Before the actual massacre the Soiux tribe were confined to reservations in South Dakota. Dependent on Native American agents, desperate to return to their old ways of life, they turned to a Paiute shaman named Wovoka. Wovoka called himself the messiah and prophesied that the dead join the living in a world where Native Americans could return to their old ways, new soil would cover the earth, and restore the prairie. To make this day come sooner the Native Americans were told to dance the ghost dance in which many dancers wore brightly colored shirts that had images of eagles and buffaloes on them .They believed these shirts would protect them from bullets.