Lakota Star Knowledge : Studies in Lakota Stellar Theology

by Ronald Goodman

Research into Lakota stellar theology has added new dimensions to our understanding of how the People generated the mentality for experiencing the sacred. It shows that they felt a vivid relationship between the macrocosm, the star world, and their microcosmic world on the plains. There was a constant mirroring of what is above by what is below. The very shape of the earth was perceived as resembling the constellations. The Lakota had a time-factored lifeway. The star knowledge helps us to understand this temporal spacial dimension more fully. We can see now that many Lakota activities were timed to mirror celestial movements. The stars were called, "The holy breath of the Great Spirit," the woniya of Wakarj tanka. Thus, when the Lakota observed the movement of the sun through their constellations, they were receiving spiritual instruction. Their observations when interpreted by Lakota Oral Tradition and their star and earth maps, told them what to do, where to do it and when. The Lakota correlated several of the constellations to specific sites in the Black Hills. For example, Harney Peak was associated with the Pleiades group which is called "The 7 little girls," wicirjcala sakowiq. Each spring when the sun moved into that constellation, the People understood this as sacred speech directing them to go to Harney Peak. Oral Tradition told them what ceremonies to do there. Traditional Lakota believed that ceremonies done by them on earth were also being performed simultaneously in the spirit world. When what is happening in the stellar world is also being done on earth in the same way at the corresponding place at the same time, a hierophany can occur; sacred power can be drawn down; attunement to the will of Wakan Tanka can be achieved.Our study of Lakota constellations and related matters has helped us to appreciate that the need which the Lakota felt to move freely on the plains was primarily religious. This is implicit in Red Cloud's last speech to the People...

Genres: Indigenous, Nonfiction

Paperback

Reviews

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating introduction to the world of Lakota astronomy and spirituality.

A Facebook comment prompted me to read this book. The commenter mentioned that astronomical evidence indicated the Lakota had lived in the Black Hills of South Dakota for thousands of years. A search for confirmation led me to this book, and I am glad it did!

Every culture has its own constellations and interpretations of the night sky; most of us in the West have learned the Greek and Roman constellations. This book lays out the findings of researchers at Sinte Gleska University about the star knowledge of another culture: the Lakota. Their "stellar theology," as presented here, is gleaned from interviews with dozens of elders listed at the end of the book.

It seems to be a collection of papers that were not necessarily written as a single book, but this is never explained.

I get the impression that this is only a sliver of the true knowledge and theology the native inhabitants of this land had. It leaves me wanting to know more.

[Brad Neuhauser · Rating 5 out of 5]

A relatively small book, but dense with information. It goes beyond just astronomy and constellations to deeper insights into Lakota belief systems and ways of knowing, and how they are encoded in the stars.