The spirit path, the road the soul takes while traveling towards the ancestors world. Have you met the old woman yet? http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/24/dung-beetles-navigate-via-the-milky-way-an-animal-kingdom-first/
Religious Beliefs
The Lakota believe the supreme reality is Wakan Tanka, meaning most sacred, which is actually sixteen separate entities. There are sixteen because it is a derivative of four, which is a sacred number because there are four cardinal directions. The Lakota pay reverence to the Wakan Tanka by honoring the four cardinal directions, the sun, the earth, and fellow man. Honor to these things is honor to Wakan Tanka, because Wakan Tanka created these things.
The Lakota believe that when one dies, four souls leave them. One soul travels across the spirit path, the Milky Way, to meet an old women. The old women judges the soul, and if it's good, it can go on to the other world, the world of the ancestors. If it is bad, it has to go back to earth as a ghost. The other three have parts of them put into newborns.
The Lakota have many myths detailing the start of the world and the creation of humans. One such tale speaks of a spirit called Inktomi, the trickster. Inktomi taught the first humans their customs and many other lessons. The stories of Inktomi also serve as a lesson to the children. Inkotomi made many mistakes, and the children learn what not to do because of him.
The Lakota believe that when one dies, four souls leave them. One soul travels across the spirit path, the Milky Way, to meet an old women. The old women judges the soul, and if it's good, it can go on to the other world, the world of the ancestors. If it is bad, it has to go back to earth as a ghost. The other three have parts of them put into newborns.
The Lakota have many myths detailing the start of the world and the creation of humans. One such tale speaks of a spirit called Inktomi, the trickster. Inktomi taught the first humans their customs and many other lessons. The stories of Inktomi also serve as a lesson to the children. Inkotomi made many mistakes, and the children learn what not to do because of him.
An artist's rendition of the vision quest. http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.com/2014/08/carpe-diem-quest-1-day-1-2014.html
Religous Practices
One important ritual to the Lakota is the vision quest. A vision quest is the primary way a Lakota accesses their spiritual power, which will help them in their hunting, warfare, and healing. It is always done under the watchful eye of a medicine man/woman. The medicine man gives the quester specific instructions on what to do and interprets the visions afterwards. First, the quester is taken to a sweat lodge. Under a tent that represents the universe, hot stones are placed in a circle. The medicine man puts water on the stones, creating steam. The quester sweats, purifying their body and soul. Then, the quester us sent far away to be alone, where they sit or perform certain rituals, where eventually a vision comes to them. After, the quester returns to camp where the medicine man interprets the vision, which affects the quester the rest of their life.
Another important ritual to the Lakota is the Sun Dance. The Sun Dance is usually done in summer, preparing for the annual bison hunt. To prepare, a cottonwood trunk is chosen, chopped down, then ritually taken to the place the dance will take place. The cottonwood is then decorated with six different colored flags to represent the six directions; north, south, east, west, up, and down. The tree represents the center of the universe, the axis mundi, where the sky touches the ground. The Sun Dance is usually led by a medicine man, but some tribes choose women of outstanding character to lead. The Dance consists of long periods of dancing while facing the sun. Some dancers attach themselves to the tree, then run around it once, then three times the other way, then run faster to pull the hooks out of their bodies. The Sun Dance is danced to honor Wakan Tanka.
Another important ritual to the Lakota is the Sun Dance. The Sun Dance is usually done in summer, preparing for the annual bison hunt. To prepare, a cottonwood trunk is chosen, chopped down, then ritually taken to the place the dance will take place. The cottonwood is then decorated with six different colored flags to represent the six directions; north, south, east, west, up, and down. The tree represents the center of the universe, the axis mundi, where the sky touches the ground. The Sun Dance is usually led by a medicine man, but some tribes choose women of outstanding character to lead. The Dance consists of long periods of dancing while facing the sun. Some dancers attach themselves to the tree, then run around it once, then three times the other way, then run faster to pull the hooks out of their bodies. The Sun Dance is danced to honor Wakan Tanka.
Artist's rendition of Wakan Tanka and other spirits. http://odlopez.weebly.com/myths-and-legends.html
Social Orginization
A medicine man or women leads their people through any spiritual expirences. Most teachings come from oral tradition. Parents teach children, who pass it down to their children.
Bear Lodge Butte, a sacred place for the Lakota. Lakota legend tells that wisdom was born here. https://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm
Maps
Left: http://www.wilderutopia.com/traditions/life-and-death-lakota-spiritual-practice/
Right: http://www.snowwowl.com/peoplesioux.html
Right: http://www.snowwowl.com/peoplesioux.html
Both of these maps show land that should have been given back to the Lakota that wasn't. Since the Lakota Sioux religion doesn't really have any set holy places, I figured showing all of their land would do the trick.