Wakan Tanka

By Crusader1307

The Spirituality of The Native American Lakota Sioux is quite complex. They gave a rich and vibrant Theology which assigns World and Human Creation to various Gods. The pinnacle of The Sioux Pantheon is an Entity known as ''Wakan Tanka''. ''He'' is seen as (and referred to) The ''Great Spirit'' and resonates on the same level as The Western Christianity ideology of ''God''. Wakan Tanka is seen as ''All and Everything'' in relations to The Earth. It was He that created The Heavens and Earth and placed The Lakota on it. As His ''Cherished People'' (of which The Sioux simply refer to themselves as ''The People''), Wakan Tanka can be ''visited'' (or invoked) through a preparation ritual involving Fasting and raising the body temperature thru convection heat (eg ''Sweat Lodge''). So ''prepared'', the ''Faithful'' can commune with Wakan Tanka. Normally, anyone can perform this task – but it was reserved for Marriage, War Council and various Manhood initiation Rites. With European (and American) contacts, The Sioux had no way to adequately describe the exact personification of Wakan Tanka. Some Sioux ascribe The Deity to a ''Great White Buffalo'' (White being a sacred color). The animal is seen as a very important source of life to The Tribe, who hunted the animal for not only food but clothing and related. In fact, everything was used on the carcass. Most non-Native Americans began to associated this as the reason for The Deity being revered as a ''God''. However, many other Sioux state that Wankan Tanka has been ''seen in visions'' as a ''beautiful woman'' ''Owl'' or other respected animal.