Cult, as used in this book, means a system of religious belief and worship, especially the rites and ceremonies employed in such worship. The present book treats of the cults of a few of the Siouan tribes—that is, with two exceptions, of such tribes as have been visited by the author. "Siouan" is a term originated by the Bureau of Ethnology. It is derived from "Sioux," the popular name for those Indians who call themselves "Dakota" or "Lakota," the latter being the Teton appellation. "Siouan" is used as an adjective, but, unlike its primitive, it refers not only to the Dakota tribes, but also to the entire linguistic stock or family. The Siouan family includes the Dakota, Assiniboin, Omaha, Ponka, Osage, Kansa, Kwapa, Iowa, Oto, Missouri, Winnebago, Mandan, Hidatsa, Crow, Tutelo, Biloxi, Catawba, and other Indians.

Individuals of all persuasions have become deeply interested in contemporary Sioux religious practices. These essays by tribal religious leaders, scholars, and other members of the Sioux communities in North and South Dakota deal with the more important questions about Sioux ritual and belief in relation to history, tradition, and the mainstream of American life. Contents: (1) "Lakota Belief and Ritual in the Nineteenth Century," by Raymond J. DeMallie; (2) "Lakota Genesis: The Oral Tradition," by Elaine A. Jahner; (3) "The Sacred Pipe in Modern Life," by Arval Looking Horse; (4) "The Lakota Sun Dance: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives," by Arthur Amiotte; (5) "The Establishment of Christianity Among the Sioux," by Vine V. Deloria, Sr.; (6) "Catholic Mission and the Sioux: A Crisis in the Early Paradigm," by Harvey Markowitz; (7) "Contemporary Catholic Mission Work Among the Sioux," by Robert Hilbert, S.}.; (8) "Christian Life Fellowship Church," by Mercy Poor Man; (9) "Indian Women and the Renaissance of Traditional Religion," by Beatrice Medicine; (10) "The Contemporary Yuwipi," by Thomas H. Lewis, M.D.; (11) "The Native American Church of Jesus Christ," by Emerson Spider, Sr.; (12) "Traditional Lakota Religion in Modern Life," by Robert Stead, with an Introduction by Kenneth Oliver; Suggestions for Further Reading; Bibliography.