Religion
Smudging
Sweat Lodge
Funerals
Weddings
Religion
Religion? The belief in God or Gods
entitled to obedience or worship, a particular system of faith and worship.
Some people say we had no religion, that it was a way of life. We thank the one
who gives; many call the one who gives the Great Spirit. Prayer and offerings
as a way of life seem to fit either category or argument. I never really gave
it much thought until someone chastised me for saying we have a form of
religion. I do not like the form of government we are under but I do understand
its philosophies and protections. One such protection is Freedom of Religion.
Freedom of Religion in this country was not based on being able to worship any
god, but was born of Americans wanting freedom to practice any form of Christianism free from the rule of the Church of England.
Religious freedom for the peoples indigenous to this continent was suppressed
by the
For the simple reason of classification and for myself only, I call some of our life ways religion. The teachings that I’ll include on this page are things I consider religion and want to be protected under the Native American Freedom of Religion Act.
I do not promote the adoption of my religion, and I condemn the sale of religion. Anything that I choose to place on this page I can assure you has already been written and is freely available in books, pamphlets or other documents I’ve seen. I will not publish any teachings I’ve received but would gladly pass them on personally at my home.
This page is my exercise of Freedom of Religion!
Smudging
Smudging for me can be part of
prayer or preparation. The preparation may be for a ceremony or even a meeting.
I like to use either mashkodewashk or wiingash to
smudge. People do this many ways, when I smudge I like to have my hair down so
that the smoke will go through it all. When I smudge I go in a clockwise
direction around the room or building. When I’m being smudged I take the smoke
in my hands an wash it over my face and down my body, as I turn around in a
clockwise fashion I lift my feet so the bottoms will be exposed and my back and
hair can be cleansed. I find this both physically and mentally purifying.
Sweat Lodge
The sweat lodge ceremony is one of physical and spiritual
purification practiced by Native Americans to overcome illness, to prepare for
other ceremonies, or anytime there is a need for an answer on some level. By combining the elements of fire, water, and stone: you learn
about the Earth, yourself, animals and all of creation. In my eyes the
sweat lodge ceremony is available to anyone and everyone.
The sweat ceremony has a leader. You must listen to that leader and show him
proper respect. He is responsible for your safety and is the teacher of the way
of the ceremony.
The second in command of the ceremony is the fire keeper. Listen to this
person. The fire keeper's role is a difficult one with many responsibilities.
He must act as a role model for all adults and children attending the sweat
ceremony. This person is responsible for the fire, wood, and stones used during
the ceremony, opening and closing the door, bringing in the pipe or anything
else the leader may request. If there is an altar, he is responsible for its
care and all that is placed on it, maintaining peace and quiet around the area
of the ceremony, insuring all participants behave in an acceptable manner.
The sweat lodge is performed in a dome tent-like structure with a round pit dug
into the center of the floor. The lodge is entered in a clockwise direction by
the sweat participants. The rocks that have been heating in a fire outside the
structure are then brought into the sweat lodge by the fire keeper and are
placed in- the center by the leader of the ceremony. The flap to the tent is
closed. The leader throws water, cedar, and other herbs on the glowing rocks as
prayers are said and songs are sung. The sweat lodge heats up. The door of the
sweat lodge is opened four times during the ceremony representing the four
directions, allowing the prayers out and fresh air in to rejuvenate you. The
sweat usually lasts about two hours. After the ceremony is concluded, you exit
in a clockwise direction. It is said that at the conclusion of the sweat, you
emerge "like a new born baby' as the sweat structure symbolizes the womb
of the mother.
Women attending a sweat ceremony must adhere to specific rules. Because this is
a religious ceremony and you are here to pray, your body must be fully covered
in a long dress. Do not attend the ceremony during your menstrual cycle. Your
cycle is a cleansing time for you as a woman and makes you spiritually strong.
If you enter the lodge at this time, you may harm yourself or others present.
If your cycle is due, do not attend the ceremony. Wait at least two days after
the last signs of your cycle before you participate.
Do not use drugs or alcohol for at least 24 hours prior to the ceremony. At the
completion of the ceremony, do not use drugs or alcohol for at least 24 hours.
Respect the ceremony and cleansing you have just experienced. Give your body a
chance to benefit.
Always conduct yourself in a respectful manner. The sweat is our church and a
religious ceremony. -Respect yourself and all others in attendance. No teasing
of others, no swearing or disrespectful language, no fighting, no criticizing
of others or of someone not present.
Remember, every thought is a prayer. We must always have good thoughts if we
are to help anyone.
The Sweat Lodge Ceremony is common throughout the
I know, that no one can stop anyone from their beliefs, but I can ask that you
respect.
