The Sun Dance Initiation Ritual And  Tallow’s Role In Traditional Healing Practices

In 1970, there was a movie released called A Man Called Horse.  It starred Richard Harris and it was a story about an Englishman who is captured by the Sioux Indians on the frontier.  Over time, Morgan gains the respect and acceptance of the tribe.  So much so that he asks for permission to marry the daughter of the chief’s sister.

In order to prove his bravery, he must go through the Sun Dance initiation ritual in order to gain status among his captors.  This involves having skewers inserted into his pectoral muscles, and he is hung from a pole inside the medicine lodge.  Needless to say, in the movie, he successfully completes the ritual and gets the girl.

The film’s depiction of the ritual was so brutal that Native American activists criticized the film for not emphasizing the spiritual aspect of the rite enough.  However, you feel about the film. I always think about the aftermath.  How did American Indians heal the wounds caused by the skewers?  It won’t surprise you that they used nature's first aid kit, AKA tallow.

Native Americans' Wound Treatment With Tallow AKA Nature’s First-Aid Kit

It is no surprise that Native Americans turned to tallow as an essential tool for their traditional healing practices.  Animal fats were available from bison, deer, and later, cattle.  Tribes rendered the fat and combined it with local herbs to create protective salves.  This wasn’t optional.  A minor cut from hunting, or a scrape from gathering, could quickly turn into a life-threatening infection.  The antibiotics that we take for granted every day had yet to be invented.

Beef tallow (or its bison cousin) provided a breathable barrier that sealed in healing compounds, while keeping out dirt and bacteria. Many accounts describe tallow-based balms soothing inflammation, speeding recovery, and preventing infection

Tallow nourished the skin from the outside in, thanks to its rich store of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and E. These vitamins supported cell repair and kept skin resilient against the elements.  Elders passed these recipes down throughout the generations via each tribes oral tradition. 

That same wisdom still holds up when you’re dealing with everyday ailments even today.

Beef Tallow Is Making A Historical Comeback

In a world of endless skincare options, more and more people are circling back to what worked for our ancestors. Beef tallow bridges the gap between ancient remedies and modern needs.  BIG CORP is doing everything it can to try and make you forget that nature has the answers for almost everything that ails you.

Why is beef tallow so effective for supporting your skin care regimen?  One reason is that its fatty acid profile (stearic and oleic acids) mirrors the lipids in human skin. It forms a natural barrier that holds onto hydration without feeling greasy.  Your dry skin battles are no different from those who have come before, except for the fact that you can get your tallow from the VanMan without having to break a sweat.

VanMan’s Classic Tallow and Honey Face Balm

Our Tallow is much more than a moisturizer, it can replace: Lotion  -  Night cream  -  Wrinkle cream  -  Neosporin  -  Diaper Balm  -  And More!

It is powerful enough to heal the skin, yet safe enough to spread on your toast!

(Also available without an added scent - *No Scent Added* Tallow & Honey Balm)