Abstract

For many North American Native people, the circle represents the cycle of life. It is a symbol of infinity and interconnectedness. However, this belief transcends the boundaries of the physical world; its inception lies within the spiritual world. As such, there exists a reciprocal relationship between the spiritual and the terrestrial worlds and such a relationship is reflected by the American Indian through certain actions and rituals. It is my intent in this paper to examine the idea of numerical symbolism, and especially interpretations of the number 4, within the context of the sweat and the Sun Dance ceremonies of the Piik_ni and Siouan peoples and how such symbolism provides evidence of a connection for these people between themselves and their cosmos.