Native Peoples of North America Season 1 Episode 17 The Ghost Dance and the Peyote Road

The Ghost Dance and the Peyote Road is the 17th episode of the first season of Native Peoples of North America. This episode explores two significant religious movements in Native American history: the Ghost Dance and the Peyote Road.

The Ghost Dance was a religious movement that originated in the late 1800s and was embraced by many Native American communities across the West, from the Great Plains to the Pacific Northwest. The Ghost Dance was a messianic movement that promised the restoration of traditional ways of life, the return of the buffalo, and the expulsion of white settlers from Native American lands. The movement was seen by the U.S. government as a threat, and in 1890, the Ghost Dance was banned on the Standing Rock Reservation in what is now North Dakota. This led to the Wounded Knee Massacre, in which more than 200 Lakota Sioux men, women, and children were killed by U.S. troops.

The Peyote Road, on the other hand, is a religious movement that began in the late 19th century and is still practiced today by many Native American communities, particularly in the Southwest. The Peyote Road is centered around the use of peyote, a cactus that contains the psychoactive compound mescaline. Peyote is considered a sacred plant and is used in communal ceremonies called peyote meetings. These ceremonies often involve singing, praying, and the sharing of peyote.

The episode explores the history and significance of both the Ghost Dance and the Peyote Road through interviews with Native American scholars, historians, and religious leaders. Viewers will learn about the cultural and historical context in which these movements emerged, as well as the impacts they have had on Native American communities.

The Ghost Dance and the Peyote Road also delves into the ongoing struggles of Native American communities to preserve their religious traditions in the face of continued colonization and oppression. The episode highlights the efforts of Native American activists and leaders to protect and promote their religious practices, including legal battles to protect the use of peyote in religious ceremonies.

Overall, The Ghost Dance and the Peyote Road offers a fascinating and enlightening exploration of two crucial religious movements in Native American history and their ongoing significance today.