The cocoon or diamond shape is another sacred symbol of the Lakota. It can be seen in many designs today. In the past, it was a common protective design, featured on war shields or on garments. Wissler described how during battle, geometric designs and medicine objects on buffalo hide shields protected the bearers in a supernatural manner. The wakan potency of the particular designs distracted the enemy and diverted their aim (1907: 22).1 The whirlwind symbolised confusion of mind and was used in the context of war so as to confuse the mind of the enemy. It is associated with the spider's web and the moth, especially the cocoon. Sometimes the power of the whirlwind is depicted as a feather in decorative and protective symbology.
The cocoon is a mysterious bundle which emanates a similar power to that of the whirlwind. A reason why the moth is sacred is its ability to escape its cocoon enclosure: like the wind, the moth cannot be confined. From this point of view, its intangibility and invisibility, like that of the wind, are qualities desirable by the Lakota. For some, the real power of both resided in the wind: "There was a deep mystery in the wind, since it was intangible and visible only in its effects. The moth by its wings reproduced the phenomenon of the whirlwind, or received from it power to rise in the air […]" (Wissler 1905: 258).2
The cocoon and whirlwind are also symbolically associated with the buffalo. Wissler was told: "The buffalo bull is said to pray to the power of the whirlwind before going into a fight [since it is observed that] […] as a preliminary to an encounter the bull paws the earth, every now and then deftly scooping up the dust with his hoof and driving it straight up into the air" (Ibid.). Wissler said that this action was the bull outwardly duplicating the visible aspects of the whirlwind power in order to harness it against his enemies (Ibid.: 258-259).
Bushotter described how whirlwinds are caused by the cocoon or chrysalis, which can be found in the small of the back of some buffalo. He also said:
"All such men who dream of the buffalo, act like them and dance the buffalo (bull) dance. And the man who acts the buffalo is said to have a real buffalo inside him, and a chrysalis lies within the flat part of the body near the should-blade; on account of which the man is hard to kill; no matter how often they wound him, he does not die" (in Dorsey 1894: 477).3
Thunder or Wakinyan is commonly represented as short and long, usually black or blue zig-zag streaks, or as the Thunderbird with a single flashing eye, outstretched wings and flexed talons. These symbols of the Wakinyan represent spiritual power of a most wakan and powerful, even dangerous kind and is commonly associated with both military and spiritual warriors. During battle or ceremony an eagle-wing-bone whistle with zig-zags down its length is often used to utilise the Thunder's power. A blue horse is another potent symbol of the Wakinyan. Lakota artists today often dream their designs before painting them, and traditional symbols as are being described here are used frequently.
Closely related to the Wakinyan is the spider, whose web stretches outwards to the Four Directions and the four Wakinyan, and was said to resist the destruction of bullets or arrows. Thus its symbol has lingered on as powerful and protective.
The equidistant cross is also a potent sacred symbol. The two centrally-intersecting lines which form the symmetrical cross exhibits the power of the Four Winds or Directions. Brown stated:
"This form has much power in it, for whenever we return to the center, we know that it is as if we are returning to Wakan-Tanka, who is the center of everything; and although we may think we are going away from Him, sooner or later we and all things must return to Him" (1953: 59).4
Most altars are constructed in the form of the sacred hoop intersected with the cross motif. Black Elk told Brown: "By constructing the altar in this manner, we see that everything leads into, or returns to, the center; and this center which is here, but which we know is really everywhere, is Wakan-Tanka" (Ibid.: 89-90).
Fletcher identified the umane as a sacred Lakota symbol. The umane is a square or oblong of mellowed earth, with the four corners often slightly extended to encompass the entire universe. The symbol often represents earth or land, and "the unappropriated life or power of the earth" (1884: 284, n.6).5
The umane is where "sod is removed [within the ritual space of a hocoka] from a square of about five feet […] leaving the brown earth exposed which is mellowed and made fine" (Ibid.: 263). The four corners of the square or oblong of mellowed earth are slightly extended to encompass the entire universe. The symbol represents the, as yet, unexpropriated power of life.
"Here […] is the exposure of the unappropriated earth, from which the power of life has not yet been drawn out into vegetative forms. This U-ma-ne, as the Dakotas call it, is needful to secure the hearing of the address by the life-giving power of the earth, which is appealed to [in ceremony]. All the sacred articles are placed upon it: the skull, hide and black earth. From the earth thus made visible powers of various kinds are desired […]" (Ibid.: n.8).
Regarding the umane, an Indian man told Fletcher: "We believe the real power of the earth to reside in the freshly exposed soil, so we cut off the sod in preparing it for religious ceremonies, that we may reach this real power and derive benefit from it" (Ibid.: 282, n.4).
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