From the Glossary in ‘Black Elk – The Sacred Ways of a Lakota’ by Wallace Black Elk and William S. Lyon:
“mitakuye oyasin. Lakota translated as “all my relations.” This phrase is frequently uttered during ritual and is to remind people of their personal relatedness to everything that exists. It is spoken upon entering the stone-people-lodge (Sweat Lodge Ed.); at the end of a personal prayer; when it is time to open the stone-people-lodge door; just after one has smoked the Chanunpa; and so forth.”
“Chanunpa. Lakota for the Sacred Pipe, often incorrectly referred to as the “peace pipe.”
"Cha means “wood” or “tree” and nunpa means “two”.”
“Sacred Pipe. A ritual instrument commonly used by Native Americans. It usually consists of an elbow-shaped stone bowl connected to a wooden stem. It is used mainly for consecrating actions and communicating with the spirits. Black Elk considers it to be the most holy implement in the world. See Chanunpa.
“catlinite. A soft stone mineral deposited at Pipestone, Minnesota, that is used by many Native Americans for carving the red stone bowls of their Sacred Pipes. (The first white man to ‘discover’ the stone quarry was named Catlin. Ed.)
“fish-people. In Black Elk’s classification, all the creatures that live in the water.”
“creeping-crawlers. In Black Elk’s classification, all the creatures that live close to the ground in holes, such as snakes, lizards, ants, spiders, etc.”
“Grandfather. The male aspect of the Creator personified by wisdom, the sky, light, etc. Tunkashila.
“Tunkashila. Lakota referring to the Grandfather or male aspect of the Creator. Best translated in English as “God.” (I believe its literal meaning is “Grandfather”. Ed.). (Pronounced: Toon-kash’-she-la.)
“Grandmother. The female aspect of the Creator personified by knowledge, the Earth, birth, etc.”
