Wakanism

Wakanism (Oyáte Mnióhuta: (text), Nuxbáaga Bikkaashúa: (text), romanized: Wakȟáŋla) is the predominant religion in Mniohuta, with minor followings in neighboring states and abroad. Classified as an indigenous Norumbian religion by scholars of religion, it is the primary faith of the country and considered a nature religion. While there is no executive of the faith, a council of various faithkeepers meet on the Summer Solstice each year at a Sun Dance in Minnehaha.

Central to Wakanist religion is A polytheism, animism, and shamanim, as well as the concept of wakʽą, an energy or power permeating the universe. The unified totality of wakʽą is termed Wakʽą Tʽąką and is regarded as the source of all things. Wakanist religious scholars and faithkeepers believe that, due to their shared possession of wakʽą, humans exist in a state of kinship with all life forms, a relationship that informs adherents' behavior which divies towards an inherent environmentalist outlook.

The Wakanist worldview includes various supernatural wakʽą beings, the wakʽąpi, who may be benevolent or malevolent towards humanity. The wakʽąpi, are believed to inhabit all things, including the forces of nature and prominent landscape locations. They are worshiped at Thípi-naǧí, large temples and shrines, of which there are usually several in even small towns and communes. Thípi-naǧí are staffed by priests and volunteers, known as wičháša wakȟáŋ (faithkeepers), who oversee offerings of food and drink to the specific wakʽąpi enshrined at that location. Other common rituals include Ohóla (walking with nature), rites of passage, and seasonal festivals. Public shrines facilitate forms of divination and supply religious objects, such as charms and other spiritual objects, to the religion's adherents. Wakanism places a major conceptual focus on being at one with nature and fostering community with everyone and everything around you, largely through group worship involving song and dance, as well as daily callings such as gardening, especially before worship. Central to the Wakanist faith are basic tenants known as the Ičʼwičhóni, or life vow, in which one vows to uphold basic tenants of life to the day they day. On matters of afterlife, Wakanist practitioners believe in the immortal soul, with the recently deceased taking the wanáği tʽacʽáku (ghost road) towards the wanáği tʽamákʽocʽe (ghost world), where they are judged for passage by their šicų, or guardian spirit.