Woihanble – Our Vision

From the earliest times, the Lakota people have known the sacred way of the woihanble, the vision. Every Lakota man once went upon the hill to seek his vision. This ceremony was, and remains, one of the most sacred of the Lakota Warrior Rites of Passage—the way to become a man, a warrior, and a chief. In some instances, women too would go to the hill, lifting their prayers to Wakan Tanka for strength, wisdom, and guidance.For us at Peta Omniciye, Inc., this ancient practice is more than history. It is our path forward, our dream for the future of the Oceti Sakowin Oyate. Our vision is that one day:

Our children will speak Lakota to one another with ease and joy.

Our women will once again thrive within strong, healthy, and vibrant Tiwahe and Tipi.

Our men will take their rightful place in society as protectors and providers.

The Tatanka (Bison) will once again walk beside us, guiding us back to our original places and directions.

The Sunka Wakan (Horse) will remain with us, carrying our prayers, our children, and our way of life into the future.

Everywhere we go, we know the Tatanka must be with us, as well as the Sunka Wakan, for we lived in relationship with the sacred wildlife. We lived with and from Unci Maka (Mother Earth), and through her we sustained our people. Our prayer is that our ancestors know we are still here—that we live in their memory, carrying their way of life forward.We hold fast to the institutions of the Elders and Chiefs, who guided our people with wisdom. We pray with the Chanunpa, as was given to us, and we commit to preserving and speaking our original tongue. In the Lakota language lives the ancient knowledge of our ancestors. Through it, we too shall live as they lived—in freedom, self-sufficiency, and self-sustainability with Unci Maka.Our vision is not only spiritual but also political. The treaties made between the Oceti Sakowin and the United States—such as the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851 and 1868)—affirm our rights to live as a sovereign people, tied to our lands, our buffalo, and our way of life. Honoring these treaties is central to the survival of our vision. They are living covenants, binding us to our ancestors and to the generations yet unborn.Woihanble is our future. It is the promise that we will walk again in balance with the earth, guided by our language, our ceremonies, and our responsibilities as Lakota people.​

 

 

Woihanble – Our VisionAs we look towards the SkyGreat Spirit Wakan TankaWe see a future where our children speak Lakota,where women thrive in strong Tiwahe and Tipi,where men protect and provide as our ancestors did,where Elders and Chiefs guide the Oyate with wisdom,where the Tatanka and Sunka Wakan walk beside us,and where, in honor of our treaties,the Oceti Sakowin Oyate lives again in freedom,with Unci Maka, in balance and in strength.​​