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
 www.tortuga.com
 http://home.earthlink.net/~cosmichand/20tab.html
 http://www.riverocean.org.uk/lunarcalendar/calendar.htm
 www.dreamofpeace.net/13moons/peacetime
 www.foundationforthelawoftime.org/introduction/into1.pdf
 http://earthwizard.cosmicheartspiraloflove.com/indigenous
counts.pdf
 www.starwheels.com/Earth%20Mandala/13Moon.html