Among the Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Nakota, Lakota), Rock is the oldest of the Tob Tob kin (The Four Fours = 16) (The Sixteen Spirits).) Rock (Inyan)) is the oldest because he was created first. Nothing can destroy Rock. He is addressed in Prayers as Tunkansina (Grandfather). The Dakota have many names for Rock. Inyan: Inyantankinyan = a bolder, Tunkan = a Sacred Stone, Inyan He = a Rocky Mountain, and a small stone = Ige.
To some of you readers having 16 spirits as part of your religion seems very strange. As an example the Catholic Religion has God, the Creator, divided into Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The question arises who are the Sixteen Dakota Spirits? We know the First and Oldest Spirit is Rock. What are the names of the others? The answer is that the Dakota have lost many of the names. They were lost or mixed up because the Old Religion was forbidden to study or even practice. They have also been forgotten because of the loss of language.
The names could certainly be gathered by looking at what has been salvaged from prayers, ceremonies, and books. Yes, books, that have spirits mentioned in the text. If we gather the spirits mentioned in the Sacred Hoop, the four winds, the Man of the north and Man of the South, the Water Spirits and Thunders. They might have included the Sun and Moon. We are well on the way to completing the list.
The Dakota even had a Superman; he was called Inyan Hoksina (Stone Boy). The Stone Boy tales, where made up adventures. Stories of the various events that happened to him when a bad person or animal tried to take advantage of him. Stone Boy would beat them up as he was made of stone, no harm could come to him.
Returning to Rock, we have the famous Red Rock boulder now located in front of the United Methodist Church, New Port, Washington County, Minnesota. This rock was moved about two times before settling at its present location. The Dakota people prayed to the Spirit of the Rock to help them. The rock was originally painted red, possibly using Hematite, but the color has now been weathered away.
Benson County, North Dakota has a boulder that is revered by the indigenous people. The tale of this rock is about a Hidatsa mother and child who turned to stone to spite her husband. The Hidatsa moved west, and the Dakota claimed the land, including the boulder and its story. The Dakota presently continue to revere this woman and child.
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