Wakinyan

Wakíŋyaŋ is a Lakota word for "thunder". It also may be a portmanteau which associates "wahka" ("sacred") and "kinyan" ("wings").

A dream of a Wakíŋyaŋ, drawing by Black Hawk (Sans Arc Lakota (ca. 1832–ca. 1890), Ledger art, ca.1880

The word is usually translated as "Thunder Spirits", "Thunder Beings," or "Thunder Birds".[1] Heyokas, that is contrarians, dream of Wakinyan and can burn cedar (Juniperus scopulorum) to protect themselves from thunder and lightning, since Wakinyan respect trees and will not harm them.[2]

References
Look up wakinyan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  1. Legendary Native American Figures: Thunderer (Wakinyan)
  2. Tyon, Thomas (1991). Walker, James R. (ed.). Lakota Belief and Ritual. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. p. 155.
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