Lakota Wiyawapi The lakota people followed the moon pattern in determining time Created by Maggie Ross Cultural Resource Specialist Title VII Indian Education Rapid City Area Schools 2004

Lakota Wiyawapi The Lakota calendar is different from the Calendar that we use today. The calendar that we use today is called the Gregorian calendar. Named after Pope Gregory XIII who reformed the Julian calendar used by the Roman Empire.  The Gregorian calendar has 12 months and follows the sun.  The Gregorian New Year is celebrated in January

Lakota Wiyawapi The Lakota Moon calendar has 13 moons  It takes thirteen moons for earth to go around the sun just once.  The moon follows the biological cycle of the woman. The Lakota Moon calendar has 28 days in each moon cycle (from new moon to new moon)  The New Year for the Lakota begins with the calling back of the Thunder ceremony, which falls during the Spring Equinox.

Lakota Wiyawapi The Lakota utilized the Turtle (keya) to count the moon  the turtle has thirteen large scales on its back.  There are 28 days to each moon cycle and these can be counted on the outer part of the turtle’s shell.

Lakota Wiyawapi  There are four phases of the moon (two hands and two feet)  There are seven increments between each moon phase (seven parts to the turtle)  4 x 7 = 28 days = one moon or month x 13 new moons = one year cycle

Lakota Wiyawapi There are other cultures who follow the moon cycle.  The Inca, Mayan, Druid, Chinese, Polynesians, and Egyptians are a few

DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH For further research on the moon calendar and other cultures who followed the moon cycle here are some sites to consider counts.pdf counts.pdf