Sioux Ghost Dance facts for kids

Sioux Ghost Dance is a very old, short movie made in 1894. It's a silent movie, meaning it has no spoken words, only music or sound effects added later. This film was made by Edison Studios, a company started by the famous inventor Thomas Edison. It shows a group of Sioux people performing a special dance called the Ghost Dance.

What is Sioux Ghost Dance?

This film is from 1894 and is in black-and-white. It lasts only 21 seconds! It was made by William Kennedy Dickson, who was a director and producer. William Heise was the person who filmed it.

The movie was shot at a special studio called Edison's Black Maria. This studio was one of the first movie studios ever built. Sioux Ghost Dance was filmed at the same time as another movie called Buffalo Dance.

Both of these films are important because they are some of the very first movies ever made that show Native American people.

Making the Film

The film was made using 35 mm film, which was a common size for movies back then. It was filmed on just one reel.

The director, William K. L. Dickson, worked for the Edison Manufacturing Company. This company helped share the film with people. The Edison's Black Maria studio was in West Orange, New Jersey.

The Ghost Dance

In this film, a group of Sioux warriors perform the Ghost Dance. Two boys are also part of the dance. The Ghost Dance was a special religious movement that started among Native American tribes in the late 1800s.

People believed that performing this dance would bring back their ancestors and help them live freely again. It was a way for them to hope for a better future during a difficult time.

Who Were the Performers?

According to the company that made the film, the people in Sioux Ghost Dance were real Sioux people. They wore their traditional clothes and war paint for the movie.

All the performers in this film were also part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. This was a popular traveling show that featured cowboys, Native Americans, and other performers.