The Sweat Lodge on the Little Bighorn

Oil on Barnwood
20.75″ x 16″
$1300
Contact to Purchase

The Crow Reservation
A sweat lodge is used to this day for medicinal and spiritual purposes, rather a re-birth or purification ceremony.  The lodge is made of twelve hides with the floor covered in sweet sage.  The owner of the lodge invites those he wishes.  The right to pour water is an honor earned and given by a relative or bought. Between the rocks and the fire pit is a symbolic umbilical cord which is not to be crossed.  Using a pitchfork the owner transports the rocks inside, and when placed in the lodge the pourer closes the door and pours water on top of the stones to fill the lodge with steam.  The owner offers bear root to the rocks with short prayers.  The guests, nude and seated, smudge themselves with the smoke and switch themselves with sticks. They stay within the sweat lodge until they feel cleansed.  Then they exit and drink water, usually from a creek, to cool themselves,  before returning to repeat the ceremony.  This they do four times. After the men have been rejuvenated, it is the women’s turn.