Native Spirit

"Native Spirit: The Sun Dance Way" is the story of the remarkable preservation of an ancient cultural and spiritual way of life. In the book, American Indian tribal elders and spiritual leaders tell of the struggle to preserve the way of their Grandfathers in the face of a government bent on their destruction. There are special features on traditional Indian practices, tribal life and advice by prominent elders to those seeking a balance between the modern world and the world of the spirit. Also included is a biography of Thomas Yellowtail, a revered Sun Dance chief of the Crow tribe for over 30 years, who was raised by pre-reservation Indians. With over 100 colour and sepia photographs from as early as 1903, this documentary reveals the symbolism and mystical beauty of the ancient Sun Dance ceremony, which still remains at the centre of the spiritual life of many Plains Indians today.