Reprinted with permission from Traditional Teachings by the Native North American Travelling College

…continued from last week

THE ARTICLES OF KAWIRIIO

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER, AND THEY ASKED HIM TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

He told them that he saw many people who were white in color and they were very angry. They had a weapon with them and were trying to force us to join the whiteman’s army.

Now the Messengers said: true, that is what you saw, and now we will tell you why you saw this. If we are forced to join the whiteman’s army, then we, the Messengers, will protect you at all times. We will be able to hide you from the enemy and you will not be seen by anyone.

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER, AND THEY ASKED HIM TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

He said: I saw a man sitting beside a house suspended in the sky with a dog, and he was halfway between the sky world and the earth.

The Messengers said: true, that is what you saw and now we will explain why this is so. This man you saw was Ranatakarias (George Washington). He will be the first and last white brother who will ever get this close to Sonkwaiatison’s land. Washington told the Onkwehonwe that they would have to move from the Six Nations Territory and go as far west as the Iroquois allied with the British. Kaienthokwen (Cornplanter) told Washington that his people were not going anywhere. He told him that if he tried to force the Onkwehonwe from their territory, that they would have a war on their hands.

It was at this time that Ranatakarias (George Washington) decided that it was not such a wise thing to do because he did not want another war on his hands. So, he told Kaienthokwen (Corn-planter) to go back and tell his people that they did not have to move anywhere. This is why he is where he is today.

NOW WE WILL TELL YOU OF ANOTHER TO TELL YOUR RELATIONS, AND THE MESSENGERS ASKED SKANIENTARIIO TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

He told them that he saw all the wild game on earth: the deer and the bear, seemed to be so uncomfortable and unhappy here.

The Messengers said: true, that is what you saw and now we will tell you the reason for this.

The wild game on earth are very unhappy and uncomfortable now because the earth is so full of evil that the ground they walk on is very hot to them, like fire.

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER, AND THEY ASKED HIM TO TELL WHAT EXACTLY HE SAW.

Skanientariio said: I saw a big iron house and inside the house were a pair of handcuffs, a whip and a hangman’s noose.

The Messengers said: true, this is what you saw, and now we will tell you that these things will hurt the people. All these things will be for our white brothers’, they will be the ones who will suffer from this. Our white brothers judge the punishment that their people will receive for their wrong doings while here on earth. If any of our people should’ follow their ways, then they will also be judged in the same manner that our white brothers will be judged.

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER, AND THEY ASKED HIM TO TELL EXACTLY WHATHE SAW.

He said: I saw a big white house with no windows and a steeple and there were a lot of tracks going into the house but none coming out.

The Messengers said: true, this is what you saw and now we will tell you why this is so. The building you saw is the whiteman’s place of worship. Many will follow this path, but we must tell our people not to follow this way, for if they do, it will be very hard for them to come out. It is possible to return to our own way. The way of the whiteman’s spiritual belief is not our way. Sonkwaiatison gave the Onkwehonwe his own way of spiritual belief. We must tell our people to follow our own way.

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER AND THEY AKSED HIM EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

He told them: I saw a Longhouse and at the end of the Longhouse was a road leading up into the sky.

The Messengers said: true, this is what you saw, now we will tell you why this is so. The road that you saw leading up into the sky goes to Sonkwaiatison’s land. It will be at this place where all the people will gather, where people who are on their last journey will be passing through for the last time, for those who have carried out the duties of the Four Sacred Ceremonies.

NOW THE MESSENGERS SHOWED SKANIENTARIIO ANOTHER, AND THEY ASKED HIM TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT HE SAW.

He said: I saw another building, this is the place where they sell Oneka, “the mindchanger”. I saw two men coming out of it, staggering and holding each other up. They came out and went right back in.

Now the Messengers said: true, this is what you saw, and now we will tell you why this is so. Alcohol will destroy many of your people. It will cause splits among families and hardships for young children. It will take many lives before their time. Your people will come to like alcohol and depend on it. For many, alcohol will rule them for the rest of their lives.

Continued next week...