R. BARON
CIRCLE OF LIFE

In his quote, Ogala Sioux Holy Man: Black Elk, discusses the concept that may be referred to as “the Circle of Life”. This concept speaks of how much of the Sioux culture, both religious and practical, attribute great importance to the concept and universality of “the circle.” This is both a cultural and religious worldview of many primary indigenous peoples, who observe the ongoing theme that much of life and our physical world is circular in both appearance and ideology. Everything from the earth, planets, and stars, are physically in essence, a circle. Likewise, nature both conceptually and physically adheres to this principle, from the revolving of the seasons, to the life cycle of birth to death. ( ) In this paper, I will look at the circle and cyclic importance in relation to most Primal peoples understanding and perception of reality. I will then contrast this with modern western cultural and religious ideas, of linear time, space and identity. Lastly, I will compare Black Elk’s ideas with that found in Contemporary Christian views of nature and creation. For the Primal or Indigenous people, religion and culture, the concept of the world, universe and nature, is based on the image of the circle. People and life correspond to two interrelated circles and cyclic events. The first is the great circle of life and the second is regarded as the “Annual circle. “( ) The big circle of life represents man’s concept from birth to death. In the great Circle of life, there are four major events: birth, coming of age, marriage and death. Birth and death, were certain in everyone’s life. Not every child comes of age, and not all adults get married. However, a person could predict that from birth to death, there remained certainties. The circle of the sun would rise and the circle would be