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History of the Mandan Indian Tribe Essay

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The Mandan are an indigenous tribe native to North America. The Mandan’s are known for being one of the earliest tribes to live on the great plains of the Midwest. Unlike other plains Indians the Mandan were a settled tribe who lived along the Big Bend of the Missouri River in what is now called North Dakota. While most tribes that lived in the plains were hunter/gatherers who lived a nomadic lifestyle following their food, the Mandan were planters living mostly off their crops. Warriors left once a year in hunting groups to go out into the plains in search for Buffalo, which was not only their major meat source, but was also used for clothing and shelter as well.
Although the Mandan may differ from other Plains Indians in the fact that …show more content…

One day while digging, they dug to far down and cut the shell of the tortoise causing it to start sinking. Water started to rise up through the crack in the shell and drowned everyone. Only one man survived and that man is called Lone Man or Only Man. During the Okipa ceremony they honor Lone Man to keep the Great Spirit from bringing another great flood to earth.
The translation of the Bel-lohck-na-pic means, the Bull Dance. Every day during the four-day ceremony appointed dancers come together in the middle of the village to dance and sing in prayer to the Great Spirit in hopes he will bless then with a plentiful supply of buffalo in the coming year.
In addition the ceremony is also a milestone in the lives of many young men in the tribe. Each year the boys who have reached the age of manhood voluntarily subject their bodies to four days of fasting, abstinence, and torture as part of preparation to become warriors and respected men within their tribe. The men considered the bravest in the community have subjected themselves to the torturous process many times. Some sources say the ceremony can last for up to eight days, however, the majority of scholarly sources maintain that it is a four-day event and the information used within this paper will reflect the four-day ceremony. George Catlin the painter mentioned above was the first and one of only a few white men allowed to ever witness

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