Introduction:

"In the writing of Indian history, historians and other scholars seldom have the opportunity to look at the past through 'native eyes' or to immerse themselves in documents created by Indians.  For the Oglala and some of the other divisions of the Lakota, the Walker materials provide this kind of experience in fascinating and rich detail during an important transition period in their history." -- Minnesota History

"This collection of documents is especially remarkable because it preserves individual variations of traditional wisdom from a whole generation of highly developed wicasa wakan (holy men)... Lakota Belief and Ritual is a wasicun (container of power) that can make traditional Lakota wisdom assume new life." -- American Indian Quarterly

"A work of prime importance. . .its publication represents a major addition to our knowledge of the Lakotas' way of life." -- Journal of American Folklore