Came across this term last night while reading Black Elk Speaks, which, incidentally, is amazing:
Heyoka, approximately translated from Lakota, means ‘contrarian’ or ‘sacred clown’.
Heyoka are thought of as being backwards-forwards, upside-down, or contrarian in nature. This spirit is often manifest by doing things backwards or unconventionally–riding a horse backwards, wearing clothes inside-out, or speaking in a backwards language. For example, if food were scarce, a Heyoka would sit around and complain about how full he was; during a baking hot heat wave a Heyoka will shiver with cold and put on gloves and cover himself with a thick blanket. Similarly, when it is 40 degrees below freezing he will wander around naked for hours complaining that it is too hot.
{See also: Holy Fool}
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One Comment
I think I first heard of the Heyoka in a (great) book called Hanta Yo. I love the Heyoka! though being around him all the time might get old. But it’s an important role someone needs to play within a group/community/society. Just like all the variations of so-called “crazy people”.