"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 HIM ANOTHER, AND ASKED HIM TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

He said: I saw this man named Tiohahison, in Sonkwaiatison’s land, but this man is still alive on earth. This man is always happy and holds a peaceful mind. He always makes sure that the Ceremonies of the Longhouse are held at the right time.

Now, the Messengers explained that whenever this man passes on he will be coming directly to Sonkwaiatison’s land and his duties will be waiting for him when he gets there. He will be performing the same duties there as he was on earth. Skanientariio was surprised to see this man up there.

NOW THE MESSENGERS TOLD SKANIENTARIIO: Let us stop here and rest for a while. There was a spring well close to where they stopped, so they fetched some water for Skanientariio. They put it in a cup and gave a thanksgiving. Skanientariio thought to himself that this water was not enough for him to drink. It was at this time the Messengers said to Skanientariio: we know exactly what you are thinking, we will tell you now that whenever you pass on to this road to Sonkwaiatison’s land, you will never lack anything, for the food of life is always plentiful.

SKANIENTARIIO NOW RETURNS TO TONAWANDA

At this time the Four Messengers told Skanientariio that the time had come for him to return to his home.

The Messengers now told Skanientariio to go and preach the Kariwiio to the people. You will be on your own and tell the people what will be happening to them in the future. If anyone calls you to preach the Code it is your duty to go. Be sure that before you go anywhere to preach, you always prepare a protection medicine for yourself against the people who practice bad medicine and to always take someone with you to be at your side at all times.

Skanientariio recited the Kariwiio for many years; four in Tonawanda, two years in Cold Springs and ten years in Kaiethokwen’s Village, Tsionnonsateken, totaling a period of sixteen years. One day, runners came in from Onondaga with an invitation Wampum for Skanientariio to go there and talk about the Kariwiio. The people held a meeting and the Chiefs all gathered and waited for his reply.

Now this man named Akwennase knew that Skanientariio had been given three songs and he asked him if he could hear that third song. Skanientariio knew that when he went to Onondaga he would be singing his third song, meaning that he would die there, but even knowing this he prepared to go.

Skanientariio, his warriors, and followers left for their journey to Onondaga. Skanientariio always had warriors with him for many people were deathly afraid of him because he was reciting “Kariwiio” and was a very strong believer in it. He was a very serious and determined man and the warriors who travelled with him were to protect him from harm at all times.

The first night they camped at Kanonwakas. They stopped here to rest for the night before they proceeded to Onondaga. The next morning Skanientariio gave a Thanksgiving Greeting for being able to see another day, and then they all started on their journey. Skanientariio told the people that he had a dream and it was a really nice dream.

Next, they camped at a place called Kanatasekeh. The next morning, they got up and

Skanientariio again gave the Thanksgiving Greeting for seeing another day. Again he told the people that he had another dream. Then Skanientariio said he heard a woman’s voice and she was yelling and arguing about where he was going, but he could only hear her voice. As they were getting closer to Onondaga, Skanientariio noticed that he had lost his knife. He told the people that he had left it behind where they had camped. He told the people to go ahead and he would return to the camp to get his knife. So the people went on, and Skanientariio went back to the camp by himself. When he got there he saw his knife. As he bent over to retrieve it, he heard a women’s voice speak from behind the bushes. “Are you coming here to talk about us? The people involved with the use of bad medicine.” Skanientariio replied that he was asked to come to Onondaga to talk about the message of “Kariwiio”. As he straightened his body a sharp pain pierced through his back. At this time he became ill and it was with great difficulty that he made it back to where his followers were waiting.

They helped Skanientariio into Onondaga. The people in the nation tried hard to cheer him up by organizing a great lacrosse game, however, Skanientariio knew his time had come. He sang his third song and then told the people that he would soon be on his journey. He would be singing his fourth song in Sonkwaiatison’s land. It is now up to your people to carry on with the message of “Kariwiio”.

“I am thankful to the Messengers for bringing these words from Sonkwaiatison. He has given us a way to have a full and happy life as Onkwehonwe people.”

Skanientariio passed away on August 10, 1815 at Onondga inside a log cabin close to a small creek. His half brother Kaienthokwen (Cornplanter) best described what the Kariwiio means to the people of the Hotinonshonni. “What Skanientariio did or said of himself is of no importance…It is the spiritual base of everything, we as Onkwehonwe must believe in.”