Lakota Sioux Creation Mythology::

Creation (James R. Walker)

In the beginning there was Inyan (Rock) and Han (Darkness). Inyan was all-powerful, omnipotent. He personified the primal power and the primal mover - the creator of all things. In the beginning, Inyan longed to exercise his power but could not because there was no other upon which he could exercise it. So from his blood, which was blue, he created Sky (Skan) and Earth (Maka). Earth represented materiality and femininity. Sky represented spirituality and masculinity. "Each needs the other and both recognise the role of reciprocity in social life" (Walker 1983: 194).¹ Materiality and spirituality were opposite sides of the same coin. To Maka, Inyan gave a spirit, Maka-akan or Earth spirit. From the blood of his veins Inyan also created the waters, but so much blood drained from him that he became hard and powerless.

Through the process of creation, Inyan was the most superior of the spirits, then Maka and finally Skan. Skan was, according to Walker, the 'almighty' or most holy. He was the Great Spirit who was all-powerful. He was the source of all energy. Like Maka, Inyan also represented materiality.

Maka inherited some of Inyan's discontented spirit and she wanted to be able to see herself so that she could see whether she looked ugly or beautiful. But Inyan was unable to grant her her wish because, in creating Maka his power had been depleted. And so Inyan appealed to Skan to create light so that Maka could see herself and control the waters. "Thus Skan was established as a judge and he is final arbiter of all things" (Walker 1983: 208).

Skan created light by dividing Han (Darkness) into two so that one remained darkness and the other half became Anp (Light). With light Maka saw that she was bare, cold and ugly. She saw how beautiful the blue waters were and declared that she would adorn herself with them. And so Maka "divided the waters into seas, lakes and running streams and she wore them as her ornaments" (Walker 1983: 209).

Then Maka complained about the cold and the unbearable bright light. So Skan created Sun (Wi). He created Wi from parts of the powers of Inyan, Maka, the waters and himself. To Wi he gave a spirit Wi-akan (Sun spirit) and Wi-akan became the fourth superior spirit.

Because Maka demanded it, Skan commanded that Wi create shadows for all material but no spirit things. Skan said, "The shadow of each thing shall be its spirit and shall be with it always" (Walker 1983: 210).

But still Maka was not content. She complained that it was too hot. She begged that Han (Darkness) return to the world so that Maka might rest for a while. So Skan divided time into two equal parts: the daytime and the nighttime. He gave the day to Anp and the night to Han. Wi (Sun) also complained of weariness, so Skan gave Wi mobility to journey across the sky so that he (Wi) could rest each night-time (travelling over the edge of the earth and resting in the regions under it).

However, as yet there were no directions in the universe and Han and Anp and Wi "came and went over the edge of the world whenever it pleased them best" (Walker 1983: 210).

Skan reassembled the order of the spirits. Although Skan retained authority over all, he relegated himself to second place after Wi. Maka came third and Inyan (the source of all) was fourth. But above this hierarchy was Wakan Tanka. Wakan Tanka was the Spirit of spirits and each of the Superior Spirits so far created were only a part of Wakan Tanka.

Skan gave each spirit a domain over which to rule as he or she saw fit. Wi's domain was the above world. Maka's domain was all the lands except for the mountains and high hills. Inyan's domain became the rocks, the mountains and the high hills. Skan retained supreme authority everywhere. After this Skan assigned a colour symbol to each of them. Wi was assigned the colour red. Maka was assigned green. Inyan was assigned yellow and Skan assigned himself the colour blue.

The next major development in this expanding circle of spirits was the creation of complementary aspects. Each spirit created his or her own constant companion in order to alleviate loneliness. Wi created for himself Wi-win (Feminine Sun or Moon). Maka created for herself Unk (Passion) who was so beautiful that Maka soon became jealous of her and cast her out into the waters. Skan created Tate (Wind), and Inyan created for his constant companion Wakinyan (Winged One or Thunderstorm). Wakinyan was shielded by clouds so that nobody could see him. Lightning was said by Lakota mythology to be a glance from Wakinyan's eye. As he was flying, Wakinyan's voice bellowed with thunder whenever he saw anything evil. If the evil thing resisted him then he flashed from his eye a glance that became lightning that destroyed. Wakinyan associated with Tate to cleanse the world.

