wanagi
The Lakota word for spirit is wanagi.
The term wanagi is a noun used to refer to a soul.
Meaning: soul (noun)
Did you know?
- The word wanagi is fundamentally tied to the Lakota way of seeing the world, where there is no strict separation between the physical and the spiritual.
- In Lakota cosmology, a wanagi is not just a single entity but can be seen as the part of a person that remains after the body has passed, often returning to visit the living.
- In some traditional contexts, the term is used to describe the vital essence that distinguishes a living being from an inanimate object.
Example conversation
Joyce and Curtis are talking about their ancestors.
- JoyceWaúŋyamanni wanagi heya.My grandmother's spirit is here.
- CurtisHéčá tȟówašunka wanagi.I feel that spirit.
- JoyceWanagi tȟéčha tȟéčha.The soul is very pure.
- CurtisIčúšunka wanagi tȟéčha.The spirit is indeed pure.
