Angela Varga: The Sun-Dance and Wilderness

In my religious studies class we talked about indigenous religions. We talked about Plains Indians and vision quests and in particular the Sun Dance. We discussed how it brought different tribes together and how it was a celebration of the Summer Solstice. In an article my professor asked us to read titled "The Sun-Dance Way of Self-Sacrifice" the author writes about suffering and how it helps a dancer push their spirit beyond its limits. In our class we talked about Turner and how weariness of the body helps remove the self from the securities it’s used to in order to help liberate the spirit. During the Sun Dance the dancers are no longer trapped by their creature comforts because they are taken out of society and are able to open themselves up to their spiritual quest.