Gender Roles In Oglala Women's Culture

We have always learned about the history and it always has to do with men. The role they had and what they contribute to society. However, this is not only a man’s world but also a woman’s. Furthermore, gender and diversity of world's religion is projected in the book assign Oglala Women Myth, Ritual and Reality by Marla N. Powers. The book is based on the life of women from a Lakota tribe and what their gender role contribute to the tribe and to their families.

The most interesting chapter of the book was the old age, chapter 6. In this chapter, it focuses on the roles of a grandmother and of medicine women. I would extend my knowledge on this chapter and focus on the particular roles they had to accomplish and what was expected of them.

It discusses how grandmothers were viewed a respected in the Indian culture. The respect they had towards older women was part of their culture. The main source of respect was formed by teaching children to respect the elders. According to Schweitzer “Traditional cultural values teach children an attitude of respect towards the elders” (Schweitzer). The tradition of respect has been kept alive by teaching children and generations respect. In the comparison to the Oglala culture, they also believe older women were highly respected. Respect was vital but when it came to younger women, the respect the tribe had towards grandmothers was not the same for the mother of the child. There were various reasons that follow why the respect was not the same for both mothers and

Buffalo calf woman was one of the myths that surrounded the Oglala culture. The story was told by older women to new generations. These tales have been passing down from their ancestors. The story of how the universe was created. A woman was the creator of time and space; she came from the sky and came to earth as a fallen star. “ In the transformation of Falling Star into the sacred White Buffalo Calf Woman, she brings to a starving Lakota nation that instrument of prayer the Calf Pipe, which along with the Seven Sacred Rites will intervene in their lives whenever they are experiencing hardship and danger” (Powers 13). The story of buffalo calf women is one of the sacred tales to the Oglala culture. She was the provider of the seven sacred rites and gave the Oglala culture hope in times of suffering and danger. The seven sacred rites have been a part of the Oglala and were perform during the following seven ceremonies, vision quest, ghost keeping, making of relatives, buffalo ceremony, throwing the ball, and sun