Grandfather Rising Sun
Grandfather Rising Sun, Chief of the 4 winds, holds within his vision two sacred messengers of the Great Spirit, residing within the Cloud Nation, or the sky. On the left and right side of the image, the golden eagle and the bald eagle blend into the face of Chief Rising Sun, fulfilling their mission to carry prayers and relay information from the worlds below. According to Lakota tradition, these holy birds are emissaries, with the capacity to fly higher than any other bird, and when they are spotted circling in the skies above, they are thought to be carrying prayers to the Creator. Feathers are often used during prayer, and Chief Marvin explains that the feathers serve to “tune in” and clarify prayers like an “antenna on a radio.” Toward the bottom of the painting we see elements of the Sun Dance Ceremony, including the Tree of Life and the silhouette of dancers performing the sun dance ritual. Grandfather Rising Sun depicts the moment of day break and below, the water reflecting the sun-stained sky.