Dakota Wicohan

In the Dakota Way of Life we honor the truth of life and the truth of the Grandmother Earth. In this truth we share the power of the air, water, wood and stone.  This practice, this sacred power has been handed down to us by the Grandfathers who are holy.  Their teachings have survived through the ages as we have always honored them, they have always come to teach and to help when we pray.

We speak to them in our own language, the original language given to us by the Great Mystery, Wakan-Tanka.  They are his messengers, his children.  They are the Holy Ones. Walk with respect, walk with honor and walk in peace with the holy creation, with the holy universe and all shall be well.  To do otherwise is to self destroy.  Man now realizes his world is finite and there are limits to God's resources.

The Dakota Oyate were given the gift.  As many others in the western hemisphere were given the gift among their own nations, Anishinabe, Odawa, Iroquois, Cheyenne, Paiute, Hopi, Cherokee, and so on.  Through their gifts they see, they have seen, and they continue to see the truth.  And we have shared this message many times, only to be asked to step aside and eventually ignored.  And so we remain in peace, with patience and tolerance for our time, which is coming.

Chris Leith, Dakota Elder, Sun dance Chief

And so we pray, as time goes on, because we know where the truth lies, and from our homes we journey with the message, the warnings, for all those who may also wish to honor HIS wishes here on Unci-Maka (Mother Earth).

Wopida Tanka, Mitakuye-Owasin.