National Day of Prayer

National Day of Prayer

Protect Native American Sacred Places

Mitakuye,

I am much honored that you have committed yourselves toward the preservation of our Sacred Sites.  

My prayers will be with you all on this day of the 20th of June. We understand this effort to be known as “ALL Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer.” 

All the People of the world will be gathering at their local Sacred Site and be aware that many others in the world are doing the same effort of gathering prayers, no matter what faith they belong to, but offering a prayer from the heart. 

As you know, the awareness is badly needed in this country and throughout the world. Mother Earth is the source of life, not a resource.

From the time I became the Keeper of the Sacred Bundle at the age of 12, I too have witnessed the abuse of our Sacred Sites.

In my young age, my father Stanley and I used to go to honor these places during certain times of the year and do ceremony. These were times when our ceremonies were illegal. He asked me to continue this effort to bring about this awareness even stronger.

I then dedicated my life to this purpose by initiating World Peace and Prayer Day, currently being presented as “Honoring Sacred Sites Day” on the UN level.  This day of June 21st was chosen in 1995, a year after the birth of the White Buffalo Calf in Wisconsin. At this time we had went to ceremony to understand what the birth message was about. I visited with many other Indigenous Spiritual Leaders of first Nations People and discussed this awareness to protect these sites, as I knew there was a connection with this birth related to the condition of our Sacred Mother Earth.

We discussed this effort in order for our future generations to continue in the importance of understanding the energy connection that all Indigenous People in world understand with Sacred Sites. 

This date was chosen and I would like to request that you announce this time at your gatherings on the 20th and remind the people that there are thousands of people around the world that are going to these Sacred Sites the following day and offering their prayers for better health for our future generations and Mother Earth.

In 1996, I rode on Horse back from Canada on route to Grey Horn Butte aka Devils Tower, through many reservations on the way. Many Elders met and prayed with us as we rode through the reserves and reservations carrying this message during our 2 month long journey. 

The visit that I really remember in my heart and mind was meeting the Keeper of the Sacred Hat on the Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, Montana. The Keeper shared a dream with me that he had long ago, of men on horseback that would come to his home carrying a message of honoring and protecting our Sacred Sites. He attended the very first event at Grey Horn Butte in 1996. This memory carries me to this day. 

The Park Service and I were taken to court by the Climbers Association for “forbidding their recreational activities request” during our time of Prayer at Grey Horn Butte. We won the case in Supreme Court four years later. I humbly request you extend your time at these sites for one more day and pray with us as well, as we will be in a Sacred Site on the 20th and will remember you too.

Our web site is www.worldpeaceandprayerday.org or www.wolakota.org.

In the Sacred Hoop of Life where there is no ending and no beginning! 

Mitakuye Oyasin,

Chief Arvol Looking Horse, O-mini-c’i-ya-pi