I am hunka Lakota and have lived the family ways as taught to me for over 25 years. Ceremonies are a very important part of every day life.
One of the Lakota's Seven Sacred Rites is the Sun Dance Ceremony. This ceremony takes place during the summer and many families host / sponsor this ceremony (hundreds across the US on and off reservation). Prayers are for the good of the people.
One of our Lakota Chiefs spoke to us about how important the dogs were to the Lakotas, they weren't pets they were family (Lakota called them Sunka) and when the horse came along they named it Sunka Wa