The only human noises that interrupt are the occasional car going by on the nearby highway. Two of the eight feel led to speak, but the others don't hear; they are listening to the voices of nature around them.

The few clouds seem to dance on the tops of the distant hills. As the sun finally sets, the clouds gather quickly and expand into a thunderhead. The eight workcamp participants are alone, because the traditionals have told them that spirits come back at night in this area.

The thunder beings that Black Elk spoke about come and show their strength as the eight decide it is time for their departure. It seems like the thunder beings are saying good bye to the eight as they head back to camp.

Here is a glimpse of the spiritual presence that exists on the reservation among the poverty and housing problems that always get reported about in the news. In terms of work finished, the workcamp didn't get as much done as we would have liked, but in terms of the spiritual growth that others and I experienced, the workcamp was a tremendous success.

The workcamp prepared the ceremonial grounds for a womanhood ceremony, one of the seven scared ceremonies that Black Elk talks about in Black Elk Speaks. The ceremony teaches young girls the traditional ways like the songs that are used in ceremonies, how to sew and make dresses and how to make fry bread. One of the most important aspects of the ceremony is that it inducts them into the tokala society, a society that provides leadership to the community. We also volunteered the four days while the ceremony took place. During this time, by talking to the elders and helping out, I learned and better appreciated the Lakota culture. In the last few decades there has been a movement to reclaim their religion. An 1890 federal law