Description
Edition of 250 20”w x 16”h
It was Iroquois tradition to speak a Thanksgiving address at the start and close of every important civil or religious meeting in traditional communities. It is an ancient gift, some say over a thousand years old, to remind ourselves of our place in nature and of our relation to the Creator and all that has been provided to us.
From the East, we give thanks to the Creator, who has given us the Spiritual Forces on the Earth, Spiritual Forces in the Sky and Spiritual Forces beyond the Sky.
We give thanks to our Mother, the Earth
Who provides us with our needs
and we give thanks to one another,
the People, and those yet to be born,
we bring our minds together as one.
We give thanks to the spirit of waters,
waterfalls and rain, oceans and rivers,
they quench our thirst
and make it possible for all things to live.
We give thanks to the fish,
they purify the lakes and sustain us.
We give thanks to the plants;
the green grasses, the medicinal plants,
the strawberry plants that come
when the winds are warm again,
and the three sisters, corn, beans and squash.
We give thanks to the trees,
symbol of peace,
they provide us with shelter, shade and fruits.
We give greetings and thanks to the animal creatures,
they give us companionship and sustenance.
We give thanks to the birds, they sing sweet songs, provide us with food and carry our messages to the Creator.
Now our minds are as one
To the North, we turn our thoughts to the sky,
We give greetings and thanks to
the Four Winds, they refresh the air
throughout the seasons,
To the Grandfather Thunderers, they bring the falling rains,
we hear their loud voices renewing life.
We give thanks to our Elder Brother Sun,
Every sunrise is a miracle of his light and warmth.
Now our minds are as one.
To the West, we give greetings and thanks
to Grandmother Moon,
she guides the arrival of the children, causes the tides of the oceans and helps us to measure the passage of time.
Now are minds are as one.
To the South, we give thanks to the Stars,
they have spread themselves across the sky.
Their sparkle guides us home;
they bring the dew to the plants.
Their beauty reminds us of the Creator.
Now our minds are as one.
To the East, we honor the four Sky Dwellers,
They teach and guide us
during our journey on Mother Earth.
We give greetings and thanks to all who teach us,
Now our minds are as one.
We reflect that our cycle continues,
our duty is to live in harmony
with one another and all living things.
We give greetings and thanks to the Creator
and for all that has been given us.
Now our minds are as one.
Yaw^ko’
-based on the traditional Iroquois Thanksgiving prayer
