Lakota mythology Lakota mythology is the body of sacred stories that belong to the Lakota people also known aTeton Sioux Overview The Lakota believe that everything has a spirit; including trees, rocks, rivers, and almost every natural being. This therefore lea ...

, Iya is a storm-monster,Walker (137-138) brother of Iktomi the spider. He eats humans, animals and consumes villages to satisfy his otherwise endless appetite. He is in fact considered a demon in various traditions. The tornado, the snowstorm, the hurricane or the thunderstorm would all be considered manifestations of this deity. He travels with his storms in a tipi painted with magical symbols, and when he appears, he is often faceless and formless. His home is said to be under the waters, where he resides with his mother, Unk. He is considered to be the chief of the North, symbolically encompassing the spheres of

winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...

, famine and disease. He is the guardian of the Aurora Borealis and holds to a rivalry against both the chief of the South, Okaga, as well as the thunderbirds, though this is vastly exaggerated in tales told to outsiders. He is the younger brother of Iktomi, and the pair comprises the two progeny of

Inyan In Lakota mythology Lakota mythology is the body of sacred stories that belong to the Lakota people also known aTeton Sioux Overview The Lakota believe that everything has a spirit; including trees, rocks, rivers, and almost every natural bein ...

, the creator, who is the head of the Lakota pantheon.

Notes

References

* Lakota mythology Sky and weather gods {{NorthAm-myth-stub