Rating: 
Summary: Valuable Biographical and Historical Document
Review: Black Elk of the Ogallala Sioux (or Lakota, their real name) led quite an important life among his people. He was present at Custer's Last Stand and the Wounded Knee Massacre, and even toured Europe with Buffalo Bill. John G. Neihardt has given us this very important life story as told by Black Elk himself. The saga of Black Elk and his people during their final years of freedom is very important from a biographical and historical standpoint. Contrary to popular opinion, this book is not really a treatise on Native American religion, as it is only Black Elk's personal story, though there is much valuable material on spirituality as he saw it. His many messianic visions are described in great detail. These would be looked on by Westerners as fever-induced dreams, but they still had great significance in Black Elk's life and the fate of his people. Also interesting are his tales of working as a medicine man and curing sick people. Instead of dismissing such tales, we should look on them as great examples of the power of positive thinking, not to mention homeopathic remedies. There has always been some concern about how much Neihardt altered the story to fit Western writing methods, with possible losses to Black Elk's true narrative. But one of the great modern Native American activists, Vine Deloria, gives his endorsement in the new introduction. While not quite the compendium of spiritual knowledge that many people think it is, this is still an extremely valuable and enlightening life story of a man who has much to teach us.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Primary Source
Review: Black Elk's account of the life of the plains indians at the close of the 19th Century is an excellent first hand account of how the United States forced change on the Native Americans and how they struggled to find a way to save their culture in the face of such a radically different and sometimes violent opposing philosophy. Through out the story, Black Elk indicates a level of sadness at being forced into violent confrontation and forced moves around the upper midwest and into Canada. As he puts it in, all they wanted to do was to live in the land that was theirs and it was no longer theirs. His accounts of how the United States routinely violated treaties that were forced on the Native Americans is also a source of the sadness that pervades his account.In addition to providing a great accounting of the injustices that were committed by the United States, Black Elk also gives an excellent insiders view to the culture of the Lakota. The use of visions, sweatlodges, and dances as a way of promoting their nations is recounted in great detail and provides real insight into how this tribe lived prior to being forced onto a reservation. The writing of Black Elk speaks is also well done. It is not dumbed down, but at the same time, it was not written over the head of the average reader. There are some instances where going to the appendix to find a good meaning for some of the native words included in the text is helpful, but this is not in the least bit distracting to the readers. If you are looking for an excellent first hand account of the close of the 19th century and the US treatment of Native Americans, look no further than this.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I first came across this book from a required reading list for an anthropology class in college. What an excellent book. Very historical, very interesting. I re-read it every few years. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, but most of all, it will give you understanding in the plight of the Native American
people during a regretful era in America's history.
Rating:
Summary: Black Elk Speaks
Review: I have to say that Black Elk Speaks is one of the most fascinating books that I've read in a while. It has given me a better understanding of the Lakota people, in particular the significance of visions. The whole process of "civilizing" the American West was a dubious undertaking, the illegitimacy of which has, unfortunately, become distorted by rhetoric and romanticism. This illegitimacy is something that America has naturally been reluctant to face, and it something that will likely never be rectified. Sad really, as what happened to the Lakota, among many others, contradicts quite blatantly the nobel principles that America has, since it's creation, claimed to stand for. Black Elk's story has heightened my understanding of the injustices that the Lakota and other Indians faced. It is an excellent source for those who want a more balanced and truthful account of what happened during c. 1870 to 1890 on the American frontier.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I loved this. But I am fascinated with the Native American struggle, so this was just what I was looking for. The struggle, the ritual, the honor involved with the people of that day - it makes me respect the culture so much. I feel horrible about the way they are/have been treated. Even though the story is many years old, unfortunatly it still applies.
Rating:
Summary: To Gift To " The People"
Review: Most people recognize Black Elk's name if not his legend. From the time he was a small child he had the ability to hear and follow Tankashilah. Elder's of the Lakota people saw it in him and knew he would follow the path. As a child he was raised knowing all the ways, traditions and cultures of the Lakota. He also experienced that life being torn apart: every battle, every torture, every mutilation. All that was Sacred; gone. The People; gone.
