
The heyoka (, also spelled "haokah," "heyokha") is a type of sacred clown
shaman
Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...
in the culture of the
Sioux
The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...
(
Lakota
Lakota may refer to:
*Lakota people, a confederation of seven related Native American tribes
*Lakota language
Lakota ( ), also referred to as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux, is a Siouan languages, Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of ...
and
Dakota
Dakota may refer to:
* Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux
** Dakota language, their language
Dakota may also refer to:
Places United States
* Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community
* Dakota, Illinois, a town
* Dakota, Minnesota ...
people) of the
Great Plains
The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...
of North America. The heyoka is a contrarian,
jester
A jester, also known as joker, court jester, or fool, was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch kept to entertain guests at the royal court. Jesters were also travelling performers who entertained common folk at fairs and town ma ...
, and
satirist
This is an incomplete list of writers, cartoonists and others known for involvement in satire – humorous social criticism. They are grouped by era and listed by year of birth. Included is a list of modern satires.
Early satirical authors
*Aes ...
, who speaks, moves and reacts in an opposite fashion to the people around them.
Only those having visions of the thunder beings of the west, the , and who are recognized as such by the community, can take on the ceremonial role of the heyoka.
Social role
The is thought of as being in charge of above and below, or are more in charge of the dead, instead of the living. This manifests by their not always doing everything like the others. For example, if food is scarce, a may sit around and complain about how full he is; during a baking hot heat wave, a might shiver with cold and put on gloves and cover himself with a thick blanket. Similarly, when it is freezing he might wander around naked, complaining that it is too hot. A unique example is the famous sacred clown called "the Straighten-Outer":
The symbolizes and portrays many aspects of the sacred beings, the .
His satire presents important questions by fooling around. They ask difficult questions, and say things others are too afraid to say. Their behavior poses questions, as do
Zen
Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...
koans. By reading between the lines, the audience is able to think about things not usually thought about, or to look at things differently.
Principally, the functions as a mirror and a teacher, using extreme behaviors to mirror others, and forcing them to examine their own doubts, fears, hatreds, and weaknesses. have the power to heal emotional pain; such power comes from the experience of shame—they sing of shameful events in their lives, beg for food, and live as clowns. They provoke laughter in distressing situations of despair, and provoke fear and chaos when people feel complacent and overly secure, to keep them from taking themselves too seriously or believing they are more powerful than they are.
In addition, sacred clowns serve an important role in shaping tribal codes. Unbound by societal constraints, are able to violate cultural taboos freely and thus critique established customs.
By questioning these norms and taboos, they help to define the accepted boundaries, rules, and societal guidelines for ethical and moral behavior. They are the only ones who can ask "Why?" about sensitive topics; they use satire to question the specialists and carriers of sacred knowledge or those in positions of power and authority.
Individual examples
The Lakota
medicine man
A medicine man (from Ojibwe ''mashkikiiwinini'') or medicine woman (from Ojibwe ''mashkikiiwininiikwe'') is a traditional healer and spiritual leader who serves a community of Indigenous people of the Americas. Each culture has its own name i ...
Black Elk
Heȟáka Sápa, commonly known as Black Elk (baptized Nicholas; December 1, 1863 – August 19, 1950), was a ''wičháša wakȟáŋ'' (" medicine man, holy man") and '' heyoka'' of the Oglala Lakota people. He was a second cousin of the war lea ...
described himself as a ''heyoka'', saying he had been visited as a child by the
thunder beings.
A survivor of the
Wounded Knee Massacre
The Wounded Knee Massacre, also known as the Battle of Wounded Knee, involved nearly three hundred Lakota people killed by soldiers of the United States Army. More than 250 people of the Lakota were killed and 51 wounded (4 men and 47 women a ...
, Black Elk toured with
Buffalo Bill's Wild West
William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age o ...
in Europe and discussed his religious views, visions, and events in a series of interviews with poet
John Neihardt
John Gneisenau Neihardt (January 8, 1881 – November 3, 1973) was an American writer and poet, amateur historian and ethnographer. Born at the end of the American settlement of the Plains, he became interested in the lives of those who had been ...
, collected in 1932 book ''
Black Elk Speaks
''Black Elk Speaks'' is a 1932 book by John G. Neihardt, an American poet and writer, who relates the story of Black Elk, an Oglala Lakota medicine man. Black Elk spoke in Lakota and Black Elk's son, Ben Black Elk, who was present during th ...
''.
Vision of thunder beings
In
Lakota mythology
Lakota mythology is the body of sacred stories that belong to the Lakota people, also known as the Teton Sioux.
Overview
The Lakota believe that everything has a spirit; including trees, rocks, rivers, and almost every natural being. This ther ...
, is also a spirit of
thunder
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
and
lightning
Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...
. He is said to use the wind as sticks to beat the drum of thunder. His emotions are portrayed opposite the norm; he laughs when he is sad and cries when he is happy, cold makes him sweat and heat makes him shiver. In art, he is depicted as having two horns, which marks him as a hunting spirit. In some visions, he also appeared as a snow bird, a swallow, a horse, a dog, a night hawk, a frog, or a dragonfly.
In popular culture
Chicago Bulls coach
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Jackson is a 13-time NBA champion, having won two as a player and 11 as ...
was known for characterizing controversial player
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. Renowned for his defensive and rebounding abilities, his biography on the official NBA website states that he is "arguably the best rebounding forw ...
as a "heyoka". It was mentioned in ''
The Last Dance''.
See also
*
Avadhuta
''Avadhūta'' (IAST ', written as अवधूत) is a Sanskrit term from the root 'to shake' (see V. S. Apte and Monier-Williams) that, among its many uses, in some Indian religions indicates a type of mystic or saint who is beyond egoic-conscio ...
, a type of Hindu mystic or saint who acts without consideration for standard social etiquette
*
Clown society
Clown society is a term used in anthropology and sociology for an organization of comedic entertainers (or "clowns") who have a formalized role in a culture or society.
Description and function
Sometimes clown societies have a sacred role, to repr ...
, an organization of comedic entertainers
*
Divine madness
Divine madness, also known as ''theia mania'' and crazy wisdom, is unconventional, outrageous, unexpected, or unpredictable behavior linked to religious or spiritual pursuits. Examples of divine madness can be found in Buddhism, Christianity, He ...
*
Foolishness for Christ
Foolishness for Christ (; ) refers to behavior such as giving up all one's worldly possessions upon joining an ascetic order or religious life, or deliberately flouting society's conventions to serve a religious purpose—particularly of Christi ...
, Christian figures who use shocking and unconventional behavior
*
Nyönpa
The term ''nyönpa'' ( "mad one(s)"; Sanskrit ''avadhūta'') may refer to a group of Tibetan Buddhist yogis or a single individual belonging to this group. They are mainly known for their unorthodox approach and philosophical foundation known ...
, Tibetan Buddhist yogis who act in unconventional ways
*
Pueblo clown
The Pueblo clowns (sometimes called sacred clowns) are jesters or tricksters in the Pueblo religion. It is a generic term, as there are a number of these figures in the ritual practice of the Pueblo people. Each has a unique role; belonging to se ...
*
Trickster
In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story (god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherw ...
References
Bibliography
* Wilson D. Wallis. ''Heyoka: Rites of Reversal.'' Lakota Books, 1996 reprint.
{{Clowns
Ritual clowns
Tutelary deities
Lakota culture
Lakota spirit beings
Thunder gods
Trickster gods
Lakota words and phrases