On February 1, 2012, American Indian studies professor David Mathieu received the phone call that is every parent’s worst nightmare. Matthew’s beloved daughter Felicity died suddenly when her car collided with a semi-truck on an icy two-lane highway in rural southern Minnesota. She was only 27 years old.
Like many who have lost loved ones in this way, Mathieu struggled mightily with his grief. He addressed questions such as:
“Would I have done anything differently to avoid this accident? Who was at fault? Why did she choose to live in the countryside with dangerous roads? How could something like this happen? Is she being punished or are we being punished? What role did God play in this tragedy?
Source: Unsplash | Ben White
In the aftermath of this horrific event, Matthew’s years of research into Lakota spirituality, particularly his conversations with healers Sidney Keith and Martin High Bear on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota, took on new importance. tinged.
A central aspect of Lakota spirituality is the concept of huakan, which translates to “mystery.” In his book The Wakan Way: Thoughts on Lakota Spirituality and GriefMathieu says, “Wacin is essentially a vague but very honest explanation of why we cannot understand the reality we wish we could understand. It is a spiritual “position”. A person’s spiritual world and material world, and the relationship between the two. ”
Recognizing the mystery of the situation, Mathieu resolves his initial doubts and overcomes the urge to blame someone or something for his daughter’s death.
“Everyone from the semi-truck driver, to the poor roads of southern Minnesota, to the entire region she lived in, to Felicity herself, failed to pay attention to her driving, did not take precautions, and did not care. “To all those who seem not to exist…no blame. It’s a place when everything is wakan and unknowable,” he writes.
What seems uniquely powerful in the reliance on Wakan is the humbling recognition that some things are simply incomprehensible to us humans. It would be presumptuous to suggest otherwise. Some things just happen and we can’t really know why, even though we’re desperate to find the answer. This is not just a practical perspective on Lakota spirituality. Not knowing itself is considered sacred.
Matthew writes: “Wacan’s consolation lies in refusing to answer questions that are truly unanswerable…Wacan suggests accepting not knowing and comforting that lack of knowledge.”
The Lakota people have endured great hardship and relied on the Wakan to grow strong. Displaced from the east, this tribal nation now resides primarily in the highlands of eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Mathieu describes some of their history:
“The climate they faced made life itself a constant challenge. Extreme heat and cold, relatively barren land, and distance in a hunter-gatherer economy often created a fragile line between life and death. The result is…a Lakota worldview in which survival is not a given…Approaching Wakan’s ideas as spiritual insights may sound counterintuitive, but it is one of understanding. Recognizing lack provides the Lakota with the adaptability they need to survive as conditions and conditions change.”
Being able to rely on mystery reflects a way of dealing with adversity that is often untapped by many people. This reflects the approach-oriented strategy that psychological research generally suggests supports greater resilience when dealing with life’s greatest challenges.
Coping with mystery is also consistent with research showing that religious and spiritual coping are commonly associated with better outcomes after stressful events. The difference with Wakan is that you don’t need answers or beliefs. As Mathieu points out, by recognizing the centrality of mystery, the Lakota emphasize that “spirituality does not require certainty.”
Theologian Shelley Rimbaud describes trauma as “lingering suffering.” Twelve years after his daughter’s tragic death, Mathieu still feels this trauma. He is still suffering. That fateful day opened a wound that would never fully heal.
At the same time, Mathieu’s reliance on the Lakota’s understanding of the Huacan allows him to find some peace. An honest understanding of the mystery may help ease the burden on many people as we all grapple with life’s great unknowns.
