The Sun Dance is a ceremony practiced by some indigenous people of America and Canada, primarily those of the plains cultures. After contact with European colonists, and with the formation of Canada and United States, both countries created laws banning ceremonies and even outlawed Indigenous people from speaking their native languages. Those that continued to practice their culture were imprisoned or even killed for doing so. As a result, and in order to preserve Indigenous culture for future generations, most ceremonies went underground and were practiced in secret.