The Black Elk Jar

This Native American inspired jar is called the Black Elk jar because there is a quote from him on the bottom. There is no photograph of Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux, on the jar. The quote by him on the bottom, comes from an exerpt in the postscript in the book about his life, "Black Elk Speaks" written by John G. Neihardt.
It was bought, with another of my jars, by a collector from Indiana, as wedding presents for herself.





Near the end of his life he asked to be taken to the place where the spirits took him, in a vision, when he was young. Spoken by Black Elk, standing on the summit:

"With tears running, O Great Spirit, my Grandfather - with running tears I must say now that the tree has never bloomed. A pitiful old man, you see me here, and I have fallen away and have done nothing. Here at the center of the world, where you took me when I was young and taught me; here, old, I stand, and the tree is withered, Grandfather, my Grandfather!
Again, and maybe the last time on this earth, I recall the great vision you sent me. It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives. Nourish it then, that it may leaf and bloom and fill with singing birds. Hear me, not for myself, but for my people; I am old. Hear me that they may once more go back into the sacred hoop and find the good red road, the shielding tree!
In sorrow I am sending a feeble voice, for I may never call again. O make my people live!"
It isn't on the jar, but, then the postscript ends with Mr Neihardt's observation that, "For some minutes the old man stood silent, with face uplifted, weeping into the drizzling rain. In an little while the sky was clear again."