Drom,
The Spirts choose who they will guide and protect. The person is shown these Guides in visions and dreams. The number of protectors is immense and depends on the culture. Sam and I have several and not all the same. We both are protected mainly by the Wakians for the reasons given. We both have others that are the same, to different degrees of influence.
Our traditions have attributed certain gifts to certain Spirits. They been consistant for centuries, so we understand that they must be accurate. We ask them all to help us become better people and to use our Gifts for the Health and Help of
all people. Understand, we only have the ability to ask them to help. We don't have any power over the Spirits, but they will answer us...even if the answer is "No.".
BTW, anyone claiming to be a Lakota medicine man or woman is a fake. No person
claims that title. It is given by the people. The closest a true medicineman or woman might come is, "You might call me a medicineman." or "Some have called me a medicineman." They are even embarrassed by being introduce to someone that way. There are some like Grandpa Wallace Black Elk, who calmly and graciously have accepted this type of introduction, but never laid claim to that title.
We know of one young man that claimed this title to Sam and I during a Sun dance and was laughed at by everyone there, especially the Elders!
We later found that he was
very full of his self perceived importance and "knowledge". You should have heard the roar of laughter from everyone when he claimed, "Billie, you're
not Winkte. I know a Winkte and you're nothing like that."
Sam and I are very open and honest about our way of life. Fell free to ask. Thank you for allowing me a chance to teach a little of our ways.
, I choose the last....Thunderbird. In Lakota, we call them Wakians, protector of the Winkte (me) and Wioptula (Sam)or Two Spirit (GLBT), as well as the Heyoka (Often called Contrary or Sacred Clown). 