Inipi Ceremony:

““Inipi” means life force within. Another term is “tunkantaiogganake” which means lodge of the newborn and old.  And sometimes “Tunkan tipi” lodge of the stone people. It is the home of the tunkashilas, the ambassadors of God and the four nations. The Inipi area is their space and we take care of it for them.

Every thought, action, and prayer is under examination here. If the inipi area is kept 100% pure and done in this way, 100% of the prayers will be answered. (When the door in the Inipi is shut and it is hot, the tunkashilas, angels of God are in full force.)

When anyone enters the Inipi area, they are smudged with cedar or sweet grass and are reminded to watch every thought, action and prayer. Basically, they have to walk in consciousness with every breath. Purity is of the utmost importance. All things brought in must follow these guidelines. No … people in the wrong frame of mind, or animals.

The closest we come to spirit in this body is in the inipi especially if we have sage on the floor. Then we are enveloped in sacredness and “rub elbows” with the tunkashilas.

Inipi is one of the four sacred ceremonies or objects given to humans from the creator. Canupa, vision quest, and drum are the other three. Life is recreated when the water is put on the stones. Just as the heat of the sun meets the moisture of the Earth to form clouds and rain which nourish all life, so the heat of the stones in the lodge combusts with pure water to form clouds that rain within us to nourish and cleanse internally and externally. The inipi embodies sacredness and is a necessary purification for other ceremonies, hambleciyapi, yuwipi, sun dance, etc.

This inipi ceremony is spirit given to Woptura from 1836 until now for the people through the Chipps family. Messing with these ceremonies without humility, utmost purity, and determined focus is dangerous. This is about prayer. Do it right! Help others. Don’t mess with sacredness!

Prayer:

Tunkashila  wiyopeyata, wakinyan oyate, sung wakan oyate, sunka oyate, ictomni oyate, sapa oyate, wowiuski na we chose a ni unci la pelo aho Mitakuye oaysin.

We want health and happiness. This is what I am asking. All my relations.”

–  Godfrey Chipps

Godfrey Chipps