LAKOTA COSMIC EIKASIA

BASED ON THE WORK OF RONALD GOODMAN’S

LAKOTA STAR KNOWLEDGE

“MITAKUYE OYASIN!”

“We are all related!”“All my relations!”

WHOW ARE THESE PEOPLE?

• SINCE 1640, COMMONLY KNOWN AS “SIOUX”• THE FRENCH ASKED THE NEARBY

WINNEBAGOS WHO RESPONDED:Nadowe-is-iw-ug, “The smaller enemy”

(as opposed to the Iroquois who were the “bigger” enemy)

• The French heard Naduesiu, which became“Sioux” in English

Oceti Sakowin

“THE SEVEN FIREPLACES”Seven “tribes” of

linguistic and cultural cousins

Oceti ShakowinPOLITICAL NAME LANGUAGE DIALECT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

TETON (1)“Prairie Dwellers”

1) LAKOTA(Oglala, Sicangu, Hunkpapa, Mnikowoju. Sihasapa, Oohenunpa, Itazipco)

WESTERN

YANKTON (2) NAKOTA2)Yankton3)Yanktonais

MIDDLE

SANTEE (4) DAKOTA4)Mdewakanton 5) Wahpeton6) Sisseton7) Wapekute

EASTERN

Oceti Shakowin• Occupied the upper Mississippi River area

for over 2000 years.• The Teton (Lakota) moved West to the

prairie land of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Wyoming

• Carefully observed the star constellations in relation to the seasons and the geography

Oceti Shakowin

WHEN THEY ACQUIRED THE HORSE, THEY BECAME VERY

PROFICIENT HORSEMEN, WARRIORS AND BUFFALO

HUNTERS

APPROACHING NATIVE ICONS

FOUR MAIN INTERACTIVE FACTORS:THE PEOPLETHE LAND

THE POWERSTHE CEREMONIES

THE EXPERIENCE OF DIRECTIONALITY

• OUR SENSE OF DIRECTION COMES FROM OUR EXPERIENCE OF BODIEDNESS:

• LOCATION IN THE COSMOS• WE HAVE FOUR SIDES (4)• WE ARE SITUATED IN THE MIDDLE (1)• BETWEEN UP AND DOWN (2)THUS THERE ARE SEVEN DIRECTIONS (7)

DIRECTIONAL STRUCTURE OF COSMOS

EARTH SURFACE VALUE STRUCTURE

LAKOTA MONTHS/SEASONS

DIRECTIONS LINK TO HIGHER VALUES

A TIPI IS A MICRO-COSMOS

AN ICON OF LAKOTA COSMOS

A LAKOTA HIDE MAP OF BLACK HILLS

CORRESPONDING STAR PATTERNS

CHART LINKING STARS TO LAND

ANNUAL MIGRATION BASED ON STARS