In
Lakota mythology and traditions, 'Wakan Tanka' (also known as 'Wakan' or 'Wakanda' by the
Omaha Tribe) is the term for the "sacred" or the "divine" as understood by the Lakota people. It is often translated as "
The Great Spirit" or "The Great Mystery", and is typically understood as the power or the sacredness which resides in everything, similar to many
animistic and
pantheistic notions of
God. Every creature and object is either understood as wakan or having aspects that are wakan.
Though there are subtle differences depending on the speaker, Wakan Tanka, Tunkashila, and God are often used interchangeably in casual discussions.
See also
Oki is the equivalent name for the great spirit to the
Iroquois people.