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| Roger White Eyes. Photo by David LaDeaux '13. Copyright Red Cloud Indian School. |
Welcome Home Wakinyan Oyate
By David LaDeaux '13
Now
that winter is almost over, it’s time to welcome back the Thunder Beings, the Wakinyan.
Roger White Eyes will be taking many students to join
the medicine men and students from other schools to Harney Peak tomorrow. “It signifies the return of the
power of the Wakinyan to cleanse the earth,” said Roger.
On
Saturday March 16th, people from all over South Dakota will be traveling
to the beautiful Paha Sapa to welcome the Wakinyan back as we start
another year. Harney Peak is also known as the Wakinyan Nest because it
is thought to be the home of the Thunder Beings.
A
group of spiritual leaders from the Rosebud Reservation will be hosting
the ceremony. Russell Eagle Bear leads the ceremony by taking offerings
of wasna, cherry juice, and tobacco to the top, stopping four times to pray
for the youth, the elders, and for another good year. After it's all done,
everyone gathers for a meal to wrap up the ceremony. “It's going to be a
nice day. I usually go every year,” stated Roger.
This
is very important because when the lightning strikes the earth, it
wakes up mother earth. It brings life back to all the animals in
hibernation and all the dead plants come back to life. “It's rarely done
now. Long ago, only the medicine men would go up there to preform the
ceremony,” said Roger.
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