Lakota Culture

Lakota Medicine Wheel – Meaning, Colors, and Spiritual Teachings

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A Lakota Medicine Wheel divided into four colored sections: black, white, yellow, and red

For the Lakota people, the Medicine Wheel is not a relic of the past or a decorative symbol for museums. It is a living framework that explains how everything in the universe connects, spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. The circle itself represents balance and continuity. It teaches that life moves in cycles: birth, growth, death, … Read more

Lakota Tipi – How It Was Built and What It Represented

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A winter scene shows two Lakota tipi lodges with people gathered by a fire and a horse nearby

The tipi stood at the heart of Lakota life. It was not only a shelter but a living symbol of the people’s connection to nature, spirituality, and social order. Its design reflected a deep understanding of the plains’ environment and the belief that every part of life, family, wind, sun, and earth, was connected. The … Read more