Lakota Seven Sacred Rites

Per Brave AI Search Engine:

The Seven Sacred Rites of the Lakota are the central spiritual observances of the Lakota Oyate, believed to have been given by the supernatural entity White Buffalo Calf Woman to restore and maintain balance with the Great Spirit (Wakan Tanka). These rituals are considered of equal importance and facilitate communion between the people, their ancestors, and the Creator.

The seven rites are:

• Inipi (Purification Rite): A sweat lodge ceremony used to purify the body and spirit, often performed before major undertakings.
• Hanbleceya (Crying for a Vision): A vision quest involving isolation and fasting to seek spiritual guidance and personal purpose.
• Wanagi Wicagluha (Keeping of the Soul): A funerary rite where a lock of hair from the deceased is kept and honored for a year before the soul is released.
• Wiwanyang Wacipi (The Sun Dance): The most important ceremony, held annually to honor the people, offer prayers for healing, and renew the world.
• Hunkapi (Making of Relatives): A ceremony to formally adopt non-blood relatives into the family, solidifying community bonds.
• Isnati Awicalowanpi (Girl’s Coming of Age): A rite of passage for young women marking the transition to womanhood and eligibility for marriage.
• Tapa Wankayeyapi (Throwing of the Ball): A ceremonial game symbolizing the course of a person’s life and the presence of the divine in all directions.

While these rites were outlawed by the U.S. government in the 1890s, they were practiced in secret and have continued to be observed today following the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act in 1978.

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Sunday, May 17, 2026 12:37PM

What are the Lakota Seven Sacred Rites? - Brave Search