Indigenous Purification Lodge

Steve Weber oversees an indigenous purification lodge east of Casper in the historic North Platte River bottoms. Weekly ceremonies benefit those involved in alcohol and drug addiction recovery, those trying to reintegrate into society after recent incarceration, troubled youth and the public.
The lodge’s initial ceremonies were drawn from Nakota and Lakota traditions. Many tribes believe the North Platte River bottoms to be a sacred place as it provided them with a safe winter refuge. Weber recalls a lodge ceremony with members of 5 different tribes, “as we sing 16 songs in our ceremony there was room for all to sing their songs.”
After consulting with tribal elders, some other traditions were introduced. Weber has always respectively sought the approval and blessing of tribal elders for these rights.
What he shares about these ceremonies is for the education and understanding of all people. He states, “people cannot be expected to come to ceremony in a respectful way if they don’t know what that looks like.” Weber also speaks of treating these ceremonies with the utmost respect. “This is people’s heritage, their way of life. It is ancient. It is a wonder it is still alive. Do not play with these things by doing whatever you want. Ceremonies are conducted differently by different tribes. I speak of what I have been taught. I have never charged anything for ceremony.”

In the following video Weber explains the basic construction of the lodge and the ceremonies observed.

In this video Weber shows the relationship of the sweat lodge to the offering mound and the fire pit.

Next we go inside the sweat lodge.

Weber explains the significance of the directional points in the sweat lodge.

In this final video Weber examines the wonders of the sweat lodge ceremony.