Anog Ite Originally Ite, daughter of Skan and wife of Tate. Caught in a dubious seduction, she was condemnd to have two faces, one beuatiful and the other hideous. A figure of disharmony, of turning aside from tradition. She appears in dreams to young women, offering to teach them crafts, quilling in particular, which was a skill in which pracitioners did not follow social norms.

Anp Spirit of light, partcularly the reddish sunlight of dawn, sourceless radiance.

Capa The Beaver Source and patron of hard work and domestic tranquility.

Cetan The Hawk Source and patron of swiftness in action, and inner stamina.

Han Spirit of Darkness Pre-existant to all things, Han and Anp follow each other to exile beneath Maka and return, balancing light and dark.

Hanwi The wandering Moon; created by Wi to accompany him.

Hehaka The (male) Elk The source and patron of sexuality and intimacy.

Heyoka The Spirit of Perversity and Chaos, both a divine entity and the effects of the spirit upon humans. Double-faced, showing joy on one side and grief on the other. He is the source of meteors, and people who dream of Wakinyan often become heyokas - doing everything backwards. These are known afterwards for their healing powers, and powers of dream interpretation, although they go through life terrified of thunder and lightening.

Hihankara (Owl-Maker) A crone Goddess who stands at the entrance to the Sky-Road (the Milky Way). She examines each who approaches, and if they do not have the correct tattoos, she pushes them from the path and they fall back to earth to wander as ghosts.

Hnaska The Frog Source and patron of sorcery and magic.

Hogan The Fish Source and patron of water, particularly as a cleanser and purifier.

Iktinike Son of Wi Banished to earth by Wi for telling lies.

Iktomi Son of Inyan Somewhat spider-like, he has the power to speak to all things, living or inanimate. He gave the power of speech to humans and can talk to Wakinyan, He is regarded as heyoka, wise but a prankster, responsible for many difficulties humans have. He panics animals, and can shapechange or become invisible.

Inyan Primal being, sourceless and source of all. Because he was lonely, he separated a piece of Himself, Maka, in order to have a place to be. The act of creation made him lose power, and he became rock. His blood was water that became all the rivers, streams, and lakes. A passive force from then on, He created Wakinyan to be his active counterpart. Iktomi and Iya are his sons. He is the spirit of Wakan Tanka.

Iya An evil child of Inyan, responsible, directly or indirectly, for all evil beings in the world. He brings only destruction and woe.

Ka The first woman; wife of Wa and the mother of Ite. Banished to Earth and separated from Wa she became known as Kanka, a great witch. If she chooses, she helps or hinders those she encounters.

Keya The Turtle Source and patron of health, safety, and healing rituals, especially surgery, general protection.

Maka The Earth Created by Inyan from his own substance. Maka was unsatisfied, cold and barren or too hot until Skan created Anp and Han to follow one another in regular order.

Mato The Bear Source and patron of passion, also a mischieveous healer.

Mica Coyote Trickster divinity especially involved in Ta Tanka Lowanpi, the girls puberty rite ritual wherein young women carefully wrap their first blood and place it in a tree so that hte spirits of the tree will aid in their fertility. Mica tries to carry the bundles off so that he may control the girl.

Okaga A fertility spirit associated with the South as bringer of the south winds and warm weather.

Skan Spirit of Sky who created Wi and the order of the movement of the sun.

Sungmanito The Wolf Source and patron of the hunt and of war.

Sunka The Dog Source and patron of faithfullness and companionship.

Taku Skanskan Chaos, master of the 4 winds, master of the 4 night spirits(Fox, Raven, Vulture, Wolf), he directs these in bringing change, usually negative, (disease, war, famine), but sometimes helpful, (warm winds from the south bringing Spring).

Ta Tanka The (male) Buffalo Source and patron of plentiful food, health, and general tribal well-being. He is magical as well, teaching proper rituals. Almost unique among totem spirits, Ta Tanka is regarded as remaining within the physical remains of the animal, especially the skull. He is the defender of young women's menstrual bundles Mica tries to steel.

Tatankan Gnaskiyan (Crazy Buffalo) An evil spirit who wreaks havoc upon love affairs, causing fighting, murders, or suicides.

Tate The Wind Created by Skan to be His companion, Tate took Ite as His wife. She bore Him four sons, but was banished. Tate recieved permission for them to dwell upon Maka. They settle in the middle of the world, where Tate sends his four elder sons to the cardinal points, to establish dominion over them.

Unhcegila An evil spirit that dwells in secret places, resembling a large reptile. Disappearances and mysterious deaths are attributed to him.

