#heyoka

[lottiestudying]

02.07.2024—really enjoying my hobonichi cousin

[dailydemonspotlight]

Could I request one for Haokah? It is a rare demon of Native American mythology and it comes from smt 2, a game out of the Devil Summoner series where they took ahold of the narrative and made demons with their first appearances?

Haokah - Day 60 (Request)

Race: Yoma

Alignment: Neutral/Neutral

June 21st, 2024

Wow, we've got a pretty obscure one today! As the series has continued, a lot of demons have unfortunately been left behind- whether it be due to changes of licensing, controversy, or simple forgetfulness, a lot of demons earlier in the series failed to recur later on, a rather unfortunate symptom of how many ideas they had that struggled to translate to the metaphorical big screen. Today's Demon of the Day is one of those, and one I'd love to see make a return- the tricky Jester at the top of the Lakota food chain, the Haokah.

Also called the Heyoka, this role is that of an incredibly important figure in Sioux folklore, someone blessed by and able to see the all-important figure of the Thunder Being. Contrary to the explanation in SMT, the Haokah is not a deity in-and-of-itself, instead being the role of someone who effectively works to be the exact opposite of those around them, calling into view questions of and satire relating to life itself. The Haokah will typically work as what could be best seen as a funhouse mirror, twisting and calling into effect the flaws of the society they live within by exaggerating the opposites.

When one becomes the Haokah, they are given the role of doing various incredibly foolish things, acting afool, almost like a jester who manifests during a performance. For example, if food was to be scarce, a Haokah may end up complaining about how full he was, or during a horse-riding ceremony, he may ride it backwards. One such example of this was an infamous Haokah literally called the straighten-outer, who, to quote an excerpt from 'Lame Deer Seeker of Visions', "...was always running around with a hammer trying to flatten round and curvy things (soup bowls, eggs, wagon wheels, etc.), thus making them straight."

Honestly, I have no idea where the SMT idea of the Haokah as a hunting god came from- it sent me for a bit of a loop, as it's the only place online that lists the Haokah as a hunting god instead of as the ceremonial role it actually is. Also, funny enough, a lot of posts online related to the Haokah have to do with someone being an empath of it? I won't even begin to pretend I understand what that means, but okay. Honestly, I wish they also did a bit more with the design- most interpretations of the Haokah are weird, and this one feels just a bit too plain? It feels like they're trying to play into the hunting god idea, which is not what the Haokah even is. I wish they took a bit more inspiration from contemporary depictions of the Haokah, but... well, it was very early in the series, so I can't fault them much.

Still, flaws aside, I quite enjoy the fact that the series introduced me to such a unique concept! I guess I can see why they abandoned this demon down the road, though.

[cingifreepress]

[wyzechyld]

Lonely as the moon

Surrounded by stars

But missing the sun

[summocrap]

You ever wonder if Heyoka was a smug bastard right before he got struck by Wakan Tanka's lightning? Like he's seeing these huge thunderbolts going immediately to him and he's just like "Later bitches I got the guy who loves everything to hate me~"

Heyoka: What are you gonna do? Gonna kill me?

Heyoka: Either kill me or shut the fuck up!

[marcelinesghost13]

[experthuman]

[socialdragonflytarot27]

[whatthefuckprincesspeach]

yes, 😈 I've grown from a man 🥷 to a God 🦅⛈️⚡🔥♒

2020 before prison ⛓️/ 2023 after prison 🔓

[innervoiceartblog]

“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of men when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Tanka, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that which is made between two individuals and the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace, which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.”

~ Hehaka Sapa (Black Elk), Wichasha Wakan and Heyoka of the Oglala Lakota

Artwork: ‘Telling Your Voice is Powerful Medicine’ by Raine © Inner Voice Art

[boogeysmoth]

Day 31: favorite + astral/plains/dreamland

I have a lot of fun drawing this, it's a cat rabbit (conegato) as a jester with some touch of a heyoka clown (just a little), butterflies of the oneirones (Morpheus, phantasos, and phobetor) and a thunder bird xD

[lottiestudying]

01.07.2024—new month, new journal

[mercenary4design]

[cingifreepress]

H

[wyzechyld]

It's always bewildering how frequently we opt for the company of an enemy instead of that of a friend. It seems we're inclined to choose paths destined for loss. Yet, upon reflection, I believe we're here to evolve, unable to fully embrace joy until we've undergone growth. It's painful, both in solitude and witnessing others discard friendships needlessly, if only we could recognize our worth and cherish ourselves entirely.

[nemo-legrande]

This is an imagined conversation between Wakan Tanka and Heyoka (through possessing MC). Maybe there are some OOCs, so forgive me.

---

Heyoka: I like you better now, Wakan. You look...free.

Wakan: Am I? (chuckles) Living with other people here in Tokyo is a whole new experience. I love it.

Heyoka: Say, Wakan... (beat) Have you found the truth?

Wakan: The truth?

Heyoka: Yeah, the truth. The truth behind the sadness and smiles. The truth behind what caused my exodus.

Wakan: (reflective) The answer seems to be much bigger than I thought, my Heyoka. So, you know, I only get some part of it.

Heyoka: (listening intently)

Wakan: But what I get is this: every emotions, every difference between what is felt and what is shown...they have their own color and they continue to paint the world beautiful.

Wakan: (silence, then sighs regretfully) I wish I come to the conclusion sooner than this so that you don't-

Heyoka: No, Wakan. It's meant to be.

Wakan: (mutters) Meant to be...

Heyoka: It's no use to turn back time and fix everything. Life would lose all meaning if every creases can be straightened. (beat) You don't need to apologize about what you've done to me. I'm happy we can sit side by side like this.

Wakan: I'm happy too. No, I'm happier than I have ever been. Thank you, my friend.