Inipi Ceremony (aka Sweatlodge)

BENBEN: Inipi Ceremony (aka Sweatlodge)

Most people do not even realize the arrogance that they portray when they speak of a "sweatlodge" "sweat". Today's seekers often turn to the vast and deep spirituality of the Native Americans and rush to adopt any and all spiritual practices and rituals so they can fool themselves into thinking that they are spiritual, wise and knowledgeable. The sad truth is that the majority of these people are desperate and impatient, and this condition has caused a widespread aura of misconception surrounding Native American "sweatlodges", their purpose and meaning. "Sweatlodge" and "sweats" have become mainstream spiritual buzzwords, and most who claim to be "spiritual, not religious" have at least heard of what they call a sweatlodge and doing a "sweat" for spiritual purity. Sweatlodge services have become more of a mainstream activity, and one can find many places on the internet that offer to perform a sweat for one or more people. Horrifically, those who are offering these services have distorted the purpose, meaning and tradition of the ancient practice so much that the modern, mainstream, "White" concept and practice of a sweatlodge ceremony resembles the traditional practices very little, if at all. What was once (and still remains) a holy and sacred practice is nowadays processed, packaged and served as a McSpirituality experience and is followed by a group outing to a Chinese restaurant for dinner (as advertised on one "sweatlodge" website)! This distortion and blasphemy of the traditional ceremony is disgusting and shameful.

The Lakota people are often referred to as the "Sioux Indians". which is not their original name.

"Sioux" is derived from a French word that roughly means "they fight like snakes" , as when the French traders asked the Chippewa people about those living more west, the Chippewa warned the French to be careful of the Lakota people because they 'fight like snakes". Thus, "Sioux" is a derogatory term. Calling the Lakota "Sioux" is much like calling the Chinese "Chines", White people "Crackers" and Black people "Niggers"! The Lakota are a very strong, proud and spiritual people, and their name, "Lakota", means "allies".

The Inipi (or, as White man calls it, "sweatlodge") is a very important part of and all spiritual practices and rituals so that they can fool themselves Lakota spirituality and culture. The fact that it is not referred to as Inipi, but rather a sweatlodge, shows the arrogance and ignorance of the people who are speaking of the practice (or actually attempting to build and use one)! As David Little Elk, Lakota musician and cultural activist, so eloquently said, "And please remember that to speak of this ceremony, one must look through Lakota Eyes, and not through some white man's interpretation of it."

To understand the Inipi, one must first understand the traditional roles of a man and a woman in Lakota culture. This is best understood with a story, as graciously told by David Little Elk: 

During the early days of the creation of the universe, the sun (Wi) was married to the moon (Hanwi). The Wakan Tanka is an organization of several entities, some of which are male and female, and even one who is something like a Hermaphrodite. Today, many people have come to accept the mistranslated Christianized definition of this word to mean Christian "God"

There was a man named Ksa, who was the counselor to the Wakan Tanka. He was the offspring of Inyan and Wakinyan. And since Wakinyan has no shape, half of Ksa's body looked peculiar. When people first saw Ksa, their first impression was to laugh because he looked so funny. Ksa began to get tired of people always laughing at him because of his funny appearance. So he decided to play a trick on as many people as he could. Then Ksa went under the ground to the Ple Oyate. The Pte Oyate are human in form, but they are not human.

At this time, there were two times, which are the day and the night. The plants and animals were created and began to live on the surface of the earth. The Pte Oyate would gather fruits which looked like white lights, and they would put on feasts inside the earth for the Wakan Tanka when they had their meetings. The chief of the Pte Oyate was Wazi and his wife was Wakanka. Their daughter was Ite, who was a very beautiful woman. Ite was also the wife of Tate and she had

four sons by him, and at this time she was pregnant with their fifth baby. Because Tate is a member of the Wakan Tanka, Tate and Ite's sons would also one day become part of the Wakan Tanka.

Ksa told this family that Ite was even more beautiful than Hanwi, and that Ite should replace Hanwi as the Wi's new companion. Ksa said since Wazi and Wakanka's grandchildren would one day become part of the Wakan Tanka, Ite and her parents should become part of it, as well.

He told them that if they wanted this he could help them achieve it. So Ite and her parents secretly agreed to this pact with Ksa, who then gave Ite's parents a potion which would make Ite more beautiful every day. 

Before the next feast for the Wakan Tanka was to be held under the ground, Ksa lied to Hanwi by saying to her that the Wi wanted her to come a little bit late and to not fix herself up because it was not an important social occasion. Since Ksa was known for his wisdom, Hanwi believed him.

