So much has been written about the plains Indians that their ways are more familiar than those of the woods people. I guess almost everybody knows about the sun dance from books and movies. It had many variations. I shouldn’t really put it in the past tense, since the ceremony has now been reinstated. This dancer holds two handfuls of eagle feathers while he leans back against the cords fastened to sticks that have been inserted in knife-cuts in his chest. He may continue the dance for many hours until these tear through the flesh and release him. (JLP)

Sun Dance Painting

Sun Dance by John L. Peyton

#136, Oil, 18x14 original

So much has been written about the plains Indians that their ways are more familiar than those of the woods people. I guess almost everybody knows about the sun dance from books and movies. It had many variations. I shouldn’t really put it in the past tense, since the ceremony has now been reinstated. This dancer holds two handfuls of eagle feathers while he leans back against the cords fastened to sticks that have been inserted in knife-cuts in his chest. He may continue the dance for many hours until these tear through the flesh and release him. (JLP)

Sun Dance Painting

Sun Dance by John L. Peyton

#136, Oil, 18x14 original