In the book Black Elk Speaks, Black Elk is successful in using his visions to aid his people in their everyday lives, and to regain their traditional ways of life. He is successful in doing this by taking the initiative to help the boy, who was ill, implementing the dance for his people and towards the ending his people have something to fight for when struggling for survival of their own land. The visions that Black Elk had proved to be relevant to their survival and helps his people believe in something new.

The first obstacle Black Elk faces is the little boy who was sick and need aid quickly. Black Elk is still in thought about this four-rayed herb that he sees twice- the first time in his great vision and the second time was when he is lamenting on the hill. He sets out to find this herb with a couple of friends. To find this sacred herb he sings a song that he heard in his great vision, “In a sacred manner they are sending voices. (p.152)” After singing this song he looks at a certain spot where crows, chicken hawks and spotted eagles are circling which leads him to think the circling of these birds is a sign of where the herb is. He arrives at the cree

After performing all of what Black Elk sees in his visions builds a new and strong base for the Native Indians. Having these visions become justified and further understanding of these visions has a significant impact on these people and their new hope. The more a culture believes in something the stronger they become as one and the harder they will fight to keep their faith alive. Black Elk took the leadership role and helped his people by proving to them that their culture is worth fighting for by proving and teaching his people his visions. With his great vision he was able to discover a special herb that cured a young boy. By paying close attention to his vision he discovers the herb on time and performs the curing ceremony precisely as he sees it in his vision. He shares and teaches his people a ceremony or dance to rejuvenate their energy and optimism towards life and the future.

When the Wasichu’s had taken over the Native Americans land, the culture fell into a hopeless depression. They felt sorrow and emptiness due to their freedom being at risk. Black Elk uses the Heyoka ceremony to rejuvenate his people. The ceremony seems to be a dance to keep things in balance because Black Elk states that, “When people are already in despair, maybe laughing face is better for them; and when they feel too good and are to sure of being safe, maybe weeping face is better for them to see. (p.145)” The ceremony finally starts and thirty heyokas are doing foolish tricks for laughter and doing funny acts to make

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