Anthropos: Anthropos, 92.1997,1/3

Anthropos, 92.1997,1/3

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Werks-URN (URL):: https://digi.evifa.de/viewer/resolver?urn=urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-714820

URN:: urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-714820

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Titel:: Anthropos

Erscheinungsort:: Fribourg

Verlag:: Ed. St. Paul

Erscheinungsjahr:: 1906

Lizenz:: Rechte vorbehalten - Freier Zugang

Sammlung:: Zeitschriften und Zeitungen > Zeitschriften zur Ethnologie

Wissensgebiet:: Sozial- und Kulturanthropologie > Allgemeines

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Werks-URN (URL):: https://digi.evifa.de/viewer/resolver?urn=urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-711886

URN:: urn:nbn:de:kobv:11-711886

Persistenter Identifier:: 1513768301723

Titel:: Anthropos, 92.1997,1/3

Erscheinungsjahr:: 1997

Signatur:: LA 1118

Sammlung:: Zeitschriften und Zeitungen > Zeitschriften zur Ethnologie

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Strukturtyp:: Zeitschriftenheft

Titel:: Bd. 92, 1997, Heft 1-3

Sammlung:: Zeitschriften und Zeitungen > Zeitschriften zur Ethnologie

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Strukturtyp:: Zeitschriftenartikel

Titel:: A Hermeneutic Exposition of a Plains Healer's Concept of "The Grandfathers"

Sonstige Person:: Young, David E.; Pompana, Clifford; Spitzer, Denise; Candler, Craig

Sammlung:: Zeitschriften und Zeitungen > Zeitschriften zur Ethnologie

American hunting imuuuo, .. ican indigenous people as a homogeneous whole. At the other extreme are ethnographic accounts which explore the meaning of specific Native terms without much attempt to relate them to each other within the context of the overall cosmolog ical system. Nevertheless, there are some useful insights in the published literature concerning ab original conceptions of the Grandfathers. 2 We are primarily interested in the literature pertaining to the Plains Indians as this is Pompana’s “culture area.” But the following discussion includes refer- -oi nature as well. • '6 have not received as much attention as they de- through a vision ' serve. What information exists is scattered through for any kind of’ ^ S ° Ugllt after ’ and is necessary various texts, many of which address all North physical enviro SUCCeSS ‘ The ^ are evident in the American hunting nations, if not all North Amer- is a part of the^ 611 ^? ever y thin 8 represents and «1* as a homogeneous whole. Grandfathers ar randfathers (Walker 1980). The atively involved 6 in lmked with ’ and cre ‘ world, as made evident through .he™'“ 8 ° f nature (Black Elk and Lyon if9, Pr ° CeSSeS ship aniong Spirits T™* ° f the reIation ‘ as the Sioux rorlf • • Soi ^ e types of s P irits such 1992) are considered^ ( ^ alker 1980; Stolzman most other spirits u ^ m ° re P owerful than the Plains Indians a& x its. It is not clea ' f as P^ ant °r animal spir- area.” But the following discussion includes refer- spirits are consid I? ^ literature whether all enees of a more general nature as well. such as p ow ^ q 7 ^ randfathers . Some scholars The range of beings that have been classified as suggested that th 1 75 and Mails G979 ) have Grandfather spirits is enormous. In the literature, distinguished fr^ k powerful spirits should be the Grandfathers have been portrayed differently The issue of Grandfathers. depending as much upon the prevalent attitudes of power among the c h? there are difference s in the academic community and individual anthro- tentious issue A Ura ? dfather spirits is itself a con- pologists as upon the nature of the available infor- the Dakota grounThr 8 l ° a ma J orit y of writers, mation. Generally, anthropologists have reported ings of four?makinl " ndfathers int0 four §™up- that one Grandfather is accorded to each species mutually linked? f 1 f Slxteen individual and of animal or plant, while other Grandfathers are 1953; Powers \llsu a (Neihardt 1988; Alexander associated with elemental forces such as wind or whether this f 1 1987 ^‘ li is not always clear fire, or with other objects or human conditions chy of power arran gement implies a hierar- (Underhill 1965; Landes 1968; Young et al. 1990). it should b Some of the earlier anthropological works por- some traditions 6 that the Godfathers in trayed these entities either as primal beast gods that and negative cm IV asSoclated with both positive owned the animals and controlled the resources 1990- Stolzma IQcT (Walker 198 °; Young et al. with which they were associated (Powell 1877; positive qualiti^s^? 92k y hether the negative and - 'oam or as guardian spirits that pro- entity (as illustr.t!?? 1 L. aspects of the same tomé among the Dakota^ 6 tnckster character De forces is not always d?ar 0r h S ? Parate and ° PP ° site -r hut it is from the dual 1 1 - with which they were aaovv.v,. v Underhill 1965) or as guardian spirits that pro tected and helped humans (Benedict 1964). These beings wielded great powers which they could torces is not alwav bestow upon favored individuals. They were not nature of the G HP*’ bUt d is from the duai restricted to a specific form, and often appeared in and malevolent randtathers th at both benevolent visions to communicate with humans. They were a ;„ + _ P °^ ers aiase - tangible entities, but were never confused with ’ " - L: -w the living representatives of the species (Underhill 1965). As interpreted by an early scholar in the field, “It is not the animals of today whom they worship, but the dead animals - the ancient ani mals - the progenitors or prototypes of the present” -• " 0 1 n\ Anrvtk • 1 ^ uv,V/li ’ mi iav tween the Grandfath? 1S the relationshi P be ‘ a -preme ^ Great Spint ’ universe. This ultimo t ;. ultlmat e nature of the Tanka” among the D t^ lty ls known as “Wakan worship, dui me ^ dispute, at least in Kota - There seems to be some mais - the progenitors or prototypes of the present” the possibility nf?J e§ards t0 some groups, as to (Powell 1877: 10) Christian rntroduc^n T** ^ a P““»ntact These early anthropological impressions touch the concept is hooper 1934). Either way, on some very important ideas in the conception of traditions A r 0 ° W &n inte § ral part of various —- a. .hev are Dowerful beings, cult to define nrerlf Wakan T anka is diffi- • precisely because of the ultimateh on some very important iul,<vo ... Grandfather spirits. As they are powerful beings, it is useful, even necessary, to be allied with them in some way. Their favor, often communicated 2 The term “Grandfathers” is not gender specific. It includes concepts such as “Mother Earth” which are female. In fact, we considered using the term “Grandparents” but our informants found the term somewhat awkward. traditions, a concept like Wakan Tanka is ditn- cult to define, precisely because of the ultimately incomprehensible nature of the Great Mystery the concept alludes to (Stolzman 1992). According to most accounts (Mails 1979; Walker 1980) this great, mysterious power is the omnipresent, under lying nature of all things, unlimited by a face or a form. For some Dakota, the sixteen Grandfathers, or

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