Wakíŋyaŋ is a Lakota word for "thunder." It also may be a portmanteau word which associates "wahka" ("sacred") and "kinyan" ("wings").
The word is usually translated as "Thunder Spirits", "Thunder Beings," or "Thunderbirds".
Heyokas[]
Heyokas, sacred clowns, dream of Wakinyan and can burn cedar (Juniperus scopulorum) to protect themselves from thunder and lightning, since Wakinyan respects and will not harm that tree.