Cannupa - the Basis of Lakota Spirituality

Excerpts from an article by Ben Black Bear, Jr.

Lakota Society based its entire religious philosophy on the revelation of the
Creator acting through Nature. The "Wakan" or sacred things contained in nature
were sought out by this society and through perceptions of these mysterious and
sacred things a religious philosophy was developed.

Upon looking, what can be found as the as the most mysterious or sacred thing
ever naturally happening in the universe? Is it the powerful thunder, wind,
lightening, movement and sounds of living things, or something else? The thunder
which brings rain, the wind which has the power to destroy many things, and all
living things have movement and sound which allow them to be understood. All
these things are sacred, but the most mysterious and sacred is the conception
and birth of a living thing, especially a human.

The Sacred Pipe can be looked at in many ways. One view sees the pipe bowl
(usually carved as an inverted "T" with the bowl facing up) as a "Winyan," a
woman, and the stem which connects into one end of the inverted "T" as "Wicasa,"
or a man. Thus, the pipe ceremony can be looked at as a reenactment of the most
sacred, mysterious, "Wakan" thing that happens in nature itself, but in a
reverse process. This makes it an offering from us to the Great Mystery, the "Taku Wakan."
Looking at it from the concept of how the Wakantanka intervenes in our lives,
the closest thing is conception, where life is created. It can be said that
"Wakantanka" communicates to people through the creation of life in a most
profound and sacred manner and this happens at the conception in the union of a
man and a woman. So, in order for humans to communicate back to Wakantanka the
closest we can come is by imitating the action of Wakantanka in nature. This is the sacred Pipe Ceremony.

The sacred pipe is usually made of the Red Pipestone and a wooden stem. The two
parts are stored separately in a pipe bag, "Cantojuha," and the Pipe Ceremony
begins with a ritualistic removal of the pipe bowl and stem from the Cantojuha.
Once the ceremony of removal from the bag and incensing with sweet grass is
completed, the "loading" of the pipe begins. The tobacco to be used is first
prayed with, then each pinch taken is placed into the pipe bowl. Each pinch is
offered to each of the four directions, (beginning with the west), the sky, and
to grandmother earth. After loading, the pipe is smoked and prayed with, and
everyone present smokes the pipe and prays. The smoke rises into the sky to the
Great Mystery as an offering from all on earth who are praying.
The Sacred Pipe and the Sacred Pipe Ceremony is the most basic of all the
 

THE RED PATH

The First Buffalo Stone

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