Western American Literature

D i s r u p t i n g a S t o r y o f L o s s : C h a r l e s E a s t m a n a n d N i c h o l a s B l a c k E l k N a r r a t e S u r v i v a n c e L i s a T a t o n e t t i O n N o v e m b e r 1 5 , 1 8 9 0 , P in e R id g e R e se r v a t io n I n d ia n A g e n t D a n ie l R o y e r w ir e d W a sh in g t o n : “T h e I n d ia n s a r e d a n c in g in t h e sn o w a n d a r e w ild a n d cr azy . . . . W e n e e d p r o t e c t io n , a n d w e n e e d it n o w ” ( C o le m a n 8 8 ) . R o y e r ’s st a t e m e n t r e p r e se n t s t h e fe a r s n o t ju st o f o n e m a n , b u t a w h o le n a t io n . I n d e e d , t h r o u g h o u t U .S . h ist o r y t h e p o lit ic s o f I n d ia n - w h it e r e la t io n s h a v e b e e n r e fle c t e d — a n d t o so m e d e g r e e M ar y Ir vin W r igh t. T H E G H O S T D A N C E — L A R G E C I R C L E . N a t io n a l A n t h r o p o lo gic al A r ch iv e s, Sm it h so n ia n In stitu tio n /n e g. # 3 7A .— A ll im ages acco m p an y in g th is essay are illu st r at io n s fr o m Ja m e s M o o n e y ’s T h e G h o st D an ce R eligion an d the Sio u x O u t b re ak o f 18 9 0 , or igin ally p u b lish e d as a Bu r eau o f E t h n o lo gy r ep or t in 1896. M o o n e y ’s w ork h as b e e n in flu en tial o n h ow th e G h o st D an ce o f 18 90 h as b e e n p er ceived , b u t an aly sis o f th e im ages in clu d e d in h is r ep or t illu str ates th e k in d s o f p r ob le m s Lisa T at o n e t t i d iscu sses. Fo r em ost, M o o n e y p h o t o gr ap h e d A r ap a h o , n o t Lak o ta , gh o st d an cer s, after 189 0. M o st o f th e b o o k ’s im ages are p ain tin gs b ase d o n p h ot ogr ap h s b u t p r...