A cultural and community process.

We have been told by the white men . . . That God sent to men His Son . . . And we have been told that Jesus the Christ was crucified, but that He shall come again at the last judgment . . . This 1 understand and know that it is true, but the white man should know that for the red people, too, it was the will of Wakan-Tanka, the Great Spirit . . . To bring the most holy pipe to His people. — Black Elk The purpose of the traditions of American Indian people is to affirm life, harmony, dignity, and the place of the individual within the circle of life. War and its consequences take away from that harmony. To regain the wholeness of the person, native people developed specific traditions, practices, and processes. Examples of such practices include the Navajo enemy way, the Sun Dance, the pipe, veterans' dances, and the sweat lodge. However, it should be noted that none of these practices were universal among all tribes and that they only were done under the direction of a trained native practitioner within the sanctions of the community. If one is to look at the cultures of Indian people across time, it can be seen that most, if not all, groups had rites of passage from one phase of life to another. In some traditions, the umbilical cord and placenta is buried, which ties the person to their land. This also implies a responsibility for the land and the people of that land. The acculturation process was done by the community so that each person could assume a functional role within their family, community, and tribe. Each group had healers that provided medical care, spiritual guidance, and leadership for their people. It was assumed that every individual had some type of healing ability, but the medicine people were those who were recognized by their tribe as having special abilities, dedication, and humility. It took years of training and a total commitment to this way of life to become a healer. These people were treated with respect and reverence. As signs of this, gifts were given to the medicine person. No one within the group would assume to take on the role of the healer or