The Lakota people, known as ‘allies or friends’, were religious and relied on naked eye observations of the stars for spiritual guidance. The stars not only conveyed creation stories but also held information about birth and sun dance rituals. The Lakota highly valued their oral traditions passed down through generations and considered religion an essential aspect of their daily lives, seamlessly blending into their everyday activities. Furthermore, they followed seven sacred rites granted to them by the White Buffalo Calf Pipe.
The sacred pipe, an ancient artifact passed down through generations, is believed to only be handled by those with good intentions and possess knowledge of its proper use. Legend states that a divine spirit bestowed the pipe upon the Lakota people as a symbol of peace and spirituality. Today, the Lakota people offer prayers to this spirit for protection and provision for their loved ones, believing she nourishes and shelters them. One ritual involves using a sweat lodge, representing the shape of the universe and a pregnant woman’s womb, where prayers are offered for the well-being and vitality of all.
During a ceremony held in the lodge, they offered prayers for the well-being of their loved ones, both physically and spiritually. Inside the dark lodge, hot stones were placed and water was poured over them, resulting in the production of steam. This ritual incorporated all the necessary elements for good health: earth, water, fire, and air (Powers, 2005). The second ritual involves shedding tears while seeking a vision. An individual embarks on a vision quest by spending four days on a hill with only a pipe and blanket, hoping to establish a connection with spirits and gain wisdom. After completing a vision quest, the Lakota would often create a special war shield.
The shield’s design aimed to provide special protection and guidance, often suggesting that the central element of their visions should be featured on the shields. Another rite, known as the keeping of the spirit, involved setting up a designated space for the deceased’s spirit and taking care of it for a year to purify the soul (Powers, 2005). An annual gathering called the Sun Dance brings the Lakota people together, with some participants voluntarily dancing and offering their own flesh in hopes of granting strength to their nation.
Many individuals also engage in these practices in hopes of fulfilling personal vows. The Sun Dance is considered to be the most significant ceremony for the Lakota tribe. The vision quest entails a solitary man on a hilltop communicating with the mysterious power, while the sun dance involves the entire community connecting with nature and various spirits (Powers, 2005). The fifth rite of the Lakota people is known as making relatives, which involves formally adopting individuals as family. The sixth rite is the puberty ceremony, where a young woman is acknowledged as a woman capable of giving birth.
During the ceremony, prayers are believed to ensure that the young girl will develop all the virtues of a Lakota woman. The seventh ritual involves a game where a ball is thrown. The girl throws the ball into the air and the young man who catches it is considered more fortunate and knowledgeable than the others (Powers, 2005). Following the Sun Dance, self-sacrifice takes place as it is believed to be connected to the creation of life. It is believed that the Earth and sky were created when Inyan, “The Rock,” gave his own blood. The Rock was one of the first superior gods.
In the beginning, when nothing else living existed, Inyan was present. In order to utilize his powers, there needed to be a living creature. Therefore, he made a sacrifice by giving a part of himself—his blood—and spreading it in the form of a disc to create Maka, or Earth. The blue waters of Earth were formed from his blue blood. Today, Lakota Sun Dancers partake in the rejuvenation of life by emulating this mythical act of self-sacrifice (Goodman, 1992). Similar to how Inyan sacrificed his blood to fashion our world, the sun dancers willingly offer their own flesh and blood as a symbolic recreation of the world and the revitalization of life on our planet each year.
Men and women participate in the sun dance ritual by tying themselves to the Center Tree and cutting flesh from their arms. These sacrifices are performed in order to ensure the survival of the world and its inhabitants. The sun dance is a celebration of life, with no distinction between individuals (Goodman, 1992). In Lakota Star Knowledge, Goodman explains that the circle of life should ideally be a cycle encompassing giving, receiving, enduring suffering, growing, evolving, and returning to the earth what has been received, ultimately leading to rebirth. Thus, it is believed that true identity can only be found through sacrifice.
The Lakota people hold the belief that sacrifices and suffering are necessary for true freedom and joy. They perceive life as an ongoing journey, in which each person has a distinct purpose that benefits the entire community. The Lakota Oral Traditions possess immense importance because they encompass four levels of consciousness: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. These stories correspond to the four stages of life experienced by every individual: childhood, adolescence, maturity, and old age. When someone passes away, one of their four souls ascends to the Milky Way.
The Lakota believe in an old wise woman who evaluates the spirits of individuals and determines whether they will ascend to the heavens or return to earth for another opportunity at a harmonious life (Mizrach, n. d.). The dividing point of the Milky Way indicates the two separate paths for these departing souls. Those who led an immoral existence are directed down the Milky Way’s path, leading them to a nebula where they endlessly journey through space. On the other hand, those who lived a virtuous life take the alternate route towards the promised abode of departed souls. This explains why the birth of a child holds significant importance for the Lakota, as they maintain the most recent connection with the spirit realm (Powers, 2005).
The Lakota people value the stars greatly, as seen in their belief that after death, the spirit first heads to the Milky Way (Mizrach, n. d.). Additionally, the Lakota regard birth as a sacred event, with midwives chosen by spirits to guide pregnant women through pregnancy and ensure a healthy delivery. During this time, strict dietary guidelines are followed. When the child kicks for the first time, a welcoming ceremony is held where parents and relatives are encouraged to communicate with the unborn child. During labor, the midwife offers prayers to a spirit known as “blue woman.”
The role of the blue woman is to assist in the process of opening the womb and ensuring a successful birth. Additionally, she plays a role in the re-incarnation of spirits and guides them back to their place of origin in the stars after death (Goodman, 1992). Following the birth, a ceremonial cleansing is performed on the child. This involves burning sage to remove any negative energy surrounding the birth. The baby is then bathed, and a selected woman extracts mucus from its mouth. By placing her fingers in the baby’s mouth, she transfers some of her own character traits to the baby, emphasizing the importance of careful selection for this role. Finally, the umbilical cord is placed in a pouch shaped like a turtle or salamander, as both animals are believed to foster positive character qualities.
The Lakota people deeply value the entire birth process, seeing it as a sacred ceremony that reflects their appreciation for life and re-incarnation. In order to carry out this process, knowledge of constellations such as the turtle, salamander, and the big dipper, where the blue woman resides, is crucial (Goodman, 1992). Religion plays a significant role in the lives of the Lakota people as they incorporate it into every stage of life. They rely on their understanding of star knowledge and Lakota oral traditions to meet the requirements of each life stage. For important life events and ceremonies like the sun dance, childbirth, and sacred rites, they seek spiritual guidance from religious figures and spirits.
References
The following sources are referenced in the text:
– Goodman, Ronald. Lakota Star Knowledge: Studies in Lakota Stellar Theology. Rosebud, SD: Sinte Gleska University, 1992.
– Mizrach, S. (n. d.). Lakota Astronomy. Retrieved November 2, 2012, from http://www2.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/lakota.htm.
– Powers, William K., James Garrett, and Kathleen J. Martin. “Lakota Religious Traditions.” Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. Vol. 8. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 5295-5298. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 October 2012.
– Yellowtail, Thomas. Native Spirit: The Sundance Way. Ed by Michael Oreon Fitzgerald. Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2007.
