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The weather has turned bad, and they find themselves starving.
Religious System
Unable to return to their home, but armed with a new knowledge about the world, they survive with the help of their relative the buffalo. The skull of this animal is a significant symbol that represents Lakol Wicoh'an the traditional way of life. According to contemporary Lakota oral historical accounts and discussions with elders, the following is a description of the Seven Sacred Rites of the Lakota and of how these rites came to the people.
Many years ago, during a period of starvation, there appeared to the Lakota a beautiful woman who was met by two hunters. One hunter lusts for her, and is covered by a mist and reduced to bone. The other hunter, who possesses a good and pure heart, is instructed to return to camp and tell the chief and people that she, Ptehincalaskawin White Buffalo Calf Woman , will appear to them the next day for she has something of importance to tell them. He obeys, and a great council tipi is constructed. Ptehincalaskawin presents to the people a bundle containing the sacred pipe and tells them that in time of need they should smoke and pray with the pipe for help.
The smoke from the pipe will carry their prayers upward. Ptehincalaskawin pledges to watch over the people and to return someday. Upon leaving, she walked a short way off and lay down in the grass. When she stood again she had turned into a white buffalo calf, and walked over the hill, out of sight. The Sacred Buffalo Calf Pipe remains among the people today. The first of the Seven Sacred Rites though they are not chronological is Inikagapi or Inipi to renew life. Heated stones are placed in a central hole in the lodge and water is poured over them by an itancan leader to create steam.
The purpose of the ceremony is to pray for health and well-being, spiritually and physically. The lodge "utilizes all the Powers of the universe: The second rite is Hanbleceyapi crying for a vision. The vision quest is undertaken by an individual with the help and guidance of a holy man. A person elects to go on a vision quest to pray, communicate with the spirits, and attempt to gain knowledge, strength, and understanding. The person pledges to stay on an isolated hill for one to four days with a blanket and a pipe, but without food or water.
Upon returning, the vision may be discussed with the wicasa wakan holy man. Often the meaning of the vision is not readily apparent and the individual may be told to wait for knowledge and understanding. The third rite is Wanagi Wicagluha keeping of the spirit. Spirit keeping is a rite performed by a mourner for one year to grieve for a lost loved one.
When a person dies the spirit can linger around the family and community. According to Black Elk, "this rite purifies the souls of our dead, and our love for one another is increased" p. A special place is set up for the spirit, who is fed every day. Members of the family and community can come and visit, eat, and sit with the spirit and family. After one year the spirit is ceremonially released and the mourning period is formally ended. It is usual among the Lakota for the mourning family to refrain from attending or participating in secular activities, gatherings, or events during this formal grieving period.
The fourth rite is Wiwanyang Wacipi sun dance. The Sun Dance is often considered the most important rite, and it is held during the summer when the moon is full. In times past a number of Plains bands of the Lakota would gather at a prearranged location for the annual meeting of the Oceti Sakowin; this was the occasion prior to Greasy Grass. It was during this annual gathering that the Sun Dance ceremony was held. During the ceremony, dancers pledge to make offerings of their flesh so that "much strength would be given to the nation" p.
The choice to participate is solely that of each individual. It is usually the result of receiving a sacred dream or is undertaken to seek assistance in healing a sick loved one. The sacred tree that is placed at the center of the dance area symbolizes Wakan Tanka, the center of the universe. The fifth rite is Hunkapi making relatives.
It establishes a "relationship on earth, which is a reflection of that real relationship" with Wakan Tanka p. It was usually performed to unite a younger person with a family, and it can be a way of solidifying relationships with other individuals as well as Wakan Tanka. This ceremony represents the formal adoption of people as relatives. The sixth rite is Isnati Awicalowanpi puberty ceremony.
The ceremony takes place after a girl's first menses, and prayers are said to ensure the girl will grow up to have all the virtues of a Lakota woman and understand the meaning of her new role, and to formally announce her eligibility as a potential wife and mother. The seventh rite is Tapa Wankayeyapi throwing the ball , a game "which represents the course of a man's life" p. A young girl stands at the center and throws a ball upward and to the four corners as people vie to catch it.
The person to catch the ball is considered more fortunate than the others, for the ball is symbolically equated with knowledge. For the Lakota, the nature of the universe is a whole, and above, below, and around are all part of that whole. Colon rated it really liked it Nov 03, Peter Michaels rated it liked it Mar 16, Michael rated it really liked it May 18, Joe marked it as to-read Jun 24, Di marked it as to-read Jun 25, Mia marked it as to-read Jun 28, Deborah is currently reading it Jul 26, Alice marked it as to-read Aug 25, There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Trivia About Way of Wakan: No trivia or quizzes yet. The vision quest is undertaken by an individual with the help and guidance of a holy man.
Life and Death: Lakota Spiritual Practice | theranchhands.com
A person elects to go on a quest to pray, communicate with the spirits, and attempt to gain knowledge, strength, and understanding. The person pledges to stay on an isolated hill for one to four days with a blanket and a pipe, but without food or water. Upon returning, the vision may be discussed with the wicasa wakan holy man. Often the meaning of the visionis not readily apparent and the individual may be told to wait for knowledge and understanding.
Way of Wakan: Reflections on Lakota Spirituality and Grief
Albert White Hat of the Lakota Nation talks about his vision quest in the late s. The third rite is Wanagi Wicagluha keeping of the spirit. Spirit keeping is a rite performed by a mourner for one year to grieve for a lost loved one. When a person dies the spirit can linger around the family and community.
A special place is set up for the spirit, who is fed every day. Members of the family and community can come and visit, eat, and sit with the spirit and family. After one year the spirit is ceremonially released and the mourning period is formally ended. It is usual among the Lakota for the mourning family to refrain from attending or participating in secular activities, gatherings, or events during this formal grieving period.
The fourth rite is Wiwanyang Wacipi sundance. The Sun Dance is often considered the most important rite, and it is held during the summer when the moon is full. In times past a number of Plains bands of the Lakota would gather at a prearranged location for the annual meeting of the Oceti Sakowin ; this was the occasion prior to Greasy Grass.
It was during this annual gathering that the Sun Dance ceremony was held. The choice to participate is solely that of each individual. It is usually the result of receiving a sacred dream or is undertaken to seek assistance in healing a sick loved one. The sacred tree that is placed at the center of the dance area symbolizes Wakan Tanka, the center of the universe. The fifth rite is Hunkapi making relatives.
It was usually performed to unite a younger person with a family, and it can be a way of solidifying relationships with other individuals as well as Wakan Tanka.
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This ceremony represents the formal adoption of people as relatives. The sixth rite is Isnati Awicalowanpi puberty ceremony. Instead, I include the vital religious practice known as Yuwipi , which became popular in the twentieth century. It encompasses a number of cultural concepts related to traditional life and problems confronting contemporary Lakota peoples. This rite is performed in a darkened room under the supervision of a Yuwipi man or wicasa wakan.
The object is to cure a person and at the same time to pray for the general welfare of all Indian people and for long life for the kinship group. Some Yuwipi men possess an exceptional ability that allows them to locate lost items or people.
The best bilingual compilation of Lakota mythological texts by an author who was both Lakota and an anthropologist. Contains a number of interviews with Hunkpapa medicine men, transcriptions and translations of sacred songs, and vivid ethnographic accounts of most of the sacred ceremonies.
Vision and Experience in Oglala Ritual. A translation of a Yuwipi ceremony indicating the relationship between Yuwipi, sweat lodge, and vision quest. Includes a chapter on the history of Yuwipi at Pine Ridge. Follow WilderUtopia on Facebook….