Cheyenne men

Cheyenne men wearing body paint for the Sun Dance, a religious ceremony practiced by the Plains Indians — such as the Cheyenne, Sioux, and Cree tribes — in the 19th century.

Tribes perform the ritual at the Summer Solstice, and it includes dancing, singing, and sometimes self-mutilation. For this reason, and in an effort to suppress Indian culture and religion, the practice was banned in the U.S. and Canada. It wasn't until Congress passed the American Indian Religious Freedom Act in 1978 that Plains Indians could openly practice the Sun Dance.

Cheyenne men preparing for the Sun Dance. 1910.

Edward Curtis/Library of Congress