"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 Duties of Married Couples

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

Most people do not treat their children equally but will favor one over the others. Now the messengers tell us that this is wrong and that all the children in the family should be treated equally. They should all be loved and treated fairly.

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

This can happen when a person sets out to destroy friendship between family and friends. When a friend starts gossip about someone running around, it gets very confusing and hateful. People should not gossip about anyone. If they do then they should be reminded of Sonkwaiatison’s message and give thanksgiving and renewal to him for their actions. People on earth should be very honest in their feelings towards others. It is not in Sonkwaiatison’s law that people should gossip about one another.

NOW WE WILL TELL OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS CONCERNING FAMILY LIFE.

A couple are having problems in their marriage. The wife cannot have any children so the wife blames her husband and he blames her. They are constantly arguing over this. When she was a small child she ate some kind of plant or crawling insect which made her sterile. Now the messengers tell us that this man and wife who keep on arguing over this matter would be better off if they separate as they will never have peace and there will be only hatred for one another.

NOW WE WILL TELL OF ANOTHER WHOSE PROBLEM IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS ONE.

A couple who were married could not have any children. The messengers tell us that if the woman cannot bear children that she should approach her sister and ask her if she can raise one of her children. The woman is to live and treat this child as though it were her own. If she can raise three children from her sister’s family then this woman will have fulfilled her duty in the eyes of Sonkwaiatison. Any couple that cannot have a family of their own that can raise other children will make Sonkwaiatison very happy and they are to know that this is the wishes of Sonkwaiatison.

NOW WE WILL TELL OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS CONCERNING FAMILY LIFE.

This couple always argued all day long from the time they rose in the morning until they came to rest at night. Instead of giving thanksgiving to Sonkwaiatison in the morning for having seen another day, they argued. The messengers tell us that if they didn’t have any children they would be better off separated. If they did have children they must put an end to their arguing and they would start getting along better with one another.

NOW WE TELL OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS CONCERNING FAMILY LIFE.

A woman has to fulfill her duties that were given to her by Sonkwaiatison by marrying and having children but her husband dies and now she is left alone to raise her children. Along comes another man who takes an interest in her and wants to marry her. She agrees and they marry. Not long after they marry the man starts picking arguments with his wife and her children. The messengers tell us that this man knew that this woman had children from her previous marriage and he knew that he would have to take her children as if they were his own, for these children were put here by Sonkwaiatison.

Continued next week...