Iktómi

Iktómi, the Spider, is the Lakota trickster and culture hero, the first-born son of Íŋyaŋ the Rock. Originally Ksá, the god of wisdom who invented language, stories, names, and games, he was demoted to trickster after his scheming — including the deception that separated the Sun and Moon. As Iktómi he is endlessly cunning yet frequently the victim of his own tricks, the subject of a vast cycle of teaching-tales, and a shaper of the world as the people now find it.

Parentage

• father: ÍŋyaŋFirst-born son of Íŋyaŋ, the Rock.Walker, Lakota Myth (1983); Powers, Oglala Religion (1977) (secondary)

Domains

• trickery and cunning
• wisdom and invention

Powers

• invent language, names, stories, and games
• scheme, deceive, and change his shape, often to his own ruin

Epithets

• Ksá Lakota · Ksa · originWisdom (his name before his demotion)James R. Walker, Lakota Belief and Ritual (primary)
• Uŋktómi Lakota · Unktomi · namethe SpiderJames R. Walker, Lakota Myth (primary)

Relations

• father: ÍŋyaŋFirst-born son of Íŋyaŋ, the Rock.Walker, Lakota Myth (1983); Powers, Oglala Religion (1977) (secondary)
• ally: Aŋóg Ité

Sources

• existence: Walker, Lakota Myth (Jahner ed., 1983) (secondary); Walker, Lakota Belief and Ritual (DeMallie & Jahner eds., 1980) (secondary); Powers, Oglala Religion (1977) (secondary)