These 'constant companions' to the Superior Spirits became known as the Associate Spirits. Inyan's union with Wakinyan produced the spirit's first offspring Ksa (Wisdom) who invented languages, pleasant sounds, games, puzzles, and names for all creatures and things. Ksa also told stories and advised the spirits. He became their counsellor. Other offspring followed. Skan produced a daughter Wohpe (Peace or Mediator). She mediated the oppositions between the spirits and all things and so created harmony in the universe. Unk, Maka's companion and personified passion, got involved in incestuous relationships that produced 'perverse' offspring, including a son Iya who was Gnas or Demon. Iya was the evil one who fought Ksa (Wisdom).

Thus we can see that "level after level of the creation drama stresses the need for relationship of all kinds" (Walker 1983: 196).

Due to loneliness Skan created the Wican (Star People, Sunlets) whose chief was North Star. North Star must "remain in one place to marshal all the other stars and direct them on their journey so that they would not become confused, for as yet there were no directions on the world" (Walker 1983: 220).

As relationships diversified the concepts of celebration and sharing together were amplified. The spirits demanded consumption; pleasures that could be tasted and smelled - and so Wakinyan asked Wohpe to blow on some dust to create seeds and plants. The spirits gathered together in the regions under the world to feast on all this newly created food. At the feast new needs were revealed. Wohpe became overwhelmed with all the work she had to do alone and so the Pte (Buffalo) People were created to help her.

During the feast the spirits danced with one another. Unk danced with Heyoka (Wakinyan) but was afraid of him and stumbled and fell as she danced. Because of this "waters are often troubled, and there are waterfalls" (Walker 1983: 223).

It was also during the feast that the spirits were allowed to ask from Skan what he or she most desired, and such wishes would be granted. Wi desired to be the patron of endurance, fortitude and bravery, of all contests, of honesty and reliance. Wi-win wanted to be patron of constancy, kinship, motherhood "and all feminine things" (Walker 1983: 224). Maka desired to be patron of sustenance, shelter, protection, contentment, comfort and happiness. Inyan asked to be patron of construction, destruction, offence and defence, of permanency and change. Wakinyan (Heyoka) wanted the power to combat harmful things, to destroy evil, nourish good and promote growth. Tate (Wind) wanted to be free to come and go over the world as and when he wished, to see all and know all. Unk desired to be the patron of the waters and all that resides upon and in them. Gnas asked to be patron of schemes and plots. Skan wanted to listen to the prayers of his daughter, Wohpe.

Then came the time for the Pte (Buffalo People) to be created. From Inyan, Skan created bones. From Maka he created flesh. From the waters he created red blood. From white fruits Skan created entrails. The masculine figure was moulded after Gnas and the feminine figure was moulded "with the beauty of Wohpe" (Walker 1983: 225).

From himself Skan imparted to each Pte spirit and energy. From Wi was imparted warmth. From Tate came the breath of life, or a ghost. From Ksa came intelligence, awareness and knowledge. From Wakinyan as Heyoka came sicun, which is that which gives power to produce offspring and also gives health and growth. From Wi-win came affection for one another. From Wohpe came longing and love for their offspring.

The two creations were given the names Ate (father) and Hun (Mother). They were created to serve the spirits and as long as they did then they would be happy and receive many favours. Their home would be in the regions under the world where they would increase and be many and be known as Oyate Pte (Buffalo People). In the regions under the world they multiplied and lived a happy and harmonious existence.

More creation follows. Sand is created by the waters, and vegetation (that are ornaments to beautify Maka) such as trees, shrubs, vines and grasses come to life. The forest and the prairies are created. However Gnas spat on the ground whilst helping the spirits to plant and so we have thorny, poisonous plants also. Unk was jealous of all Maka's decorations and wanted beautiful ornaments to adorn her domain (the waters) and so were created water vegetation. Rainwater was created in order to nourish Maka's vegetation. This was facilitated by Wakinyan dipping his robes in water, flying over the ground and squeezing his robes so that they spilled out water.

Flowers, fruits and seeds were created in order to perpetuate the plants because Gnas taunted Maka by breathing on her plants to kill them. Insects, reptiles, birds and beasts were created to impart sounds in order to break the vast silence and to consume the vegetation and one another.

Maka was told that she would forever be in charge of caring for all that exists upon her lands and protect their welfare.

Notes::

• 1 - James R. Walker. 1983. Lakota Myth. Edited by Elaine A. Jahner. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.