LAKOTA LEGEND OF CREATION

This is the legend of how the Lakota were born. But first, you should know the names of the Lakota Gods.

SUPERIOR GODS

~Wakan Tanka -- the Great Spirit, the Creator, Grandfather
~Inyan-the Rock -- Ancestor of all gods and all things
~Maka-Mother Earth -- Mother of all living things
~Skan-Father Sky -- source of strength and power; Judge of gods and spirits.
~Wi-the Sun -- all-powerful Great God, ranked first; defender of the four Lakota values: bravery, fortitude, generosity and fidelity.

LESSER GODS
~Hanwi-the Moon -- wife of the Sun; sets the time for important undertakings.
~Tate-the Wind -- servant of Father Sky (Skan); controls the seasons; leads the spirits to the Spirit Trail (Milky Way).
~Whope-the Morning Star -- servant of Mother Earth, daughter of the Sun and Moon; known as the Beautiful One. She is the Great Mediator, the patron of harmony and pleasure.

MINOR GODS / GOD-LIKE
~Buffalo -- the people of the Sun
~Stars -- the people of the Sky
~Eagle -- Messenger of the Gods
~Wolf -- Guide
~Four Winds -- quadruplet children of Tate and Ite. Okaga-the South wind
~Yumni-the Whirlwind --youngest child of Tate and Ite
~Spirits
~Ghosts

EVIL GODS /EVIL ONES
~Iya-the Cyclone -- God of all evil
~Iktomi-the spider -- first son of Rock (Inyan); known as the Trickster
~Waziya-the Old Man -- lived beneath the earth with his wife, Wakanka, aka a Warlock
~Wakanka-the Old Woman -- the Witch
~Ite, later becomes Anung Ite-daughter of Waziya and Wakanka -- the Double-faced Woman

The creation story began long, long ago when Waziya, the Old Man, lived beneath the earth with his wife, Wakanka. Their daughter, Ite, grew to be the most beautiful of women, thereby captivating the attention of one of the Lesser Gods, Tate, the Wind. Though not a Goddess, Ite became the wife of Tate who lived at the entrance of the Spirit Trail. She bore Tate four sons, quadruplets--the North, West, East and South Winds. The first son became cruel and hard to get along with, so Tate took his position as first son and gave it to his boisterous second son, West Wind. Thus, the order of the Winds became West, North, East and South.

Because of the association with the influential good and helpful Gods through the marriage of Ite,his daughter, to Tate (the Wind) Waziya (the Old Man) became dissatisfied and yearned to have the power of the true Gods.

Iktomi (spider), the Trickster, always anxious to further discontentment and promote ridicule, bargained with Waziya (the Old Man) and Wakanka (the Old Woman) and Ite (their daugher), promising them great power and further beauty for Ite if they would assist him in making the others appear ridiculous. He even promised Ite that her enhanced beauty would rival that of the Goddess Hanwi (the Moon) who was the pledged wife of the great Sun God, Wi. So Waziya, Wakanka and Ite agreed to Iktomi's bargain.

Possessed of a charm given her by Iktomi(the Spider), Ite became more and more conscious of her beauty and less and less devoted to the welfare of her four sons, the Four Winds. At this time, Sun saw Ite and, struck by her incredible beauty, invited Ite to sit beside him at the feast of the Gods. When the time for the feast arrived, Ite came early. Finding the place next to Wi, the Sun, vacant, she took it. Sun was pleased. When Hanwi,the Moon finally arrived, she saw her seat had been taken, and she was so ashamed that she hid her face from the laughing people, covering it with a robe. And Iktomi, the planner of this event out-laughed everyone.

After the feast, Skan, the Sky God and Judge of all the Gods, called a Council meeting. He asked for the stories of Wi, the Sun, who had forsaken his wife; of Ite, who dared take the place of a Goddess; and of Wakanka and Waziya,Ite's parents, who had wished for god-like powers; and Iktomi, the schemer. Then Skan, Father Sky, passed his Judgement.

Sun was to lose the comfort of his wife, Moon. He was to rule only in the day, allowing Moon to rule at night. Whenever they were together, Moon would always cover her face in shame. Ite's sentence was severe because of her vanity and negligence of motherly and wifely duties. She would give premature birth to her next son,Yumni the Whirlwind who would be unlike all other children, and her children would not live with her but with their father, Tate. She was, furthermore, instructed to return to the world and live without friends. Still more, she would remain the most beautiful of women, but only half of her would be so. The other half would be so horribly ugly that people would be terrified at the sight of her. Henceforth, she would be called Anung-Ite, the Doublefaced Woman.

Wakanka and Waziya,her parents, were banished to the edge of the world until they could learn to do good for young children and old people. They too were renamed for their misconduct, becoming known as the Witch and the Old Man, or Wizard.

Iktomi the spider, was also banished to the edge of the world where he was to remain forever friendless. He accepted his judgement with his usual smugness, reminding Skan, Father Sky, that he still had the birds and the animals with whom he could live and upon whom he could continue to play pranks.

