A Common Man (Ikce Wicasa) Modern Lakota Spirituality and Practice: Words and Wisdom from Sidney Keith and Melvin Miner

Using interviews and personal experience, A Common Man introduces the reader to two unique men. A Common Man explores Lakota Sioux Spirituality and Religion in their own words and experiences. Sidney Keith was a Lakota Spiritual Leader and Holy Man for twenty seven years. He brought the sacred Sun Dance back to the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota where it had been illegal to practice their own religion. Melvin Miner was also a respected civic leader of the Lakota Sioux. In his journey through life he was an artist, a Sun Dancer and follower of the Sacred Pipe. Spiritually our Lakota culture is not dead, it still goes on. This is a gift that we were given as a people and a gift that Sidney Keith was given. Sidney reached a lot of people, hundreds maybe thousands of people throughout his life. By creating this book and describing some of the events that took place, our religion can be shared with people who are interested in learning more about our culture. Some of these stories are what some of the people would call miracles; we just call them spiritual happenings. Through Sidney’s twenty seven years as a spiritual leader helping people, he has made a big difference and can be used as an example as a teacher to our people, to other tribes and to other nations.-Melvin Miner Before the Calf Pipe Woman, the Indians, they lived right. There was no alcohol. There were no bars. They knew that something made them and they looked at everything and said, “Somebody made all this around us. The animals, how come they got four legs? How come they got horns and we don’t?” They figured it out that there was something more powerful than they were that did all this. So they prayed to Him, and the first Sun Dance was originated.- Sidney Keith