Black Elk Speaks

Black Elk, a member of the Ogalala group of Lakota Native Americans, directly addresses Neihardt. Though Neihardt is the ostensible author of Black Elk Speaks, the book is presented as a direct transcript of Black Elk’s speech. Black Elk promises to tell Neihardt the “story of my life,” though he clarifies that he believes his life story is only worth telling insofar as it sheds light on the story of all creatures (1). Before commencing, Black Elk invites Neihardt to smoke a sacred pipe with him, so as to receive a blessing from the spirits. Black Elk describes how the pipe’s design symbolizes Lakota spiritual beliefs, with four differently colored ribbons representing the “four quarters of the universe” and their respective spirits (2). Black Elk also tells the story of the origin of the pipe, which involves two men encountering a beautiful woman in the forest. Though one of the men approaches the woman, she reveals herself to be a spirit and kills the “foolish man” (3). As the other man did not approach the woman, she goes with the man to his tribe and presents the tribe with the sacred pipe.