Tate the Wind, who was also judged for marrying Ite, was instructed to raise his children properly and to do a woman's work. Thus he lived along with his four sons, the Four Winds, and his fifth son, little Yumni, the Whirlwind, in their home beyond the pines in the land of the ghosts. Each day his sons travel over the world according to his instructions.

One day, as the Four Winds were on their tours away from home, a shining object appeared outside of Tate's tipi. Tate looked out and saw a lovely young woman, beautifully dressed. Tate asked her who she was and where she came from. She replied that her name was Whope, the Morning Star, and that she came from the Star People, that her father was Wi the Sun and her mother, Hanwi the Moon, and that she had been sent to the world to find friends.

When the Four Winds and Whirlwind returned home, they were surprised to find that their father had taken a woman. But after Whope had prepared her favorite meal for each of them, and no matter how much they ate, their plates remained full, they realized that she was a Goddess. They learned that their father treated her, not as a wife, but as a daughter. They welcomed her into their lodge.

Soon, each brother wanted Whope as his wife and competed with one another in showing her favors. Tate decided to hold a feast,to solve the dilemna, to which all the Gods were invited. At this feast Tate honored his guests with gifts. Many told stories of their power and there was much dancing. Then the Gods asked Tate how they might please him. He told them that if they honored his daughter, Whope, he himself would be pleased. Then they asked Whope what she wanted. Whope arose and stood by Okaga, the South Wind, who folded his robe around her. "I want a tipi for Okaga and myself, a place for him and his brothers." So her wish was granted and Whope became Okaga's wife. And then, as a present for the couple, the Gods made them the world and all there is in it.

The banished Waziya and his family were also involved in the story. In the beginning, the Wizard, the Witch, their daughter, the Double-faced Woman, and Iktomi, the Trickster, were the only people on earth. Iktomi grew tired of playing pranks on birds and animals. He had fun doing it, but they never showed any shame over their misfortunes. So he again went to Anung-Ite, asking her what she most desired. She told him that if she would tell him, he should never resort to tricks and pranks again. She explained that she was lonely for her people. She explained that if her people tasted meat and learned about clothes and tipis, they would want such things and come to where they could be found. With these instructions, Iktomi then went to the wolves, seeking their aid in bringing humankind to earth. Again, in return for help, Iktomi swore to abandon his pranks. The wolves agreed to this and Iktomi instructed them to drive moose, deer, and bears to Anung-Ite's tipi, where she would prepare food, clothing and tipis to entice humankind.

Then Iktomi gave to one of the wolves a bundle, which Anung-Ite had prepared containing tasty meat and fancy clothing for the man and woman. He then directed the animal to take the bundle to the entrance of the cave which opened into the world. This is Wind Cave, in South Dakota. The wolf did as instructed and when it saw a brave young man apart from the others, it presented the bundle, telling the young man to taste the meat and advising him and his wife to wear the clothing. The wolf told the young man that the people also should be allowed to taste the meat and see the clothing, and that there were many such things as these above the earth. The young man, Tokahe, the First One, was pleased to do this, for now he would be considered a leader. When the people tasted the meat and saw the clothes Tokahe and his wife wore, they were envious and asked how they too might obtain such things. The oldest man of the group then directed that three brave men accompany Tokahe to find out where such good things were to be found.

The four young men set out, and led by the wolf, they entered the world from the cave. They were led to a lake where Anung-Ite had pitched her tipi. She appeared to Tokahe and his companions as a beautiful young woman, for she hid her hideous side from them. Iktomi changed his appearence so that he appeared as a handsome young man. The four young men were shown much game which Iktomi had previously arranged with the wolves to have driven past. Anung-Ite gave them many tasty foods and many presents of fine clothing for them and for their people. Iktomi told them that he and his wife were really very old, but by eating this earthly food they remained young and attractive.

When the four young men returned through the cave to their people, they described what they had seen. But an old woman full of great wisdom, doubted such wonders and cautioned them to be wary. The people argued, some wishing to go with Tokahe, others saying that he was a wizard, not to be trusted. When Tokahe offered to lead any who wished to follow him up to the earth, the chief warned them that whoever ventured through the cave to the earth would never find the way back. Nonetheless, six men and their wives and children joined Tokahe, and they left the underworld guided by the Wolf. When they reached the earth it was strange. They became lost and tired, hungry and thirsty. Their children cried. Anung-Ite appeared and tried to comfort them, but they saw the horrible side of her face and ran in terror. Iktomi appeared in his true form and laughed at their misery. Their leader, Tokahe, was ashamed. The realization of Iktomi's falsity and Anung-Ite's ugliness was then eased by the appearance of the Old Man and the Witch, who, according to the prophecy at the time of their banishment, had come to understand the qualities of mercy and tenderness. They appeared to Tokahe and his followers, bringing food and drink. They lead the disheartened group to the land of the pines,now known as Paha Sapa, the Black Hills. They showed them how to live as humans now do. Thus Tokahe and his followers were the first people on earth.

Their descendants are the Lakota.

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