Wakan Tanka

WAKAN TANKA.

(By Sword.)

When Wakan Tanka wishes one of mankind to do something he makes his wishes known either in a vision or through a shaman.. . . The shaman addresses Wakan Tanka as Tobtob Kin. This is part of the secret language of the shamans.. . . . Tobtob Kin are four times four gods while Tob Kin is only the four winds. The four winds is a god and is the akicita or messenger of all the other gods. The four times four are: Wikan and Hanwikan; Taku Skanskan and Tatekan and Tob Kin and Yumnikan; Makakan and Wohpe; Inyankan and Wakinyan; Tatankakan; Hunonpakan; Wanagi; Waniya; Nagila; and Wasicunpi. These are the names of the good Gods as they are known to the people.

Wakan Tanka is like sixteen different persons; but each person is kan. Therefore, they are all only the same as one . . . . All the God persons have ton. Ton is the power to do supernatural things . . . . Half of the good Gods are ton ton (have physical properties) and half are ton ton sni (have no physical properties). Half of those who are ton ton are ton ton yan (visible), and half of those who are ton ton sni are ton ton yan sni (Invisible). All the other Gods are visible or invisible as they choose to be . . . . All the evil Gods are visible or invisible as they choose to be . . . . The invisible Gods never appear in a vision except to a Shaman . . . . Except for the Sun dance, the ceremonies for the visible and the invisible Gods differ. The Sun dance is a ceremony the same as if Wikan were both visible and invisible. This is because Wi is the chief of the Gods. . . .