Friday, August 14, 2009

In what ways did meeting the Crow change the Kiowas' way of life?

When one speaks about the Crow, one is speaking about the second part of the Kiowa creation myth, imperative to the Kiowa religion. The Kiowa creation myth actually has two parts: one about "Boy Medicine," otherwise known as the Talyi-da-i bundles, and one about the sacred Tai-me bundle. The wisdom of the Crow has to do with the way the Tai-me bundle became sacred.


The Crow can be considered a minor character in the Kiowa creation myth. The Crow comes as a messenger in order for the Kiowa to learn about the importance of the Sun. The Kiowa tribe learns quickly, and befriends a strange and wild creature named Tai-me which becomes the main focus of their Sun Dance. In fact, Tai-me is often considered the "god of the Sun Dance." Even though Tai-me flew back to the Sun, Tai-me remains with the Kiowa in the form of a stone statue that is kept in a bundle all year. This special statue is revealed only on one day a year: the day of the Sun Dance. On this day, the statue of Tai-me is suspended from a pole in the Sun Dance lodge for the people to worship. 


In conclusion, meeting the Crow changed the Kiowa way of life by teaching the tribe to worship the Sun, providing the tribe with a sacred object (the statue) for veneration, and suggesting a special form of worship: the Sun Dance.

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