In the late 1880's a Northern Paiute man named Wovoka made some prophecies regarding the dawning of new hope for the Native American peoples. Tavibo, whom many believed was Wovoka's father, made similar prophecies when Wovoka was a child. Tavibo died when Wovoka was only 14, but in later years Wovoka saw in his own visions the same spiritual renewal of immortal life and salvation for his people. During a full eclipse on New Year's Day in 1889, Wovoka claimed to have had a vision and spoke with God. He said that God had given him a dance to take back to the people, a dance that would ensure their salvation and eternal life and make the white man vanish.

The ritual was to be done for five days and four nights. After dancing, the people were to bathe in a river. This, Wovoka instructed everyone, was to be done every six weeks and they were to have a feast ready for the people. Wovoka also told them that Jesus was at that time upon Earth and "Appears like a cloud". Since the dance was to bring about the resurrection of the dead ancestors and give eternal life to all tribal peoples it came to be known as the Ghost Dance. Although Wovoka never left his homeland of the Paiutes, the dance spread extremely fast to different nations of the west. It was a religious ritual that spread almost as fast as if today's media were involved. Because Wovoka would not travel to other lands, tribal delegations from nations around the country came to learn of the dance from him and take it back to their own peoples.

Each tribe, however, because of their different language, communication methods, cultures and beliefs, developed slightly differing interpretations and dance formations. Each tribe developed their own songs and dances to perform. It was the Lakota who created the now famous Ghost Dance shirt that is decorated beautifully with beads and other ornaments or paint.

The shirts, which were thought to be bullet-proof by the Peoples, were considered as sacred as the dance and were to be worn only for the Ghost Dance.

In just a short two years since Wovoka pronounced the prophesy and described the Dance, it had become a religious movement for salvation of the People, replenishment of the wildlife, the end of suffering and starvation, the renewal of Earth and the vanishing of the white man. To Wovoka, this was his own interpretation of the Revelations from the Bible. Wovoka urged a non-violent and peaceful attitude with the dance and warned not to let the "whites" know the purpose of the dance. Wovoka had the first dance performed in 1889 and instructed his people that it was to be done in a certain manner, reflecting the movements of the sun. It was to be a peaceful and uplifting dance of hope. The tribes developed their own ways to communicate with the dead during the ritualistic dancing, including hypnosis by some to help promote a trance-like state.

Although the Ghost Dance was to be a joyous and soul saving act of sacredness to the Native American tribes, it was seen by the U.S. Army as a militaristic threat and wild acts of unorganized frenzy. This was a new religious movement begun by a prophet and was to spread peace and hope for the Peoples. As with all religious movements, as the word spreads and more and more people get involved, the more excitement, enthusiasm and energy it generates. All this was misinterpreted by the U.S. Army as a sign of impending attack.

Sadly, in 1890, the performance caused fear in the U.S. Army who had surrounded the gathering of Peoples from near and far and ended in a senseless massacre of elders, men, women and even children at Wounded Knee. It was a cruel and shocking incident that destroyed the hopes and intent of the original prophecy. Wovoka vanished into obscurity and so did the Ghost Dance. It was not until the 1970's that the dance reappeared and is performed today at gatherings and powwows in a much more subdued manner.

Broken dreams and broken hearts were what was left of Wovoka's promise of hope and salvation. The Peoples were forced onto reservations and a different way of life. Gone were their lands, their homes, their way of life. Their heritage, memories and spirit, however, can never be broken or taken away from them. Their spirit survives.

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