Ep 8. Ghost Dance

In Ken Burns' The West Season 1 Episode 8 titled "Ghost Dance," viewers are taken on a journey to explore the rise of the Ghost Dance movement, the events that led to the Wounded Knee massacre, and the final days of the Wild West.

The episode begins with a brief recap of the conditions present during the late 1800s on the Great Plains. The Native American tribes who had previously roamed freely across the land are now confined to reservations, and their way of life has been forever changed by the arrival of white settlers, the loss of buffalo herds, and the implementation of government policies that sought to "civilize" them.

Against this backdrop, a new religious movement emerges among the tribes, known as the Ghost Dance. Founded by Wovoka, a Paiute Indian living in Nevada, the Ghost Dance teaches that a time will come when the dead will return, and the buffalo herds will be restored. The movement quickly spreads among various tribes, offering hope in a time of despair.

However, white settlers and the US government view the Ghost Dance as a threat. They fear that the movement will lead to a new uprising among the tribes, and they begin to take aggressive measures to suppress it. Even some tribal leaders who initially embraced the Ghost Dance reluctantly decide to put an end to it, in hopes of preventing a violent conflict.

As tensions continue to escalate, events come to a head at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, where US troops confront a group of Sioux Indians who are performing the Ghost Dance. A single shot is fired, igniting a massacre that leaves hundreds dead, including women and children. The episode offers a powerful retelling of this tragic event, including testimony from descendants of those who were present.

In the aftermath of the massacre, the Wild West comes to a close. Many Native American tribes are forced to abandon their traditional way of life and assimilate into a society that doesn't fully understand or accept them. Meanwhile, the frontier becomes increasingly settled, with towns and cities popping up across the plains.

In a moving conclusion, the episode features interviews with descendants of Native American leaders, who reflect on the legacy of what happened at Wounded Knee and the ongoing struggle for justice and reconciliation.

Overall, Ken Burns' The West Season 1 Episode 8 is a stirring and thought-provoking exploration of a pivotal moment in American history. It offers a nuanced and compassionate look at the experiences of Native American tribes in the late 1800s, and challenges viewers to confront the ongoing legacies of colonialism and violence in the United States.