The supreme being of the Lakota Sioux is called Wakan Tanka, which means "Great Spirit". They believe that Wakan Tanka is the spirit of Inyan, the deity of rock. Was the first of the Gods, and was there when there were no others. He spread himself into a disk with no edges, the earth. The Lakota have a long creation narrative stemming from Inyan that explains the creation of the sun, the moon, the sky, thunderstorms, wind, wisdom, and more.
The Lakota also believe in a pervasive and omnipresent energy called ton. Skan is the name for ton when the energy is active, which is manifested in our reality by motion. Skan is believed to be one with Wakan Tanka, who bestows the soul into each human upon birth with the breath of life.
The Lakota Sioux have a few sacred symbols to represent their beliefs:
Thunderbird:
The Thunderbird, also known as Wakinyan, is the guardian of truth. It nests at the top of the tallest peak in the Black Hills.
Uname:
This symbol represents the earth and wind. The four lines coming from each corner illustrate the four winds of the earth.
Medicine Wheel:
This Medicine Wheel also honors the four directions (with its four quadrants), a key concept in Lakota Sioux mythology. The circle behind the buffalo's head represents the never ending cycle of life, and the buffalo head itself is the locus of reality, or the Heart.
The main sacred location of this religion and people is called Pe' Sla. The Pe' Sla is located at the center of the Black Hills in South Dakota and is considered to be the center of the universe in Lakota Sioux mythology. In the fall of 2012, private owners of the area attempted to auction off the area but pressure from media and the Lakota Sioux forced the sellers to make a deal with the natives.
The Lakota have a plethora of gods, but a few stand out above the others. Obviously, Wakan Tanka is the most notable because he is the spirit of the first god, Inyan, who represents the earth. Inyan's son, Iktomi, is a trickster god that taught the first humans their ways and customs, but also causes discontent and symbolizes defiance. Inyan also created the aforementioned Wakinyan, which represents contradiction and contrariness and is the god of truth. The Wakinyan is shapeless (although pictured in the form of an eagle) and terrifiying, striking down liars with bolts of lightining. Heyoka is the alternate personality of the bipolar Wakinyan, combating evil and fostering good among people and growth among nature. Tate is the god of the wind, a hugely important factor in the Lakota people, and Tokapa was the first man, sent by God to teach the humans how to live.
The Lakota Sioux carve fetishes from stone to symbolize various spirits and confer good fortune. One such carver, Delbert Charging Crow, carves bears that carry crystal for good health, arrowheads as direction finders, and beads for luck. He goes through a long and intricate ritual with each stone that he plans to carve prior to beginning the actual carving process, and the meaning of the finished piece relies heavily on the type of stone and the animal chosen. Here are some Lakota fetishes:
The Lakota do have medicine men, which play a shamanistic role in Lakota culture. They guide men and women on vision quests, or journeys intended to reveal a truth about life and reality to the one going on the quest. The medicine man spiritually prepares the candidate in the time leading up to the quest and helps the candidate take part in a ritual involving a sauna-like lodging and profuse sweating intended to purify the participant. Then, the participant retreats to a remote spot in the wilderness and endures the elements for a few days with no food or water. Usually towards the end of the journey, the candidate has a vision and reports it to the medicine man upon returning, who then interprets the vision and explains it to the participant.
Another interesting ritual performed by the Lakota, the sun dance, is communal in nature as opposed to the individualistic vision quest. The sun dance is performed by an honored and honorable leader at the beginning of the summer and occurs in a lodge built specifically for the dance. This lodge has a cottonwood tree at its center, representing the locus of the universe and the supreme being. Dancing, music, and self-mutilation are all integral parts of this ceremony performed in glorification of the life-giving powers of the sun.
I have some pieces of Lakota art in my home, interestingly enough:
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