Unk (Contention) Created to be a companion for Maka by Inyan the mother of Iya. She was the cause of fighting and other problems, so she was banished to the depths of the waters, where she, with Iya, became the progenitor of all evil beings.

Unktehi A group of of spirits, males living within water and females on land. Often dangerous or malignant they cause flooding and contaminate water sources. They are also teachers, instructing humans in body painting for ceremonial purposes.

Wa The first man; husband of Ka and father of Ite. He aided Ite so was banished to Earth and separated from Ka. Here, he became known as Wazi, great wizard. He helps or hinders those he encounters as he choses.

Wakan Not a God or spirit but a central concept to Lakota belief. The name means "mystery", "something marvellous", "a sacred essence". It is an impersonal force within all things, animate and inanimate alike. Some things have more of it than others. Many things, language, food is wakan, medicine (magic), birth and death are wakan.

To be a Wicasa Wakan, (shaman), is to develop a great deal of wakan within and to utilize this in rituals, dream interpretation, healing and understanding hanbloglaka, the language of the spirit world.

Wakanpi General term for spirits, supernatural beings, Gods and Goddesses. Both good and bad, all watch over humans and expect proper ceremonies to be executed in their honor.

Wakan Tanka The Great Mystery, called by non-Native Americans, "Great Spirit". Wakan Tanka is the supreme power of the universe in a sense. The term referrs on one level to the spiritual powers of the universe assembled together around a council fire. It is a council of spirits however, and a single entity. So in Wakan Tanka is the collective power of all Gods and other entities. Together, they are one. Wakan Tanka controlls all space and time, and is present in all things.

Underlying Wakan Tanka is the spirit Inyan, who caused all things to be by sacrificing his own essence, thereby infusing all things with it, animate and innanimate. Wakan Tanka can be addressed directly in prayer and ritual, but His influence in the material world is diffused through his elements and aspects.

Wakinyan, the Mysterious Flyers, Thunderbirds These appear in the mythologies of a number of Indian nations. Among the Lakota, four types are recognized, all living in the west, flying above the clouds and having created the grasses. They offer protection to humans from Waziya. Their voices are thunder, and they are eternally at war with the Unktehi, though generally peaceful creatures. To speak with them, even in a dream, is to become heyoka.

Wamaka Nagi The soul of an animal, usually the tamed favorite of a person. Dogs or horses were often burried with their deceased masters so they could accompany them on the Sky Road (the Milky Way).

Wambli The Eagle Overseer of battle and hunting kills and
sSource and patron of councils, especially war or hunting councils.

Wanagi The soul (nagi) of a dead person. (The soul in a living person is a Woniya). Wanagi leave the earth to travel the Sky Road (the Milky Way), but first they must successfully pass Hihankara.

Wani The four elder sons of Tate, the cardinal points and the four winds. They have authority over health, fertility, and the weather in general individually. As the single entity called Wani, they combined/He control inner strength and vitality.

Wasicun Not a God or Goddess in and of itself, and not exactly an animate spirit, Wasicun is still an important Lakota concept. It represents anything hidden or mysterious, or the container that such a thing is held in.

A shamans' medicine bag is Wasicun. These ojects, together with the bag they are in, are thought to take on an independent existence in their own right, and so must be carefully handled. The term can be applied to any of a wide variety of beings or occurrances of mystery and power.

Waziya (Blower-From-Snow-Pines) The north wind, bringer of winter, famine and disease. He also guards the aurora borealis, (dancing sky). He has special control over ice and snow.

Wi The Sun, moderated by the eternal dance of Anp and Han. "Wi" can refer to either the sun or the moon, Anneptu Wi (Daytime Wi, the sun) and Hanhepi Wi (Niighttime Wi, the moon)

Wiyohipeyata The West, Spirit that has authority over all things that happen by night, as it is the West Wind that is associated with completion.

Wiyohiyanpa The East Spirit wth authority over all things that happen by day, associated with the East Wind and beginnings.

Wohpe Daughter of Skan A Goddess of perfect beauty and form, of complete joyful spirit. She teaches games, social graces, and dances. She gave the proper use of the pipe rituals, and the ceremonial usage of tobacco to people in the form of the White Buffalo Maiden. She also created the Lakota calendar.

Wo Nagi The spiritual essence, of food. All things, whether animate or inanimate, have souls in Lakota teachings, and food is no exception. Neglecting reverence for your provisions can anger the Wakanpi.

Yum The Whirlwind, fifth child of Tate and Ite. He rules good and bad luck in games and love.

Zuzeca The Snake Source and patron of hidden things, concealed knowledge, and bold-faced lies.



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