Sweat lodge

The sweat lodge is a low profile hut, typically dome-shaped or oblong, and made with natural materials. The structure is the lodge, and the ceremony done within the structure may be called a purification ceremony or simply a sweat. Traditionally the structure is simple, constructed of saplings covered with blankets and sometimes animal skins. Originally, it was only used by some of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, notably the Plains Indians. But with the rise of pan-Indianism, numerous nations that did not originally have the sweat lodge ceremony have adopted it. This has been controversial.

In all cases, the sweat is intended as a religious ceremony – it is for prayer and healing, and the ceremony is only to be led by elders who know the language, songs, traditions and safety protocols. Otherwise, the ceremony can be dangerous if done improperly – both physically and spiritually.

Use of the sweat lodge has been misappropriated by some non-natives in North America and internationally, resulting in responses like the Lakota Declaration of War and similar statements from Indigenous Elders declaring that these dangerous and disrespectful misappropriations need to stop.

There are several styles of structures used in different cultures; in addition to the most common domed or oblong structures, there are also permanent structures made of wood and earth. Stones are typically heated and then water poured over them to create steam.

Native Americans in many regions have sweat lodge ceremonies. For example, Chumash peoples of the central coast of California build sweat lodges in coastal areas in association with habitation sites. The ancient Mesoamerican tribes of Mexico, such as the Aztec and Olmec, practiced a sweat bath ceremony known as temazcal as a religious rite of penance and purification.

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