The Hunka Lowanpi is a Lakota naming/adoption ceremony. It creates a kinship relationship that is respected by all the family members involved, and it is at this ceremony that Lakota names are given. The family of the person receiving the name will ask a well-respected individual to name its relative. The person naming the individual will pray with an eagle feather and then tie the feather in that persons hair. The names given at a Huna Lowanpi are used only on special occasions -- to have ones name sung publicly in a song is considered a great honor.- This excerpt was reprinted from the book, A Song for the Horse Nation, published by the Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indian.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 01:30:01 +0000