The Horse (so'-qui-li)
Mighty horse...power to run
Across the open plains,
Or to bring the vision of the shields
Dancing in purple dream rain...
The horse was a marvel to the Indian and came
to be regarded as sacred. It had a mysterious or
sacred character. The Indian often times referred
to the horse as the big dog or the sacred dog.
The ceremonial importance of horses is strong in
many cultures. In the Navajo Enemy Way ceremony,
which is used to rid someone who has come in contact
with the enemy of the evil, horses transport the sacred
staff that carries the evil away from the person. Horses
are the focus of many Plains ceremonies as well.
