<P> Different tribes developed own religions, cosmologies, and world views, many of which are animist in nature, that is, they are based on the observation that all things are alive and possess spirits . Earth was quite important, as she was the mother of all spirits . Daily prayers could be performed by an individual or be part of group ceremonies . The most important group ceremony is the Sun Dance, an intertribal ceremony on the Plains that involves personal sacrifice for the good of loved ones and the entire community . </P> <P> Certain people are Wakan, or "blessed" in Lakota as medicine men or women with spiritual roles in the community . The buffalo is particularly sacred to many of the Plains peoples; their horns and hides are sometimes used as sacred regalia during ceremony . In Plains cosmology, certain items possess spiritual or talismanic power . Medicine bundles are particularly sacred and are only entrusted to specialized bundle keepers . Other items with great spiritual power include war shields, war shirts, and ceremonial pipes, many of which have been cared for by tribes for centuries . </P> <P> Historically, Plains Indian women had distinctly defined gender roles that were different from, but complementary to, men's roles . They typically owned the family's home and the majority of its contents . In traditional culture, women tanned hides, tended crops, gathered wild foods, prepared food, made clothing, and took down and erected the family's tepees . In the present day, these customs are still observed when lodges are set up for ceremonial use, such as at powwows . Historically, Plains women were not as engaged in public political life as were the women in the coastal tribes . However, they still participated in an advisory role and through the women's societies . </P> <P> In contemporary Plains cultures, traditionalists work to preserve the knowledge of these traditions of everyday life and the values attached to them . </P>

When did high plains culture come to an end