This name signifies “_flyer_,” from _kinyan_, to fly. Lightning emanates
from this _flyer_, and the thunder is the sound of his voice. This is the
universal belief.
The existence of thunder is a matter of fact, apparent to all people. It
must be explained and accounted for by the savage as well as by the sage,
and by the first with as much confidence as by the latter, and more; for
he who is not supported in his tenets by reason, must of necessity be
confident or fail. He must evince seven times as much confidence as one
who has the support of reason, which the wise man observed to be the case
in his day. The Indian has no more doubt, apparently, of the correctness
of his religious tenets, than he has that a hungry man wants to eat. He
is as confident of the correctness of his theory, in relation to the
thunder, as we are that it is caused by the passing of electricity from
one cloud to another.
The lightning, which is so terrible in its effects to destroy life, or to
shiver the oak to atoms, is to the Dakota simply the tonwan of a winged
monster, who lives and flies through the heavens shielded by thick clouds
from mortal vision.
By some of the wakan-men, it is said that there are four varieties of the
form of their external manifestation. In essence, however, they are but
one.
One of the varieties is black, with a long beak, and has four joints in
his wing. Another is yellow, without any beak at all, with wings like
the first, only that he has but six quills in each wing. The third is
of scarlet color, and remarkable, chiefly, for having eight joints in
each of its enormous pinions. The fourth is blue and globular in form,
and is destitute both of eyes and ears. Immediately over where the eyes
should be, is a semi-circular line of lightning resembling an inverted
half-moon, from beneath which project downward two chains of lightning,
zigzaging and diverging from each other as they descend. Two plumes,
like soft down, coming out near the roots of the descending chains of
lightning serve for wings.
These thunderers, of course, are of terrific proportions. They created
the wild rice and a variety of prairie grass, the seed of which bears
some resemblance to that of the rice.
At the western extremity of the earth, which is presumed to be a circular
plain surrounded by water, is a high mountain, on the summit of which is
a beautiful mound. On this mound is the palace of this family of gods.
The palace opens towards each of the four cardinal points, and at each
doorway is stationed a watcher. A butterfly stands at the east entrance,
a bear at the west, a reindeer at the north, and a beaver at the south.
Except the head, each of these wakan sentries is enveloped with scarlet
down of the most exquisite softness and beauty. (Indians are great
admirers of scarlet, and to induce a child to take some nauseous drug,
the mother has but to assure it that it is red.)
The Wakinyan gods are represented as ruthless, cruel and destructive in
their disposition, and ever exert their powers for the gratification of
this, their ruling propensity, at the expense of whatever may come in
their way. They are ever on the “war path,” and are “sharp shooters.”
Once for all, it may be here stated, that a mortal hatred exists between
the different families of the gods, like that which exists between
Indians of different tribes and languages. The two families already
mentioned, like the Dakota and the Chippewa, are always in mortal strife.
Neither has power to resist the tonwan of the other, if it strikes
him. Their attacks are never open, and neither is safe, except as he
eludes the vigilance of the other. The fossil remains of the mastodon
are confidently believed to be the bones of the Onktehi which have been
killed by the Wakinyan. These relics of the gods are carefully preserved
and held in awful esteem, for their wakan virtues. The Wakinyan, in his
turn, is often surprised and killed by the Onktehi. Many stories are
told of the mortal combats of these divinities. The writer listened to
the relation, by an eye witness, of a story in substance as follows: “A
Wakinyan god was killed, and fell on the bank of the Blue Earth river,
which was twenty-five or thirty yards between the tips of the wings.”
From the Wakinyan god, the Dakotas have received their war implements,
(spear and tomahawk,) and many of those pigments, which, if properly
applied will shield them from the weapons of their enemies. Dressed in
these pigments, they feel as secure as did the fabled Greek, protected by
the vulcanian shield.
It almost seems as if it were becoming to offer an apology before
proceeding, but it is ventured to presume on the good nature of the
reader and introduce