National
Man faces trial for disputed Sun Dance ceremony


A member of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes faces a trial in September over a disputed Sun Dance ceremony he organized in Oklahoma.

Patrick Spottedwolf is charged with contempt of court. He allegedly violated tribal court orders not to hold the Sun Dance.

The court orders were issued by judges for the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes and for the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming. A prosecutor for the Northern Arapaho Tribe will present the case against Spottedwolf in Oklahoma.

Another man, Saul Birdshead, might also be prosecuted. He was also named in the injunctions, forbidding him and Spottedwolf from "conducting, directing, sponsoring or causing to be performed" any Sun Dance ceremonies.

Get the Story:
Lengthy dispute underlies Sun Dance conflict (The Casper Star-Tribune 7/17)

Relevant Links:
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma - http://www.cheyenne-arapaho.org
Northern Arapaho Tribe - http://www.northernarapaho.com

Related Stories:
Arapaho man faces charges for Sun Dance ceremony (06/16)
Accusations fly over Sun Dance incident in Oklahoma (6/14)
Dispute over Sun Dance led to clash in Oklahoma (6/12)
BIA investigates attack at Oklahoma ceremony (6/9)