Plains Indians beliefs

Wakan Tanka

Sioux nation god

Beliefs about nature

Believed in mother nature and that they couldn’t own or control nature. They had medicine men who they believed could contact the spirits of nature

Even believed in ghost shirts which they believed stopped bullets

Belief of land

Sacred (black hills for the Sioux). Land could not be owned land should be shared.

Attitudes to war

Tribes would raid each other but calculated when to attack only attack when things are in their favour. Hit and Run attack get away quickly. Only some warrior brotherhoods attacked to ensure the survival of the tribe

Counting coup try to hit their enemy with a stick to show their bravery

Scalping- prevent their enemy from going into the happy hunting ground

Horses

Made life easier for the tribe

-transfer goods

-allowed more movement

• supported nomadic lifestyle

• Showed a tribes wealth

Buffalo

Plains Indians followed the Buffalo

• used hide and skin to make clothes, tipis

• Used the skull in rituals used the bones for weapons

• used tongue for a hair brush

• Left he heart as a thank you for the spirits sending the buffalo

Buffalo dance

Dance before a hunt to ensure they have a successful hunt

Men

* Did the hunting

Women

* Dried buffalo hides