| The wheel represents the hoop of life to the Lakota people. The white at the top represents the north where the winter cold comes from. The Buffalo Nation and the Buffalo Calf Woman are in the north. The messenger of the north is the bald eagle. Red represents the east, where all knowledge comes from. The messenger from the east is the golden eagle. The yellow represents the south where our ancestors dwell. Messenger from the south is the white crane. The black represents the west where thunder beings dwell. The messenger from the west is the black eagle.
The black dissecting the buffalo horizontally is the black road and represents temptation and doubt. The red dissecting the buffalo is the red road, representing the path of knowledge and good. The buffalo skull represents the buffalo which is a brother to the Lakota people and provided them with everything they needed to survive, such as clothing, tools, food, shelter, and spiritual guidance. The eagle feather represents the spotted eagle that is the messenger of the Great Spirit. The pipe is like the Bible to the Lakota people and is always used in a sacred way. The bowl of the pipe represents the blood of their ancestors and is made of catlinite. The seven circles carved on the bowl of the pipe represents the seven sacred ceremonies I which the pipe is used. The ceremonies are Sweat Lodge, Sundance, Vision Quest, Making of Relatives, Womanhood Ceremony, Keeping of the Souls Ceremony, and the Throwing of the Ball. The stem of the pipe represents all things that grow in Mother Earth and is made of ash. The elk represents fertility; the buffalo, strength; the turtle, wisdom; and the bear, courage. The green background represents Mother Earth and the blue, the Great Spirit. The Lakota people hold all of these things sacred.
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