, but local members, especially the sick, were particularly blessed. Although the members of the peyote cult rarely participated in the Sun Dance, peyotism has also become a rallying point for Utes trying to preserve their culture. Peyotism is practiced mainly by full-bloods, and is generally believed to be a principal mechanism for fighting disease on the reservation. The modern day Utes have changed as the missionaries have come and worked among them. The largest faith is Catholic and the Protestants are next. Many of the Utes still believe in the old way of Indian religion. It was told that the Utes' religion will continue but will be held in trust to those that have been chosen to continue it. The Utes believe that Indian religion is sacred to them and should not be given out. They will tell you only what they want you to know and this feeling should be honored by all. |
