"THE MESSAGE OF KARIWIIO"

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

…continued from last week

THE ARTICLES OF KARIWIIO

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER, AND THEY ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

He said: I saw the Punisher call upon another woman to come and play with a figure that looked like a man’s penis made of red-hot iron.

Now the Messengers will explain why this happened. When this woman lived on earth, she used a medicine that attracted men to her and she enjoyed having all different men keep her satisfied. This is the punishment for people who use bad medicine and do not give thanksgiving after renewal before death. The same woman who was being punished was also reminded about sex with men of different races.

To this, the Messengers explained: Sonkwaiatison had a purpose for placing people of different races on earth and that one day we would be living among one another, but it would make Sonkwaiatison sad if we inter-married among the races. When Sonkwaiatison put life here on earth, he made it in a way that we were to have respect for all living things. He put the animals here, gave them character, a language and songs of their own. It was the same for the humans. We were to respect the unique difference of all races, but each of us was given a certain way to communicate with Sonkwaiatison.

We were given our own names, our own language, and our own songs of Thanksgiving. We were not to share this with other races. We are not to pick up their laws for we were given our own.

There will come a time when many of your people will marry among other races and their children will not know who they are. We are told to teach our children not to marry in another race for they are to stay among their own people. It is very wrong to mix blood and will bring great harm to our people.

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER, AND ASKED HIM TO

TELL EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

So he said: I saw the Punisher yell out to a man to come to him. The Punisher said, “I hear that you were always saying if I ever see the Punisher, I will kill him.” “Well,” now the Punisher said, “here you are in my house, and now you can beat on me.” The man yelled and fell to the floor trying to beat up the Punisher, but couldn’t succeed.

The Messengers now tell us that no one will ever succeed in beating up the Punisher. This will be the punishment of anyone who does not believe in the Punisher or Sonkwaiatison and who does not give thanksgiving or renewal before death.

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER, AND ASKED HIM TO

TELL EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

So he said: for those people who do not give thanksgiving and renewal before death, they will spend their time here forever with the Punisher.

Now the Messengers explain that when you finally turn to dust, the Punisher will build you back up and start the torture all over again.

Now the Messengers told Skanientariio another. They told Skanientariio that this will be the end result of the people who do not give thanksgiving and make renewal to Sonkwaiatison before death. They have been shown what will happen to them if they disobey.

NOW WE TALK ABOUT ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

There is a Ceremony taking place at the Longhouse, and we are preparing to attend it. We will be persuaded by the Punisher not to attend the Ceremony. He tells us that we are not dressed right for the occasion, that people will laugh at us. When we arrive there, he tells us that we should only stand around outside but we go in anyway. When we get inside, he tells us not to participate in anything, that we should just sit there on the bench.

Sonkwaiatison tells us that there is an even bigger punishment for us if we do not participate. Once we have participated in the Ceremony, only then will the Punisher quit and give up.

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

This concerns the Four Ceremonies. People should all give Thanksgiving and renewal to

Sonkwaiatison before any of the Four Sacred Ceremonies take place and all doings should be over before midday or noon.

NOW WE WILL TELL OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

During any of the Ceremonies, we are to always have a dish of food prepared for

Sonkwaiatison.

NOW WE WILL TELL OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

We are to have deer meat at all the Ceremonies, but as we were told earlier, the deer will become extinct, so we will have to use beef meat in its place.

Continued next week...