The Ghost Dance

The Ghost Dance was a spiritual movement among Native American tribes in the late 19th century, believing that performing the dance would bring peace, restore their lands, and remove colonization and suffering. It combined elements of Native traditions with new ideas, emphasizing hope and unity. Many believed it would hasten the return of ancestors and the disappearance of settlers. The movement grew rapidly, but fears and misunderstandings by the U.S. government led to conflict, culminating in the tragic Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. The Ghost Dance remains a symbol of Native resilience and spiritual resistance.