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Translations Of Texts. Wakan

Wakan.

(By Sword, Translated by Burt Means.)

Wakan means very many things. The Lakota understands what it means from the things that are considered "wakan"; yet sometimes its meaning must be explained to him. It is something that is hard to understand. Thus "wasica wakan", means a white man medicineman; but a Lakota medicineman is called "pejuta wacasa". "Wicasa wakan" is the term for a Lakota priest of the old religion. The white people call our "wicasa wakan", medicineman, which is a mistake. Again, they say a "wicasa wakan" is making medicine when he is performing ceremonies. This is also a mistake. The Lakota call a thing a medicine only when it is used to cure the sick or the wounded, the proper term being "pejuta". When a priest uses any object in performing a ceremony that object becomes endowed with a spirit, not exactly a spirit, but something like one, the priests call it "tonwan" or "ton". Now anything that thus acquires "ton" is "wakan", because it is the power of the spirit or quality that has been put into it. A "wicasa wakan" has the power of the "wakan" beings.

The roots of certain plants are "wakan" because they are poisonous. Likewise some reptiles are "wakan" because if they bite they would kill. Again, some birds are "wakan" because they do very strange things and some animals are "wakan" because the "wakan" beings make them so. In other words, anything may be "wakan" if a "wakan" spirit goes into it. Thus a crazy man is "wakan" because the bad spirit has gone into him.

Again, if a person does something that cannot be understood, that is also "wakan". Drinks that make one drunk are "wakan" because they make one crazy.

Every object in the world has a spirit and that spirit is "wakan". Thus the spirit of the tree or things of that kind, while not like the spirit of man, are also "wakan".

Wakan comes from the "wakan" beings. These "wakan" beings are greater than mankind in the same way that mankind is greater than animals. They are never born and never die. They can do many things that mankind cannot do. Mankind can pray to the "wakan" beings for help. There are many of these beings but all are of four kinds. The word "Wakan Tanka" means all of the "wakan" beings because they are all as if one. "Wakan Tanka Kin" signifies the chief or leading "Wakan" being which is the Sun. However, the most powerful of the "Wakan" beings is "Nagi Tanka", the Great Spirit who is also "Taku Skanskan"; "Taku Skanskan" signifies the Blue, in other words, the Sky.

p. 153

Iya is a "Wakan Tanka", but he is an evil "Wakan Tanka". Mankind is permitted to pray to the "Wakan" beings. If their prayer is directed to all the good "Wakan" beings they should pray to "Wakan Tanka"; but if the prayer is offered only to one of these beings, then the one addressed should be named.

Wakan Tanka is pleased with music. He likes to hear the drums and the rattles. When any of the "Wakan" beings hear the drum and the rattles they always give attention. He is also fond of the smoke of sweetgrass and evil Wakan beings are afraid of the smoke of sage. All of the "Wakan" both the good and evil, are pleased with the smoke of the pipe.

The "Wicasa Wakan" or priests, speak for all the "Wakan" beings. "Wakan Tanka" gives them the power that makes them "Wakan" and by which they can put "ton" into anything. Each priest has an object for himself into which "ton" has been put. This is called a "Wasicun". A "Wasicun" is one of the "Wakan" beings. It is the least of them, but if its "ton" is from a powerful being it may be more powerful than many of the "Wakan" beings. This "Wasicun" is what the priests do their work with, but the white people call it the medicine bag, which is a mistake, for there are no medicines in it. A medicine bag is a bag that doctors have their medicines in. If a man has a "Wasicun" he may pray to it, for it is the same as the "Wakan" being whose "ton" ("wan") is in it.

The earth and the rock and the mountains pertain to the chief "Wakan". We do not see the real earth and the rock, but only their "tonwanpi".

When a Lakota prays to "Wakan Tanka" he prays to the earth and to the rock and all the other good "Wakan" beings. If a man wishes to do evil things he may pray to the evil "Wakan".
physical journey text| mazikana rolla sabah yana yana
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