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

At any of the Four Sacred Ceremonies, we are to open the ceremony with the Great Feather Dance. It is sung three times. It is the duty of the Faithkeepers to see that the Ceremonies are carried out. The Faithkeepers will be the first to dance when the Great Feather dance is sung the first time. All the people will dance when the Great Feather dance is sung for the second time, and the last time it is sung for Sonkwaiatison and everyone participates in it.

If we are healthy and able to dance, we are to participate in the dance. If we are sick, then we are to walk around the singers three times, and if we are unable to walk, then we should sit on the bench next to the singers throughout the whole dance.

Secondly, the Atonwa takes place. It is at this time that the children will be given names. The men will participate in the Atonwa, and sing their song and give thanks to Sonkwaiatison that they are healthy and are able to attend the ceremony.

The third song will be the drum song. This will take all the messages to Sonkwaiatison. Last of all, we will play the Peach Bowl Stone game. This game is played to amuse Sonkwaiatison. This is called the children’s day and it is at this time that we bring something that we treasure to put in the game. This is a reminder that we are to bring wampum, Native dress, rattles and lacrosse sticks.

NOW WE WILL TELL OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

We are always to include the three sisters (corn, beans and squash) in any of the Thanksgiving ceremonies, for they are the main foods which give us life.

NOW WE WILL TELL OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

In the future, we will see a day when the strawberries will become extinct. Now the Messengers tell us that when this time comes, we are to use the red leaf of the strawberry plant in our Ceremonies. The Great Feather Dance will be a part of the ceremony.

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

We are to have our Midwinter Ceremonies at a certain time of the year. In the future we are to follow the moon to set the time to hold the Midwinter Ceremony.

At the start of the Midwinter we are to have the stirring of the ashes, then the Great Feather dance. This marks a new fire for Sonkwaiatison.

NOW WE WILL TELL OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS.

The Messengers told Skanientariio that Kaienthokwen (Cornplanter) would approach him about his daughter’s fortune. Earlier, the Messengers had told Skanientariio that he would someday tell fortunes. Now the time has come. Kaienthokwen (Cornplanter) brought sacred tobacco with him in return for telling his fortune. Kaienthokwen had approached Skanientariio twice before, and the third time, he brought the sacred tobacco. Therefore, Skanientariio could not refuse him, and it was at this time that he told him that his daughter was not sick, but needed to have an Okiweh Ceremony put through. We are to carry out this Okiweh Ceremony from here on and we are to quit using alcohol and only bring food.

The Messengers also said that you will start your Okiweh Ceremony shortly after dinner and be finished by night time.

Continued next week...