Final answer:
The Sioux performed the Ghost Dance with the belief that it would lead to the restoration of their lands and a return of the buffalo. While other Plains cultures celebrated the Sun Dance, it was the Ghost Dance that was linked to hopes of reclaiming lost territory and sustaining cultural practices. The Ghost Dance movement culminated tragically at the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ritual performed by the Sioux to bring back the buffalo and return the Native American tribes to their land was known as the Ghost Dance. Proposed by Wovoka, a Paiute, and later joined by notable figures such as Sitting Bull, the Ghost Dance was a spiritual movement that emerged in the late 19th century as a response to the pressures of assimilation and loss of land to white settlers. Participants believed that the dance would lead to the restoration of their lands, the return of the buffalo, and their ancestors, as well as protection against white aggression.
While many Plains cultures celebrated important world renewal ceremonies, such as the Sun Dance, which involved acts of self-sacrifice and anticipated a renewal of the world, the Ghost Dance held a specific vision for the future. In contrast, the Sun Dance varied in its practices across groups, but generally involved rituals of thanksgiving and self-torture, symbolizing a bond with the supernatural. However, it was not specifically about bringing back the buffalo or reclaiming lands.
The tragic events at Wounded Knee in 1890, where over 150 Sioux men, women, and children lost their lives, were closely linked with the Ghost Dance movement. This massacre marked the endpoint of the Indian Wars and highlighted the violent suppression of Native American cultural and religious practices.