Lakota (Sioux) Indians and Creation

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The Lakota Indians, are sometimes known as the Sioux, but they call themselves the Lakota, which is translated as ‘friend’ or ‘ally’ in their native tongue. Their description of themselves make sense when looking at their seven virtues that they live by, “These are Wóčhekiye (Prayer), Wóohola (Respect), Wówauŋšila (Compassion), Wówičakȟe (Honesty), Wówačhaŋtognaka (Generosity), Wówaȟwala (Humility) and Wóksape (Wisdom) (“Lakota Today”). A culture’s idea of the most importance qualities a good person should have gives a good idea of what kind of people they are. The Lakota’s virtues all revolve around a general concept of respect for everything, compassion, humility, and honesty. These things can either refer to their fellow man, or everything else in existence. This notion of universal respect comes from their creation story and how the Creator, is in everything.
Jace DeCory says, “If you don’t have that philosophical base… the Lakota base of how we look at the world, then there’s a little bit missing from you as a person (DeCory). The importance of religious identity for the Lakota people is told explicitly here. The creation story and emergence tale later described, are what the Lakota people’s entire religion is based on. All religions begin with how the world came into being, and therefore the story of creation is the birth of their faith. Their story of emergence gives them their identity, it tells where they as a people came from, and how they are to survive and behave.
The Lakota Creation story tells the origin of the world, the living creatures that inhabit it, and the Buffalo people. The story begins with Inyan, the creator, a being so powerful that nothing else could exist but him. Then Inyan separated a part of its...

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...ality. Youtube, 2011. Web. 8 Apr 2014. .
Miho, Aida, dir. Oglala Lakota Women and Buffalo. Perf. Charlotte Black Elk, Monica Terkildsen, Doris Respects Nothing, Katela Herakasapa, and Dir. . Youtube, 2013. Film. 8 Apr 2014. .
Halsey, Nick, dir. Lakota Wisdom Keepers. 2008. Web. 8 Apr 2014. .
Hollow Horn Bear, Duane, perf. Duane Hollow Horn Bear - Essential Understanding
Bald Eagle, David, perf. David Bald Eagle - Essential Understanding
Neihardt, John G. Black Elk Speaks. New York City: Washignton Square Press, Print.
"Lakota Today." Red Cloud Indian School. Red Cloud Indian School. Web. 9 Apr 2014. .
DeCory, Jace , perf. Jace DeCory pt 1 Language and Identity - Essential Understanding

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