western history. Above all, the beauty and meaning of Black Elk's vision
astounded Neihardt, who felt it deserved a place among the great works of
religious literature. When Black Elk finished recounting his vision, he
stated, quite simply, that all his power had now been transferred to
Neihardt, who had become his spiritual son.

The responsibility placed upon him was keenly felt by Neihardt. Dur-
ing the remainder of his life, he rarely spoke in public without referring to
Black Elk. Through Neihardt's recitations, his adaptation of "Black Elk's
Prayer" became known and loved by many.

DeMallie refers in his Introduction to this book -- as did Vine Deloria,
Jr., in an introduction to the 1979 edition of Black Elk Speaks -- to assump-
tions by readers and researchers that have led to controversy over the
authenticity of the subject matter of the book and the importance of
Neihardt's role as its author. By the very title chosen for his book, Black
Elk Speaks, Neihardt makes amply clear his desire to give full credit to
Black Elk. Perhaps this title has itself contributed in some measure to the
misunderstandings. One must realize that the process beginning with
what Black Elk related in the Lakota language and resulting in Neihardt's
writing of the book was not an easy one. To a listener, the interviews
seemed at times tedious, for it took painstaking effort to learn, through an
uninitiated interpreter, what Black Elk was trying to say.

The Sixth Grandfather may well guide the reader to a realization that at
first blush seems deceptively simple: Black Elk Speaks is authentic; it does
convey with faithful sincerity Black Elk's message. But in presenting this
message to the reader, Neihardt created a work of art, and true art in all its
forms is an intensification and greatly clarified form of communication.

In his research for this book, Ray DeMallie goes beyond the original
typed transcriptions of the interview notes. Here presented for the first
time, newly transcribed and annotated, is the entire body of shorthand
notes of the Black Elk-Neihardt interviews, making available a wealth of
material not used in Black Elk Speaks.

The Sixth Grandfather is a valuable contribution to scholarly research,
in regard to Black Elk Speaks and also as a source for students of the
American Indian and of a way of life and religion that were good. Not as a
scholar, but as a believer, I commend this book warmly and affectionately
as an essay in understanding.

HILDA NEIHARDT PETRI

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