After traveling with Buffalo Bill, in Europe, he returned and worked to heal the Lakota. To repair the Sacred Hoop, heal The Tree of Life, these were his goals. He never felt that he suceeded.
In the end, Black Elk dictated this book with the help of relatives who translated, the author, and members of his family. It was Black Elk's last and perhaps greatest gift to the extented family, All The People: The Red, The Yellow, The Black, The White.
If you want to understand the traditions this is a starting point. A must have. It's well written, clear and profound. And, if you've read it well, don't be suprised if it should prove life changing.
Rating:
Summary: We should pay attention to Black Elk's vision and wisdom
Review: My gut feeling is that at the height of our folly we have been killing the goose that lays the golden egg - in this case killing off those with the vision and wisdom to get us out of our present predicament. Solomon, when given the opportunity to choose anything he wanted, asked for wisdom - wisdom alone. But with that gift he became the wealthiest man of his era and everything else was given to him. We also lack vision and Proverbs tells us that a nation without vision shall perish. Today our shortcoming is that we lack vision and wisdom and what is more we are so ignorant that we don't even suspect that we lack vision and wisdom. And in that ignorance and the greed, arrogance and contempt that it generates we have almost destroyed the last remaining semblance of a people who had the vision and wisdom that the wise would have traveled the earth to receive. Fortunately, we have this book and through these most wonderful writings the wise of today can tap into the vision and wisdom. Humans have two natures - the materialistic and the spiritual. In the west today our materialistic side has grown big and bloated while our spiritual side has shrunk to an almost imperceptible size through non-use. Black Elk was a person where the materialistic and the spiritual were in balance. We, too, can regain that balance if we are willing to listen to Black Elk. As the back cover tells us this book was named one of the ten best spiritual books of the 20th century, I am not alone in thinking that this is a good book to read, study, absorb and implement - but only if we are wise enough to understand that, of course. Black Elk had visions of the unity of humanity and the author tells us of his first visit in August 1930: "It was not of worldly matters that he spoke most, but of things he deemed holy and of 'the darkness of men's eyes'" and that "from early youth he had lived in and for a world of higher values than those of food and shelter, and his years had been one long, passionate devotion to those values as he conceived them" and that Black Elk had said "As I sit here, I can feel in this man beside me a strong desire to know the things of the Other World. He has been sent to learn what I know, and I will teach him." At this point I could not help but think that the author and Black Elk were both exceptional people. How is it that a near-blind man could feel the author's goodness radiating out? Having arrived at noon and with the sun now setting, Black Elk said: "There is so much to teach you. What I know was given to me for men and it is true and beautiful. Soon I shall be under the grass and it will be lost. You were sent to save it, and you must come back so that I can teach you." Neilhard returned the following spring and listened to the old man talk because he wanted this great vision to be saved for you and me. The author then faced the difficult task - and the sacred obligation - to re-create for us in mood and manner the old man's narrative. Stephen Covey tells us to imagine that I have just died and people are gathered together to talk about me, reflect on my life and provide ideas of what might be written on my tombstone. What, in a few words, would do I want a visitor 100 years from now, to know about me? I think that I would be content if my gravestone said: "Here lies a man who lived the vision and wisdom of Black Elk in his every thought, word and deed."
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing and Touching Book
Review: Read the soothing words of Black Elk. They are worth your while.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: This chilling-tale riddled with metaphors was something I could hardly put down. It's classic mythology at it's best, combining stories of a tribe with the true myths of the Native American's backgroud. This is definatley a worth-while read for anyone who has an english background; or even those who are interested in another culture.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding
Review: This is a book that every person will obtain something of important value in their life from reading. It is my thought that every person who is a religious leader of any faith should consider it required reading.
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