Yuwipi is a traditional
Lakota
Lakota may refer to:
*Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes
*Lakota language, the language of the Lakota peoples
Place names
In the United States:
*Lakota, Iowa
*Lakota, North Dakota, seat of Nelson County
*Lakota ...
healing ceremony. During the ceremony the healer is tied up with a special blanket and ropes, and the healer and their supporters pray and sing for the healing of the person who has asked for the ceremony. The ceremony may be performed for one person at a time, or for a small group of people together, depending on the severity of the case and the strength and ability of the
medicine man
A medicine man or medicine woman is a traditional healer and spiritual leader who serves a community of Indigenous people of the Americas. Individual cultures have their own names, in their respective languages, for spiritual healers and ceremo ...
leading the ceremony.
History
In Lakota culture, the ''yuwipi'' (pronounced yoo-WEE-pee) ceremony is held for both physical and spiritual healing. ''Yuwipi'' means "they wrap him up"
[''American Indian Religious Traditions: An Encyclopedia, Volume 2'' by Suzanne J. Crawford, Suzanne J. Crawford O'Brien, Dennis F. Kelley, ABC-CLIO; illustrated edition (June 29, 2005)] or "they tie him up". The ceremony can be performed at any time of year when healing is needed.
Yuwipi Ceremony
Spirits
The spirits called upon vary with individual
medicine men
A medicine man is a traditional healer and spiritual leader among the indigenous people of the Americas.
Medicine Man or The Medicine Man may also refer to:
Films
* ''The Medicine Man'' (1917 film), an American silent film directed by Clifford S ...
, as well with the goals of the ceremony. The spirits may be human ancestor spirits or they can be animal spirits. Animal spirits can be birds or they can be four-legged animals.
Yuwipi Men
The yuwipi man is the healer and the one who is tied up and directs the ceremony. During the ceremony he calls spirits that can help the people. While the traditions and protocols are passed down through generations of healers, each Medicine Man has his own way of conducting the ceremony.
Ceremony
It is important for the people in attendance to follow specific rules. The medicine man's ''
chanupa'' (
ceremonial pipe
A ceremonial pipe is a particular type of smoking pipe, used by a number of cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Americas in their sacred ceremonies. Traditionally they are used to offer prayers in a religious ceremony, to make a ceremonial ...
) is present during the ceremony,
[''Encyclopedia of Native American Healing'' by William S. Lyon, W. W. Norton & Company (March 17, 1998)] which involves prayer, the drum, and traditional songs. Some songs summon the spirits, and others tell the spirits it is time to leave and end the ceremony.
The ceremony is often very draining for the yuwipi man because of the focus needed to interact with the spirits and because the spirits use his life energy to heal the participants. Due to this, yuwipi men often live short, difficult lives.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yuwipi
Religious occupations of the indigenous peoples of North America
Native American religion
Sioux culture
Lakota words and phrases