Kaien'kwaroketskwas

Submitted by Native North American Travelling College

The sacrifice you will use to solidify this Ceremony (Stirring Ashes) is a White Dog. The dog must be pure white. There can’t be any black spots on it. I will always personally treasure this Ceremony. I expect that since you are related to my father, the Great Turtle, you will always perform this ceremony.

“You will dress the dog as you would dress me. This will symbolize my clothing. A man will be selected to throw the White Dog into the sacred fire. Next he will place the oien’kwa’on:we or sacred tobacco into the fire saying. ‘The day is here. You who live in the sky please continue to listen. The people of the earth want to speak. We speak in one voice and send out message with the White Dog. We have fulfilled our promise and now the White Dog goes skyward to you. We continue to perform the Ceremony and raise our voice to you in thanksgiving. We are grateful that it is still possible for so many people to participate in the Lamentation Ceremony.” (The Creator chants his death song, as an expression of his own life, mourning the inevitable death of all living things at the beginning winter)

The people draw back, uncertain with what they are hearing. Thoronhiawa:kon presses forward with more explanation, “Next, your speaker will recite, ‘We ask that we continue to live in good health so that all of us will once again see the season change and feel warmth on earth. We also ask that you continue to send us animals of all sizes, fruits and vegetation for our children to eat. Your father’s relatives ask that you continue to send children to live on earth who will be able to fulfill the Ceremonies. Now, to you who lives in the sky, we ask with one voice, from the eldest grandmother to the smallest child, that we will all be alive to see and celebrate another annual cycle. We offer oien’kwa’on:we to solidify our word.” Thoronhiawa:kon told the assembly that everyone would acknowledge this in one voice.