Sweat lodge
A low dome in which heated stones and prayer are used in a purification ceremony.
Also: inipi, purification lodge
The sweat lodge is a ceremony of many Native American and First Nations peoples, held in a low, domed structure of bent saplings covered with blankets or hides, into which heated stones are brought and water is poured to make steam. Participants sit in the dark, pray, sing and take part in rounds led by a leader, who is trained in the tradition. It is a rite of purification and renewal, and is done before other ceremonies such as a vision quest. Protocols differ by nation, and the ceremony is held to be sacred.
Region: North America