In Lakota belief, what term refers to the Great Spirit or ultimate power?

In Lakota belief, Wakan Tanka refers to the sacred or divine power often translated as the Great Spirit.

Wakan Tanka is written in Standard Lakota Orthography as Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka. The phrase is commonly rendered in English as “Great Spirit,” but many Lakota thinkers prefer “Great Mystery,” because the concept does not necessarily describe a single human-like deity. It can refer to sacred power or holiness present throughout the world.

The word wakȟáŋ means sacred, holy, or mysterious, while tȟáŋka means great or large. Traditional interpretations therefore emphasize relationships among people, animals, objects, natural forces, and the wider spiritual world. Older accounts sometimes described Wakan Tanka as a group or organization of sacred beings rather than a strictly monotheistic supreme god.

A frequent mix-up is Gitche Manitou, a term associated with Algonquian traditions, not Lakota spirituality. Manitou is also broadly Algonquian. The English phrase “Great Spirit” is a comparative translation used across different Indigenous traditions, so it should not be treated as a single universal Indigenous doctrine.