SWEAT LODGE
Offering Gifts
This is respectful that we give tobacco or some gift
to the leader who is holding the Sweat Lodge Ceremony. The leader who is
holding the ceremony needs much support as he or she is purifying all that we
use for the ceremony, offering his or her prayers to bring in all our relatives
to help and have our prayers.
Acknowledgment Preparation
Before we enter the Sweat Lodge, we need to smudge ourselves with sage or sweet
grass to clean our minds and bodies of impure or negative thoughts. We give an
offering of tobacco to the rock, fire, and tree people. For the Grandfather
rocks are the closest tot he fire in the ceremony and the fire is the Great
Spirit. With this tobacco we also acknowledge the four directions and our
Mother Earth and of what we are about to do. 'All my
relations.
I ST. DOOR
Creation
Give thanks to all that we use in the Sweat Lodge, to the four powers, to the
father and grandfather (the creator), to our Mother and grandmother earth, to
the rock people, the water, the sacred pipes and medicines, for the people who
are sitting in the circle with you, to the doorman, the three people, those
that fly (winged), those that crawl, of the water swimmers, those that walk on
four legs, and two-4egged. Always keep in mind that the Creator or Great Spirit, is in everything and of everything, and acknowledge
that we are all related. We are their relative5 and they are ours. Ask for pity
and mercy that our prayers will be heard. 'All my friends and
relatives.
2ND DOOR
Purity and health For those in
prisons, foster homes, nursing homes, treatment etc...
Always acknowledge the Creator or the Great Spirit before you start your
prayer, after your prayer, end it by saying: All my friends and relations.
Remember, we live in a world where it is easy to get attached to the senses and
of the things of the world. So pray hard for our children, families, etc. That they may have good health and be attentive to our way of life.
3RD DOOR
Family loved ones your connection to your people
That we may recognize and accept who we are and change
the things that need changing in our lives, so that we can be more respectful
to our families, loved ones, elders, leaders, and your new way of life. It is
also this time to pray for those who are locked up in jobs, self-own prisons,
those that are neglecting responsibilities and rights of others, etc...
Having humility in your heart is how we grow and how we walk the
4 TH DOOR
For yourself
The prayers for the first, second, and third doors
should be acknowledged, and then you pray for yourself. We always give things
to ourselves last (it is the Indian way) yet we are first through other
people's prayers. The ceremony is finished. There is a light in our hearts and
a path to follow, rebirths, etc. . . . is what our
attitude should be like.
This is our prayer that through our sacred pipe and ceremonies, peace may come
to those people who can understand, an understanding
which must be of the heart and not of the head alone.
Funerals
I have been lucky in my life to experience and learn our customs concerning deaths. I know that many things have changed over the years and that we don’t follow all of the traditions that we have in the past but we have kept many important traditions alive. What do we do? And who is it for? I think that our burial activities are for both the living and the dead. Those who’ve walked on sometimes need help moving on and we need help coping with the loss of our loved ones. For many years now my family has participated in the jiibaykwe (ghost suppers) that was passed down from when we would move the bones of our loved ones from temporary to permanent burial grounds. By today’s standards this doesn’t happen all that much any more, but it does happen. My Tribe has participated in the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act to the extent that we have not only brought our ancestors home but have brought them through a lodge, placed them out on blankets around a fire to warm them and feast them as a welcome home. We’ve reburied them in secret spots and placed a pole near them for offerings. When I approach this place I hit the post four times to call in those who may be near. I make an offering of prayer and semaa and usually a song. For my loved ones I sing a farewell song. It’s important to smudge make a prayer and sing a song immediately over those who’ve passed. They say the journey may take four days and that one needs help along the way so it’s important to have a fire lit with an opening to the epangishmak (western) direction. This fire is for the spirit’s direction and for us to make offerings and prayers. The fire serves as a gathering place for friends and relatives to tell stories about those who’ve walked on and to sing songs for and about them. Four days of feasting culminates with a funeral service. More often than not we have our ceremonies mixed in with many different religions which seems to work quite well. At the lighting of the fire, the funeral and the burial it’s time to pray with a pipe. As much loss as one feels during this time it is also the time when one’s community gives you the strength to face life without your loved ones. I know our ceremonies and traditions have helped me personally though times of great loss. I say Chi-Migwetch to all those who’ve helped me.
Weddings
I have seen many different versions of the wedding ceremony but chose for my daughter Maria to be married by both a Priest and an Odawa Pipe carrier. The Odawa portion of her ceremony consisted basically of the Sweat Lodge. Rob, his family and his best man joined our family and Maria’s Maid of Honor in the Ceremony of rebirth. We ate about four days and had a traditional Catholic ceremony on Saturday. I will always be glad went through this together. Then of course we had dancing and more food.