Next, Ksa told Ite to come to this feast early and to sit in Hanwi's place. And when she did, Wi could not take his eyes away from Ite. Then Hanwi came to the feast. She saw that another woman was sitting in her place and that her husband Wi could not take his eyes off of the other woman. Hanwi hid her face and began to cry as she hurriedly fled from the feast. She ran to Skan, who is the Chief of the Wakan Tanka, and explained to him what had happened to her and she pled to him to settle this matter.

So Skan went to the feast and questioned every one there and no one could justify their behavior. Skan proclaimed that Ksa would no longer be the Counselor to the Wakan Tanka. Skan also proclaimed that Ksa would no longer be known for wisdom, but instead would become a trickster and that Ksa's name would now be known as Iktomi.

When a person does not live in harmony with nature (Natural Laws), it is easy for Iktomi to trick that person and that person is sometimes described as being "Ikto". Iktomi's tricks constantly backfire on him, and those who do not live in harmony with nature (Natural Laws) also end up tricking themselves. When a person strives to live according to Natural Laws, Iktomi only tricks himself.

Skan next proclaimed that Wi and Hanwi would no longer be companions, neither would they ever travel together again. So when Wi shines on Hanwi, she turns her back to him so she will not ever have to see him again. Skan said Hanwi could now journey around Maka and he gave her the third time which is when she comes closest to Wi until she returns there again. This is called the moon's time, or the month.

Before when Hanwi was married to Wi, she traveled with him. It does not mean she was traveling beside him. It meant she was traveling around him like the rest of the planets. After Skan divorced Hanwi from Wi, Hanwi began to travel around Maka. And so this was the beginning of two cycles. Hanwi represents the cycle of a woman, and Wi represents the cycle of a man.

Since the Sun represents the man, and he was the one who transgressed the sacred union of marriage, the woman was gifted with three things: regeneration, purification and intuition. Thus, an imbalance had occurred. In time, three ceremonies were given to the man to help restore balance between men and women. These three ceremonies are Inipi (to make live or what is commonly known as the "sweatlodge ceremony"), Hanbleciya (to cry for a vision) and Wi Wayang Wacipi (Sun Dance). Thus, these three ceremonies were for men only.

In this story, the phrase "the sun and the moon were once companions" means that the moon once traveled around the sun. This story is also symbolical of an event which occurred when our solar system was forming. Certain events caused the sun to send a huge fireball out which glazed by the moon. This sent the moon out of its orbit from around the sun and the earth's gravity caught what was left of it. Hence, since that time the moon has been revolving around Earth.

Next, Skan proclaimed that since Ite, who was already married, had children and expecting a fifth child, and yet she sought after another woman's companion, that now her and Tate would no longer be married. Then, Skan caused the fifth child to be bom early and his name was Yum.

Skan said that Ite could keep her exquisitely beautiful face; however, Skan caused a second face to grow beside her pretty face which would be extremely ugly. Skan also changed Ite's name to Anun-Ite (the double-faced woman) to represent dualism. Dualism is created when someone does not live in harmony with nature. It occurs when a complete idea is separated into two opposing extremes, such good versus evil, etc. When this happens, the soul becomes unbalanced and therefore, it cannot develop.

A man and a woman have their own distinct, yet complimentary, roles and cycles. Neither the man's nor the woman's role and cycle is better than the other; they are different, yet they complete each other. Only a man can have a man's cycle, and only a woman can have a woman's cycle. Thus, the Inipi (or sweatlodge) Ceremony, among others, are ceremonies for men only. It is only when the "White" man usurped the Inipi Ceremony that women were allowed to participate. This goes against tradition and protocol, as traditionally, a woman can never be a part of Inipi. *My grandmothers told me when I was young that the day when a woman does any of these three ceremonies [Inipi, Hanbleciya and Wi Wayang Wacipi] is the day when a man can get pregnant and deliver after nine months. When women started participating in any way in any of these three ceremonies, that is the sign that those women have thrown their hearts on the ground; thus, killing their own nation. This is how serious this matter is," says David Little Elk, sadly.

Today, some non-Lakota women readily participate "sweatlodge" ceremonies. Sometimes they hold their own ceremonies, and other times they just join the men. While these so-called "spiritualist" women feel that they are not only purifying themselves, but are honoring the Lakota Nation and their spiritual practices, they couldn't be farther from the truth. Women who participate in Inipi ceremonies are only lending their hands to the destruction of themselves as well as the Lakota ways. They are turning their back to their feminine nature and are dishonoring their own natural cycles.

