Being closely tied to nature and all living things, the Lakota believed strongly in animal powers and the supernatural. Observance of animal behavior was incorporated into everyday life, creating a belief system that protected all who sought their animal powers.
All were believed to be joined together by the earth and created for a single purpose. Animals (the four-leggeds), birds (the winged ones), and even the crawlers with no legs, all teach about life. Humans (the two-legged) can learn lessons from all of them by observing closely. The Lakota people learn from childhood that all beings depend on one another or perish and there are lessons to be learned from all forms of life.