PREVNEXTSUBMITMenuResourcesGlossaryNotesClear and return to MenuSearch ResultsFilterSlide TextNotesSearch in:Check to includeSearch...TermsDefinitionFINISHfinishdefinitionresourcessearchpauseplayreplaysubmitnextpreviousvolumeSkip Navigation. Hit enter to return to the slide.SUBMIT ALLsubmit allQuestion ListMore infoSend an emailCloseBioExit<html><textformat leading='1' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>There are many teachings in many cultures about where we come from, where we are going, and our purpose in life. Lakota people believe there are stages in life and that every person on earth has a purpose or being here on earth. We’re going to talk about oinajin tópa. </textformat><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Oinajin refers to a stage, tópa refers to four. From the Lakota perspective there are teachings within the stages of life that will ensure a smooth journey and that will ensure children have the opportunity to develop in a healthy way physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>With that in mind the value of wótakuye which is a Lakota term for “kinship” and is viewed to be the foundation of Lakota society, was taken very seriously. When a young women became pregnant the female relatives would come together and would give her teachings about how to care for herself and her unborn baby. She was given teachings about not being exposed to anything negative, and the family and extended family took their responsibility very serious, in terms of looking out for her and her unborn baby. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>Part of the preparation for the delivery the arrival of the baby on earth was choosing an elder woman to welcome the baby. When the baby was delivered the first person to touch the baby would be the grandmother, the elder women who was chosen for her characteristics to be passed on to the child. It is believed that the first person to touch the baby should be somebody that loves and cherishes the baby. She would then pray for the baby and welcome the baby, wocekiye. In the Lakota language she is saying “grandchild it is good you are here, welcome”. She would then pray for the baby and predict a path for the child. She would say “grandchild you’re going to be strong, you’re going to be generous, you’re going to be a leader, and you’re going to have a good life”. In short what doing is she was showing the spiritual path of the journey in life to the spirit of the child. She would then clean out the baby’s mouth, iowicayujuntapi, which is a term for “cleaning the mouth by the grandmother”. She would predict the path for the baby. A Lakota name was given soon after birth. The reason the spirit name was important to be given soon after birth was to ground the child to this earth. The child can return to the spirit world at this stage of life and there were certain measures that had to be taken in order to prevent the untimely passing of the child back to spirit world and giving Lakota name, predicting the path, making a prayer, and welcoming the baby were measures that were taken to ensure the baby was welcomed and that the baby had a clear path in life. In this 1st stage of life from 0 to 12 years old, it was believed that the child should have a joyful life, a happy life, that the child should be guaranteed happiness, good health, safety, wellness, love, being cherished, and that the relatives were responsible for ensuring that. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='1' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>As the baby reaches the 2nd stage of life which is around 12 years old, it could be 11, it could be 10, it could be 13, there were certain signs that the child was ready to make the transition from being a child to young man or a young woman. In this 2nd stage of life the right of passage is very critical for young people to know how to navigate the 2nd stage of life, from about age 12 to around age 21. In the Lakota language Isna Ti Awicalowan Pi translates to “they sing for her that dwells alone” which is a reference to her monthly purification time. When a young girl first went through her monthly purification, than the female relatives again would come together and would give her teaching about being a young woman and how to navigate the often difficult stage of adolescence. For the young man, for the boy, the transition was addressed by his male relatives. The male relatives would come together and would give him teachings about transitioning from a boy to a young man, and how to navigate the adolescent stage of life. Having these rights of passage for the young man and the young woman gave them additional information, additional directions in their journey through life, so that they could have a smooth journey through that stage and the subsequent stages. </textformat></html><html><textformat leading='1' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>In the 3rd stage of life by the time they reach the age, the young man the young woman reaches the age of having their own families they now have enough teachings to pass onto their children. There are teachings within this 3rd stage of life about marriage, about relationships, about raising children, being a parent, and passing on the teachings in a healthy way. There are certain ceremonies done, for example, when a young couple came together there would be a Marriage Bundle Ceremony. If they chose to spend their life together and raise a family they would be given teachings by the elders about how to have healthy relationship, about how to raise their children in a healthy way, and to put them first.</textformat></html><html><textformat leading='0' tabstops='[0, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240]' blockindent='0' indent='0'>In the 4th stage of life around 50, 55, 60, there’s no certain age that this would happen, it would depend on individual, the person would transition into being an elder. And this role of being an elder includes providing teachings, ensuring social order, observing custom law, and ensuring spiritual order. When the elder was ready to return to spirit world, it is hoped for and prayed for this passing to be peaceful. That one day the elder would go to sleep and would return to the spirit world without any trauma without any sickness.</textformat></html>