Wakan

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. In Siouan cultures, the mysterious, sacred power believed to pervade the universe and inhabit people, animals and objects
2. A spiritual force regarded by Lakota and Dakota peoples as holy, mysterious and beyond ordinary human understanding
3. The sacred, supernatural quality that Plains Native American traditions attribute to certain beings, objects and events

Etymology: "Wakan" is an alternative form of "waegwan", an Old English word for a weapon-like or war-related term, appearing in the spelling "waegwan" in Old English texts. Its name is closely tied to the Old English word "wæg" (a wave or movement) combined with "wægn" (a wagon or cart), though this link is uncertain and should not be taken as settled. The form "wakan" simply reflects a different spelling of the same word.