The Four Great Virtues

THE FOUR GREAT VIRTUES.

The four great virtues that all Lakota should practise are, bravery, generosity, truthfulness, and begetting children.

Bravery is the greatest virtue a Lakota can practise. If one is brave, he may transgress in many other things and still keep his tipi in the camp circle and sit in the council of the camp. A brave man is eligible to the positions of blotaunka (leader of a war party), wakiconza (magistrate or leader of civil matters), mihunka (elder or arbitrator) and akicita (marshal). His voice will be listened to with respect by everyone and all will do him honor. If he has earned the right to wear the quills of the eagle, he will be consulted in all matters relative to the common welfare, and if he may carry the scalp staff or coup stick, the women will sing songs in his praise.

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Generosity is a virtue second only to bravery. A generous man will be forgiven all transgressions except that of being a coward or a liar. By giving of his possessions a man shows his generosity and by giving to the shamans he is sacrificing to the Gods and thereby gains their favor. A man who gives to the needy is respected by all. If he gives all his possessions he shows bravery and the Gods will not let him want. The Buffalo will provide for him and give him women and children and he will be successful in the chase. His spirit will go on the spirit trail endowed with many goods and he will enter the spirit world with honor and be esteemed there.

To be truthful to friends is the third great virtue that every Lakota should practise. If one is a liar his voice will not be listened to by anyone and he cannot lead in anything. Even the Gods will forsake him and the winds will hide the spirit trail from his spirit.

To beget children is a great virtue that every Lakota should practise. To have many children is pleasing to Woniya Tanka, Skanskan, who is the Wanagi Tanka. He gives the breath of life and the spirit to every child that is born alive and he judges the spirit upon the testimony given by the ghost after death. A Lakota's spirit is honored in the spirit world in proportion to the number of children he has, for he will be the chief of their spirits. The Buffalo god presides over love and the chastity and fecundity of women, and therefore a man should placate this god, and secure his favor, so that his women may bear him many children and be true to him. The Buffalo god also presides over generosity and the chase. One who has the favor of this god may have plenty of meat and robes and can be generous as well as have many children. A Lakota should beget children only with his own women, for if he violates the chastity of a woman who does not belong to him, or begets a child by such, the Buffalo god will plague him in this life and his ghost will bear testimony against him before the Wanagi Tanka, the Great Spirit, Skanskan.