Sun Dance In Chile: Development From Within

Thomas Kanatakeniate Cook, Lead Male Sun Dancer and Executive Director of our organization, speaks on his experience leading a Sun Dance with the Mapuche people in Chile.

“We went to help them pray; our mission is to help the people, all people and the natural world.”

In February Milo Yellow Hair, I, and two fellow Mohawks traveled to Chile to lead a Sun Dance south of Santiago, in the Mapuche country. Core families associated with the Raices de la Tierra organization had participated in our Black Hills Sun Dance for 11 years whereupon they sponsored their own ceremony. Modeled after ours in the Black Hills, we were honored to lead the 61 dancers through four hot days. We had Bernadino in front, a Mapuche ceremonial man who intoned the spirits of his country each day with his drum and instruments to give attention. Thirty of his people sang with him.

The dancers, most of whom have native lineage, performed to exhaustion. They gave all they had to the Great Mystery.  All 36 men made their deepest prayers while attached to the tree. Most of the 25 women wore feathers pierced onto their arms. The enlivening drum, powerful singing, and engaged dancers created energy reverberating through all in attendance and reaching even the outer limits of the Universe.

For the Tiospaye, this is development from within. We went to help them pray; our mission is to help the people, all people and the natural world. 

The main prayers of Sun Dance often work and sometimes they don’t. We intoned for world peace with all our might; but the war in eastern Europe started four days after the ceremony.

Nor was the Sun Dance profitable. They donated $500 to each of us on our way out, but the first message I got arriving home was “Your truck’s ready at the shop for $497.”