Lakota Religion

Lakota mythology is the body of sacred stories that belong to the Lakota people, also known as the Teton Sioux. Like every Native American tribe, the Lakota are animists, believing that everything possesses a spirit. In the Lakota creation myth, Nyan (Inyan) is the primal being, the source of all things. Because he was lonely, he separated a piece of himself, Maka, but this act of creation drained him of power, turning him into rock. His blood (water) flowed from him to become the rivers, streams, and lakes. Thereafter, Nyan became a passive force. He created Wakinyan, the Mysterious Flyers (Thunderbirds) to serve as his active companions. The spirit underlying Wakan Tanka (Great Spirit or Great Mystery) is Nyan, who created all through his act of self-sacrafice, therefore infusing all things with His nature. Wakan Tanka can be addressed directly through prayer and ritual, but his influence in the world is diffused through other deities. Nyan created the the spirit of the sky, Skan, and the earth, Maka. Han, the spirit of darkness, existed before sky and earth was created. Han was banished to live beneath Maka by Skan, who replaced him with Anp, spirit of light (especially the reddish, sourceless sunlight of dawn).  Originally, the earth (Maka) was cold and barren, but was unaware of this until Skan created Anp. Afterwards, Maka complained to Skan, so he created the sun (Wi, or Wito) to warm it. The sun was too hot, so Maka continued to complain. Arrangements were made that Han and Anp would follow each other to exile beneath Maka and return again, establishing a balance between light and dark. This arrangement satisfied Maka. The moon (Hanwi) was created by the sun (Wi or Wito) to accompany Him. Wa was the first man, the husband of Ka and the father of Ite. He aided his daughter Ite in her scheme to supplant Hanwi. Because of this, Wa was banished to Earth and was separated from Ka. On earth, he became known as Wazi, a great wizard who could either provide assistance to or cause problems for human beings. Ka was the first Woman, the wife of Wa and the mother of Ite. She was also banished to earth for the same reason as her husband was. On earth, she became known as Kanka, a great witch who can either help or harm human beings. Nyan's sons were Iktomi and Iya. Son Iktomi was wise and often beneficent, but was also a trickster responsible for many of the difficulties that humans experience. He could frighten animals, and change his shape or become invisible so he could more easily make trouble. He convinced the Lakota to live apart from one another, as nomads, thus making them more vulnerable to their enemies. Nyan's other son Iya was a purely evil deity responsible, directly or indirectly, for the existence of every other evil being in the world. Unlike his wise but mischieveous brother Iktomi, Iya was a destroyer intent upon making people suffer. In addition to these principal gods, a legion of lesser dieties influenced the daily lives of the Lakota. The Lakota people believe that after death, a deceased person's soul goes to the happy hunting ground, a realm that resembles the world of the living, but with better weather, and more animals that are much easier to hunt than they are in the world of the living.