The First Inipi

There are many stories that one can find about the very first Inipi, but one should be very guarded with their trust of the authenticity of these stories. David Little Elk was kind enough to share these authentic stories of the first Inipis with us.

Long ago, Unk, who lives in the waters and represents contention, made many kinds of Mni Watu (micro-organisms) that made many of the first Lakota people (Ikce Oyate) very sick after drinking water. The first Lakota man, Tokahe, did a Hanbleciya ceremony (a cry for vision), and he received instructions on how to deal with the problem. Tokahe taught the others how to use plants to cure the sick and which songs to sing to help the plants do their work, creating the first medicine people (which are different than holy people).

Tokahe also made a small dome-shaped lodge and covered it with buffalo robes. Previously heated rocks were placed in the center, and a sick person was brought inside. The door was shut, and Tokahe prayed and sang to the Wakan Tanka while he dripped water on the hot rocks, creating steam which purified everything inside the lodge.

Tokahe would open the entrance for a time, and resume his practice. He did this four times, after which the person was cured, and the Inipi ceremony was created. Tokahe declared that the ceremony was meant to cleanse the mind, heart, soul and body,

There was once four brothers who lived together in a tipi. One day the youngest brother, who was playing outside, ran inside the tipi to tell his older brothers that a young woman was coming towards their home. When she got there, the woman just stood outside the doorway. The brothers, who decided to make her their sister, invited her to eat with them, which she did. After eating, they told her that since she was now their younger sister, she could live with them, and she put her tipi up beside theirs.

One day, the oldest brother went hunting. The others began to worry about him when he did not return, and the next day the next eldest brother decided to look for the missing older brother: A day later, neither brother had returned. The next to the youngest brother decided to look for the missing brothers, but again, none of them returned. So, the youngest brother decided to search for his missing family, but he did not return. The sister became very sad and she decided that she could not live without her brothers. She went to a high hill and began eating rocks. When she put the first rock into her mouth, she got scared and went back home.

Soon she noticed that her stomach was getting big, and she realized she was pregnant. After just a few days, the baby was born. It was a boy made of stone. He was named Inyan Hoksila (Stone Boy), grew quickly and was very smart. Inyan Hoksila also had the ability to tum into a meadowlark.

The boy noticed that his mother was, at times, very sad, and he asked her why. After finding out about his mothers four brothers, he decided to look for them, despite the fact that his mother did not want him to leave, fearing something would happen to him as well. Inyan Hoksila traveled for many days. Finally he saw a tipi with a woman cooking inside. She offered him some food to eat, but he said that he was unable to eat it because he was made of stone. The old lady told him he could sleep nearby if he wished, and he did. The next day, the boy heard some sounds from the woman's tipi. Thinking that she needed help, but finding that the door was closed, he transformed into a meadowlark and sat on the poles of the tipi. He saw four dried- up human skins hanging on the tipi poles inside the tipi, and guessed that they were his uncles. He then turned himself into a stone, fell on the old lady, and crushed her.

Inyan Hoksila took the skins of his uncles outside the tipi and made a small dome-shaped lodge out of willow branches. Inside the lodge, he performed the Inipi Ceremony, pouring water on heated rocks, causing steam to rise (the breath of the Creator). During the first round, the breath of the Creator went into the first uncle and brought him back to life. The second session revived another uncle, the third yet another, and the fourth revived the last uncle. Since it took four rounds to bring all of the uncles back to life, this is the number of rounds that Lakota Inipi has adopted. Inyan Hoksila led his uncles back to his tipi, and the family had a wonderful reunion and lived in peace.

Inipi Ceremony

Inipi is done inside a lodge made of willow branches that are placed in the ground, forming a circle. The branches are bent toward the center of the circle and are tied together, forming a dome-shape lodge that is about waist high. It can be built to fit as many people as required for the ceremony. Buffalo robes are placed over the branches, leaving a small hole for an entrance.

Some lodges have their entrance facing east, others west, depending on the vision of a medicine man. Sage is placed on the floor of the lodge so that those participating may smudge themselves.

Rocks, wood and water are gathered. Wood is placed in a very specific manner around and between the rocks allowing effective heating. The firekeeper is designated and is responsible for heating the rocks and bringing them into the lodge.

The doorkeeper opens and closes the lodge from outside when he hears someone say "Mitakuye Oyas in" during the ceremony. The opening of the door ends the round.

