Ghost Dance Movement

The Ghost Dance Movement was a spiritual revival among Native Americans in the late 19th century, particularly aimed at restoring their traditional way of life and restoring harmony with nature. Through a ceremonial dance, practitioners believed they could communicate with ancestors and invoke a divine power to bring back dead. Many tribes saw it as a way to resist and unite against harsh colonial policies and forced assimilations. The movement grew rapidly but was misunderstood by outsiders, culminating in the tragic Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890, which marked a significant and violent suppression of Native cultural expressions.