In
Sioux
The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...
mythology
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...
(a
Native American mythological tradition that includes
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 ...
), Anpao (
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 ...
: ''Aŋpáo''), or Anp, is a spirit with two faces that represents the
dawn
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's horizo ...
.
Anpao dances with Han, a primordial spirit of darkness, to ensure that
Wi does not burn up the Earth, resulting in day and night.
George Bushotter (
Yankton Dakota
The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided in ...
-
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 ...
, 1860–1892) wrote that when his younger brother was ill, the brother was told to pray to Anpao, the Dawn, and recovered.
''Anpao zi'' is the "yellow of the dawn", which
oral history
Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people wh ...
described as the
meadowlark
Meadowlarks are New World grassland birds belonging to genera ''Sturnella'' and ''Leistes''.
This group includes seven species of largely insectivorous grassland birds. In all species the male at least has a black or brown back and extensively ...
's breast.
See also
*
Anog Ite
In Lakota mythology, Anúŋg Ité is a daughter of Škáŋ and wife of Tate. She was tricked by Iktómi to attempt to seduce Wi but failed when Škáŋ tells Wi that he has forgotten his wife. For attempting to undo the proper order and place ...
, a two-faced goddess from Lakota mythology
*
Bangpūtys
Bangpūtysor “bryanē is the name of a masculine deityStraižys, Vytautas; Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Balts, Lietuvos Dangus (Sky of Lithuania), Vilnius, p.115, 1990. in Lithuanian mythology. Basing on very scanty sources, some mythologi ...
, two-faced Lithuanian god whose focus is on the weather and the sea
*
Hausos, PIE dawn goddess, reflexes of whom are common in daughter cultures
*
Ikenga
Ikenga (Igbo literal meaning "strength of movement") is a horned Alusi found among the Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria. It is one of the most powerful symbols of the Igbo people and the most common cultural artifact. Ikenga is mostly maintai ...
, two-faced Igbo spirit of fate, fortune, and achievement
*
Isimud
Isimud (also Isinu; Usmû; Usumu ( Akkadian)) is a minor god, the sukkal of the god Enki, in Sumerian mythology.
In ancient Sumerian artwork, Isimud is easily identifiable because he is always depicted with two faces facing in opposite directi ...
, two-faced Mesopotamian messenger god
*
Janus
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...
, two-faced Roman god whose focus is on doorways, endings, and beginnings in general
*
Two-Face
Two-Face is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character was created by Bob Kane and first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #66 (August 1942). As one of Batman's ...
, a monster from Plains Indian mythology
*
Sharp-Elbows, a monster from Ioway folklore sometimes described with two faces
References
Parts of a day
Sioux mythology
Dawn deities
{{NorthAm-myth-stub