The medicine person (needed only for healing Inipis) or ceremony leader enters the lodge first. He crawls into the lodge and then around in a clockwise direction until he sits at the right of the entrance, as viewed from outside. Others crawl inside and find their place in the same manner. The last person to enter is the leader's assistant, and sits to the left of the entrance. The firekeeper brings in the heated rocks on deer antlers, and they are placed in the center of a pit inside the lodge. A bucket of water is brought in, and the entrance is closed.

Prayers and songs are sung, after which the water is put on the rocks, creating steam and a rise in temperature. More songs are sung before the medicine person (or ceremony leader)'s assistant begins to pray. When he is finished, the man next to him prays, and this continues in a clockwise manner. Once it gets too hot for any participant, he may say "Mitakuye Oyas'in" out loud, and the doorkeeper will open the door. The ceremony is not a competitive one, and one does not receive more blessings for taking more heat than what he can stand.

At the end, the leader exists first, followed by the men and ending with the assistant, in a clockwise manner. People like to cool off after the ceremony, and some jump in a lake or snow, or simply pour water on themselves.

Meaning and Symbolism

The Inipi Ceremony is a reenactment of the Lakota creation story. It is a birth, and when one finishes a ceremony, he feels "like new" and like he is "floating". "Sometimes during this ceremony, spirits may enter and sing along with the participants and will even talk to them, as well. If a person is not ready to hear the spirits, the spirits may not let that person hear them. Only those who are ready to hear the spirits may hear them because that is how compassionate the spirits are," David Little Elk explained.

The songs sung in the Inipi Ceremony are only to be sung during ceremony, as they invoke spiritual helpers. Singing the songs outside of the ceremony will cause the Natural Law of Generosity to be invoked, which states that the energy a person uses will return to him or her fourfold, and the person will be giving himself unhealthy medicine. "Then the spirit helpers may not want to help that person anymore because he/she disrespected the sacred music." says David Little Elk.

The Inipi ceremony is an Ikce Wicasa ceremony, "common man" ceremony. A medicine man is not required unless the ceremony is for healing. Inipi is done for purification and also as a preparation for other ceremonies, such as a Sun Dance Ceremony. Inipi is, again, only for men.

“This ceremony may serve several purposes such as healing (in which a medicine person would be required), or to assist one in tapping into the Creator which dwells within each of us, or for several other purposes. Please remember, we are not a dogmatic people; meaning, there is no absolute one way to perform this ceremony. And even then each medicine person has his/her own vision of how to perform this ceremony. The results are the same and that is what is," shares David Little Elk. Also, one should never charge money to do this ceremony.

There are many misunderstandings about specific entities of the Inipi and their symbolism and meaning. Those outside the culture have attributed their own interpretations to Inipi and its components that are absolutely false, and their arrogant assumptions are heavily promoted. The reader must not be fooled: one can never see another's culture clearly, and interpretations of a culture or practice from an outsider, however well "learned" he is and regardless of the number of degrees that he has, are usually false, or at best, terribly misleading.

Willow Branches: Many claim that the branches symbolize life and death, but this is very wrong.

The willow branches represent specific entities of the Wakan Tanka organization.

Shape: The shape of the lodge represents the womb of Mother Earth and the shape of the Universe.

The Pit: The pit is the Earth itself. The creation of the Earth is symbolized by the water pouring on the rocks; the steam is the Breath of the Creator.

Number of Rocks: The number of rocks used varies depending on the vision of the Medicine Man. Usually, the number is seven, representing the four directions (West, North, East, South), Earth, Sky and the 7th direction that lies in each member of creation.

Darkness: Much propaganda has been spread that the darkness in the lodge is symbolic of human ignorance. This is wholly false! The darkness, reality, is symbolic of beginnings.

Offerings are not normally required for an Inipi ceremony, unless the Wakan Tanka are being petitioned for assistance. In these times, offerings can be made, with prayer, either before the ceremony or during it.

The Inipi ceremony can be done by anyone, as it is a "common man's" ceremony. One must, however, honor the traditions and protocols of the ceremony, and the Inipi must be seen through the eyes of the Lakota rather than an outsider. "The Lakota Law of Generosity states that whatever a person chooses to do will return to him fourfold. Ifa person willingly does something good to another, that good energy will return stronger to that person. Likewise, when a person does something unhealthy to another, that same unhealthy energy will return to him but this time it will return stronger than when he sent. it," David Little Elk explains. Dishonoring the Inipi is dishonoring the entire Lakota people and culture.

The Rising Firefly would like to thank David Little Elk (musician, Lakota language and culture teacher, cultural activist) for his generous contribution to this article and to the reader's understanding of the lnipi.