ghost dance
Definition
Noun: * A religious ceremony, specifically a circle dance, practiced by some Native American peoples in the late 19th century. It was believed that performing this dance would bring about the renewal of the earth, the return of the buffalo, the resurrection of the dead, and the peaceful end of white American expansion.
Usage
The term "ghost dance" refers specifically to this historical religious movement and its central ritual. * The ghost dance spread rapidly among Plains tribes in the 1890s. * Anthropologists have studied the origins and symbolism of the ghost dance. * The U.S. government's fear of the ghost dance movement contributed to the tragedy at Wounded Knee.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used historically and anthropologically. It can be part of compound nouns when referring to specific cultural artifacts or events, such as "Ghost Dance shirt" (a special garment some dancers wore) or "Ghost Dance movement".
- It is typically preceded by the definite article "the" when referring to the general phenomenon.
Variants and Related Words
- Ghost Dance movement: Refers to the broader religious and cultural revival movement of which the dance was a part.
- Ghost Dance shirt: A specific type of garment, often decorated with symbolic motifs, worn by some participants.
Synonyms
- Prophetic dance: A more general term for a dance performed with spiritual or predictive intent.
- Revitalization ritual: An anthropological term for ceremonies aimed at cultural renewal.
Notes on Meaning
- The "ghost dance" is a singular historical concept. It does not refer to a general type of dance for contacting spirits, but to one specific tradition. The name derives from the belief that the dance would bring back the ghosts (spirits) of deceased ancestors.
Noun
-
a religious dance of Native Americans looking for communication with the dead
