"THE MESSAGE OF KARIWIIO"

Reprinted with permission from Traditional Teachings by the Native North American Travelling College

…continued from last week

THE ARTICLES OF KAWIRIIO

The Four Major Wrongs

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU AND YOUR RELATIONS OFANOTHER PRACTICE WHICH MAKES SONKWAIATISON SAD.

IT IS CALLED “IAKOTKON” MEANING WITCHCRAFT.

It is people who are not in their right mind that can make and spread diseases to the people living and cause death by cutting the number of days that Sonkwaiatison has given to each individual. Now the messengers tell us that for those who practice witchcraft some are ashamed to appear in public, in the longhouse and change their ways. So now we tell you what they must do. They must go into the woods alone and offer tobacco to Sonkwaiatison and ask for forgiveness. They must vow to live a pure life and give thanksgiving and renewal to Sonkwaiatison so that their life may never again be as it was in the past.

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU AND YOUR RELATIONS OF ANOTHER EVIL PRACTICE THAT THE PEOPLE ON EARTH DO. IT IS THIS THIRD WORD THAT MAKES SONKWAIATISON SAD.

THIS IS CALLED “O-NON-WEH” MEANING “LOVE MEDICINE”.

There are a great number of people who use this medicine to control the lives of other people. This is a charm medicine that has caused a lot of misery. The messengers now tell us that we the people on earth have no idea how much harm this charm medicine can cause. Our people have lost their lives from this charm medicine as can be seen by this great pile of bones. So now we, the messengers, tell you to tell the people that when you hear these words, you should change your way of life and pledge to Sonkwaiatison that you will never continue this practice.

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU AND YOUR RELATIONS OF THE FOURTH WORD THAT MAKES SONKWAIATISON SAD.

IT IS CALLED “IAWIRATONTA” MEANING “ABORTION”.

It was Sonkwaiatison’s intention for women to give birth to children. Some women always want to look their best so they cut off the life strings of the children. Sonkwaiatison made women so that generations will renew. It means that we all live a certain length of time and then pass on, making way for new generations. The women are to have a certain number of children so they will fulfill the will of Sonkwaiatison. Now we the messengers tell you to tell your people that as soon as

they hear of this, they must change their way and never use the medicine which cuts off life for as long as you live. They must pledge to Sonkwaiatison that they will always respect life for future generations. They must give thanksgiving and renewal to Sonkwaiatison for past actions and live according to his laws.

The Duties of Married Couples

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU OF AN IMPORTANT MATTER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

It is the will of Sonkwaiatison that at a certain time in the life of a man and woman they will be ready to marry. This is a major decision for a man and woman to make for they must consider all the problems that married couples must endure. Once they have decided they must commit themselves to each other forever, for only death can part them.

Marriage is a sacred agreement between a man and woman and with very few exceptions of which will be explained in later articles is meant to last a lifetime.

This is the way Sonkwaiatison intended it to be for the Onkwehonwe.

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU AND YOUR RELATIONS OF ANOTHER MATTER EQUALLY IMPORTANT.

Once a married couple has settled down in a home, it is normal that they can expect to have a family. The messengers saw this happen, a couple did marry and from this marriage a child was born. The woman suffered greatly, so the mother tells her daughter because she loves her so much and never wants to see her suffer like that again she will make her daughter a medicine that will prevent her from having any more children in the future. Now what these two women did was wrong and each is to be blamed for it, for they have cut off the string of children that the daughter was destined to have.

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU AND YOUR RELATIONS OF ANOTHER WHICH IS ALMOST THE SAME.

There lived this married couple and they had a baby and his wife suffered greatly. So the mother told her daughter that she would make her a medicine which would prevent her from having any more children but the daughter refused to take the medicine and said that if it is the will of Sonkwaiatison to suffer or cause me to die, then let it be like that. Now the messengers said that what this daughter decided to do was right in the eyes of Sonkwaiatison. We will also tell you that any woman who dies while giving birth will instantly see Sonkwaiatison’s land.

Continued next week...