This week, we looked at the sweat lodge of the Mandan tribe.
Although the sweat lodge was not unique to the Mandan tribe, it is George Catlin's observation of their sweating ceremony that forms the basis of this week's article. I have chosen to focus on the Manadan only because of the detail with which Catlin described their ritual. However, as I have noted, the sweat lodge is found throughout the continent (with the exception of the Southwestern and Inuit tribes) and remains an important part of indigenous medicinal practices.
