Traditional Lakota Body Preparation After Death: Washing, Chei Face Paint, and Dressing

Why Body Preparation Is Sacred in Lakota Tradition

In Lakota belief, the physical body is a vessel that must be returned to the Great Mother Earth as intact and natural as possible. The body is treated after death with the same dignity and interactive care as if the person were still alive — because, in a spiritual sense, they are. The soul (wanagi) remains near the body for four days, witnessing how the living handle the physical form. Respectful preparation supports the spirit's safe journey along the Milky Way.

Historically, body preparation was handled by distant relatives within the tiospaye (extended family network), not by the immediate family. This was a deliberate protective measure: the grieving immediate family was considered spiritually vulnerable, and direct contact with the physical reality of death could deepen that vulnerability. Today, professional funeral homes manage the logistics, but traditional families remain deeply involved in the hands-on preparation.

The Washing and Purification

The preparation begins with a thorough washing of the body using natural water. While the body is washed, sweetgrass or sage is burned nearby — the smoke spiritually cleanses the body and the surrounding space. An elder or spiritual leader may fan the smoke over the body using an eagle wing feather, directing the purification.

This is not a clinical sanitation procedure. The washing is carried out quietly, with reverence, often accompanied by soft prayers. Family members or cultural assistants who participate in the washing speak to the deceased as if they can hear — because the soul, still present, can.

Chei — The Red Face Paint

In traditional Lakota body preparation, the face of the deceased is painted with red clay called chei — a natural pigment made from red ochre mixed with rendered fat. Red is the color of life, vitality, and protection. Applied to the face (and sometimes the forehead or parting line of the hair), chei serves as both a spiritual marker and a form of recognition: the ancestors along the Spirit Path will identify the deceased as one of their own when they see the red paint.

The extent of face painting varies significantly:

• Highly traditional families may apply chei to the entire face or prominent areas
• Moderately traditional families may apply a symbolic mark — a line or small circle on the forehead
• Syncretic families (blending Catholic and traditional practices) may omit face painting entirely
• Band and family custom determines the specifics — Oglala, Sicangu, and Hunkpapa families each have their own norms

If your family practices face painting, the medicine man or eldest traditional authority present should direct when and how the chei is applied. The application typically happens after the washing and before the dressing, while the body is still in the preparation area.

Communicating this to a funeral home: If you are working with a non-Native funeral director, state this need clearly during the initial arrangement meeting: "Our family will be applying a traditional red pigment to the deceased's face. We need access to the body after your preparation is complete, and we need you to not apply restorative mortuary cosmetics over the area where the paint will go." Some funeral homes in the Northern Plains accommodate this, but off-reservation mortuaries may need explicit instruction.

Dressing in Regalia and Traditional Attire

After purification and face painting, the deceased is dressed in their finest clothing:

• Men: Traditional buckskin shirts, ribbon shirts, or contemporary formal wear with cultural significance
• Women: Ribbon skirts (Wipata Sunzinza), buckskin dresses, or traditional regalia

The quality and beauty of the clothing matters — the deceased should appear as they would at the most important ceremony of their life, because that is exactly what this is.

Handmade Moccasins — Non-Negotiable

One element of Lakota body preparation is absolute: handmade moccasins must be placed on the deceased's feet. The spirit needs proper footwear for the long walk along the Spirit Path to the land of the ancestors. Burying someone without moccasins is considered a serious spiritual failure — the soul would be forced to make the journey barefoot, vulnerable and unprotected.

If the family does not have handmade moccasins ready, they must be sourced immediately. Reservation-based beadworkers and artisans are the primary source; some families keep a pair set aside specifically for this purpose. Do not substitute commercial shoes or slippers — the moccasins must be handcrafted.

Travel Items Placed in the Casket

Alongside the dressed body, several items are placed in the casket for the spirit's journey:

• Wasna (pemmican) — travel food for the Spirit Path
• Kinnikinnik (tobacco blend) — for making offerings along the journey
• Personal effects — meaningful items from the deceased's life
• Locks of family members' hair — in some families, mourners cut their hair and place it in the casket to maintain a connection across the boundary of death
• Shawls, blankets, or small gifts — comfort items for the journey

These items must not be removed by the funeral home before the casket is sealed. State this clearly to the funeral director: "Sacred offerings and travel items will be placed in the casket by the family. They must remain undisturbed through the viewing and burial."

Embalming: The Traditional Position

Traditional Lakota practice strongly avoids chemical embalming. The body should return to the earth as naturally as possible — invasive chemical preservation conflicts with this principle.

Families can ask about alternatives to chemical embalming, including:

• Refrigeration — mechanical cooling at the funeral home
• Dry ice — placed around the body to slow decomposition naturally

The applicable local rules and viewing arrangement control what is permitted. When a local ordinance requires embalming for a multi-day viewing, ask the funeral director what minimum-invasive option complies with the rule.

Our Lakota / Sioux Funeral Guide includes a funeral director communication checklist covering body preparation requests, embalming alternatives, casket item protocols, and specific questions to ask during the arrangement meeting — designed for families who need to navigate these conversations during one of the most difficult days of their lives.