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(Black Elk) Brown, Joseph Epes (Editor) SACRED PIPE. BLACK ELK'S ACCOUNT OF THE SEVEN RITES OF THE OGLALA SIOUX. Norman, OK University of Oklahoma Press 1953

First Edition. Photographs throughout. 8vo, original publisher's terra cotta cloth, lettered in silver on the upper cover and spine and decorated in blind, in the original printed and illustrated dustjacket. xx, 144. A very fine copy in like dustjacket only lightly mellowed on the spine panel.

Brown lived with Black Elk during eight winter months of 1947-1948, during which time he recorded daily what Black Elk taught him about the rites and traditions of the Oglala Sioux. It is proposed by Brown, that in this book lies the matter to understand that which formed the center and very life of a great people.
Black Elk possessed a spiritual power which was unique and recognized by all who came into contact with him. He had been born in the 1860's and so knew, experienced and suffered the great events of his time and people. He was related to Crazy Horse and knew Sitting Bull, Red Cloud and American Horse. During his youth he had been instructed in the sacred lore of his people by great priests and learned from the sage Elk Head, the entire history of his ancient religion. Through his praying and fasting, he became one of the wise men, receiving many visions and a unique spiritual power.
Most of the material in the book was until Brown related it, very closely guarded by the Indians, too sacred to be told indiscriminately. The elders, in allowing the information to be given out, felt that a cycle was ending and that disorder and chaos was present as men fell away from the great truths and traditions so that the information and knowledge should be given out to encourage a betterment of man's predicament and universal experience.
First editions of THE SACRED PIPE and BLACK ELK SPEAKS are both especially elusive.

$US495

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