In Native and Christian: Indigenous Voices on Religious Identity in the United States and Canada, 191-192. New York and London: Routledge, 1996.

Emerson Spider, Sr. (Oglala Lakota) lives in Porcupine on the Pine Ridge Reservation and is headman of the Native American Church of Jesus Christ in South Dakota, which is also commonly referred to as the peyote religion for its sacramental use of the peyote cactus.  The peyote religion combines ancient native traditions with Christian practices and beliefs, and has developed along two distinct ceremonial lines:  Half Moon, which is generally considered to be older and more traditional, and Cross Fire, which is more overtly Christian in form and content.  Peyotists began organizing as a Christian denomination during the early twentieth century in order to protect themselves from religious persecution at the hands of misguided missionaries, politicians, and government agents.  This essay was originally scheduled as part of a symposium on "American Indian Religion in the Dakota: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives," held in Bismarck, North Dakota; Spider was unable to attend, so he was interviewed at his home.  Spider recounts the history of this intertribal religious tradition among his own people, where it exists alongside a variety of tribal ceremonies and Christian denominations.  He describes the organization and leadership of their services and the power of the peyote to bring healing and insight.  While many non-native Christians have supported the Native American Church in recent legal battles over religious freedom, few have perceived that they were helping fellow Christians, and Spider concludes his comments by expressing his desire that the Native American Church "be recognized by other churches."

Rapid City (SD) Journal, September 15, 2004:

PORCUPINE - The Rev. Emerson Spider Sr., 83, Porcupine, died Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, at Martin Hospital.

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Swallow, Porcupine; three daughters, Verola Spider, Buelah White Crane and Vina Andrews, all of Porcupine; one son, Emerson Spider Jr., Porcupine; one sister, Geneva Richards, Porcupine; and numerous grandchildren.

A three-night wake will begin at 11 a.m. today at the Spider-Richards residence.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at Native American Church/Spider Residence in Porcupine, with the Rev. Aloysius Weasel Bear officiating. Burial will be at Native American Church Cemetery in Porcupine.

Sioux Funeral Home of Pine Ridge is in charge of arrangements.

© 2008 by James Treat