Draeconin
September 30th, 2001, 05:39 PM
The Oneida people are historically part of the great Confederacy known as the Haudenosaunee, People of the Longhouse, or "Iroquois" founded by the Peacemaker, Deganawidah who helped to bring an end to violence and conflict among certain warring nations hundreds of years ago. These nations went on to form the Great League or Confederacy of Peace. Recognizing the terrible consequences of violent death and destruction, the Haudenosaunee warrior men and women, in the interest of peace and of spiritual well-being, created a Ceremony of Condolence, some words of which I want to offer at this tragic time of sorrow and anger. I do not claim in any way to speak for the Haudenosaunee. But I do offer these excerpts as a descendent of these people who so creatively and wisely dealt with violence.
Condolence
Give us your ears, hear us. We have come to you to lament together, to console with you over your great loss, your bereavement. We now meet in great sorrow to mourn together over death. In our grief we will sit together and mingle our tears.
Now we take you by the hand and wipe the tears from your eyes so that you may see clearly. This we say and do.
Now hear us again, this occurs when one of your number is removed by death. When a person is in great sorrow his throat is stopped with grief and sadness. We now take you by the hand and remove the sorrow and obstruction out of your throat so that you may enjoy perfect breathing and speech.
Now hear us again, this occurs when one of your number is removed by death, it stops your ears. You cannot hear clearly. Such is your case now. So now we remove the grief from your ears. We unpluck and clear out your ears, so that you may hear distinctly when anyone addresses you.
This occurs when one of your number is removed by death, your sight becomes dark. You cannot see clearly. You are blinded by grief. You lose sight of the sky and are crushed by sorrow. So now we brighten your eyes again. We remove the mist from your eyes so that you may see the sun rising above the forest.
This occurs when one of your numbers is removed by death, dark clouds cover the sky above you and there is no light around you. We place you where there is light so that you will see the people clearly, and you will not lose the sight of heaven. We remove the dark clouds from above you so that you will see your duties and perform for your people as usual.
This occurs when one of your number is removed by death; the Sun is displaced in the sky. So, now we restore the Sun in his place. You will now see the Sun rising over the trees in the east. When the Sun arrives at in the sky, he will shine forth his rays around you and you will see your duties. Your mind will again become easy and you will perform for your people.
Continue to hear our words. When a person is brought to grief by death, such a person's place seems stained with human blood. Death has scattered dead bodies around you. The ashes of your Council Fire are scattered. We wipe off the bloodstains with soft cloth. We rekindle the Council fire. We now restore you to your place so that your mind will now become easy and you will enjoy peace again. Now you again will labor freely for the people.
This occurs when one of your members is removed by death; one is in deep grief caused by death. The head is bowed down in deep sorrow. As your heads are hanging down with sorrow, grief, and sadness, we lift up your heads. We therefore cause you to stand upright again to resume your duties.
Now your children are watching your actions. They may see that you are doing wrong and taking a course that will cause your people, your children, to suffer ruin. Your children or your people will warn you if you go astray from your duty, the right course. They will tell you to return again and labor and legislate for the interest of your people.
It is said that is bad for one to allow his mind to be troubled too greatly with sorrow. Because of this one may be led to think of destroying himself. We now put two poles together. We place a torch or light upon this. We all have an equal share in this light. If you see anything that will tend to our destruction, you will take that light and go and warn the People without delay
Now we conclude our speeches.
"Kekuttokaunta" ("Come, let us talk together", in the language of Massachusett)-Prof. John Brown Childs, Dept. of Sociology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, jbchilds@cats.ucsc.edu
Adapted and excerpted from Wampum Belt by Teyhanetorens, Six Nations Indian Museum, Onchioyta, New York, 12968 (1972). For other resources see the various works of Professors Oren Lyons and John Mohawk, (Native American Studies, State University of New York at Buffalo) and the book Linking Arms Together: American Indian Treaty Visions of Law and Peace, 1600-1800 by Prof. Robert A. Williams, Oxford University Press, New York, 1997 and Prof. Taiaike Alfred, Heeding the Voices of Our Ancestors, Oxford Univ. Press, NY, 1995.
Condolence
Give us your ears, hear us. We have come to you to lament together, to console with you over your great loss, your bereavement. We now meet in great sorrow to mourn together over death. In our grief we will sit together and mingle our tears.
Now we take you by the hand and wipe the tears from your eyes so that you may see clearly. This we say and do.
Now hear us again, this occurs when one of your number is removed by death. When a person is in great sorrow his throat is stopped with grief and sadness. We now take you by the hand and remove the sorrow and obstruction out of your throat so that you may enjoy perfect breathing and speech.
Now hear us again, this occurs when one of your number is removed by death, it stops your ears. You cannot hear clearly. Such is your case now. So now we remove the grief from your ears. We unpluck and clear out your ears, so that you may hear distinctly when anyone addresses you.
This occurs when one of your number is removed by death, your sight becomes dark. You cannot see clearly. You are blinded by grief. You lose sight of the sky and are crushed by sorrow. So now we brighten your eyes again. We remove the mist from your eyes so that you may see the sun rising above the forest.
This occurs when one of your numbers is removed by death, dark clouds cover the sky above you and there is no light around you. We place you where there is light so that you will see the people clearly, and you will not lose the sight of heaven. We remove the dark clouds from above you so that you will see your duties and perform for your people as usual.
This occurs when one of your number is removed by death; the Sun is displaced in the sky. So, now we restore the Sun in his place. You will now see the Sun rising over the trees in the east. When the Sun arrives at in the sky, he will shine forth his rays around you and you will see your duties. Your mind will again become easy and you will perform for your people.
Continue to hear our words. When a person is brought to grief by death, such a person's place seems stained with human blood. Death has scattered dead bodies around you. The ashes of your Council Fire are scattered. We wipe off the bloodstains with soft cloth. We rekindle the Council fire. We now restore you to your place so that your mind will now become easy and you will enjoy peace again. Now you again will labor freely for the people.
This occurs when one of your members is removed by death; one is in deep grief caused by death. The head is bowed down in deep sorrow. As your heads are hanging down with sorrow, grief, and sadness, we lift up your heads. We therefore cause you to stand upright again to resume your duties.
Now your children are watching your actions. They may see that you are doing wrong and taking a course that will cause your people, your children, to suffer ruin. Your children or your people will warn you if you go astray from your duty, the right course. They will tell you to return again and labor and legislate for the interest of your people.
It is said that is bad for one to allow his mind to be troubled too greatly with sorrow. Because of this one may be led to think of destroying himself. We now put two poles together. We place a torch or light upon this. We all have an equal share in this light. If you see anything that will tend to our destruction, you will take that light and go and warn the People without delay
Now we conclude our speeches.
"Kekuttokaunta" ("Come, let us talk together", in the language of Massachusett)-Prof. John Brown Childs, Dept. of Sociology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, jbchilds@cats.ucsc.edu
Adapted and excerpted from Wampum Belt by Teyhanetorens, Six Nations Indian Museum, Onchioyta, New York, 12968 (1972). For other resources see the various works of Professors Oren Lyons and John Mohawk, (Native American Studies, State University of New York at Buffalo) and the book Linking Arms Together: American Indian Treaty Visions of Law and Peace, 1600-1800 by Prof. Robert A. Williams, Oxford University Press, New York, 1997 and Prof. Taiaike Alfred, Heeding the Voices of Our Ancestors, Oxford Univ. Press, NY, 1995.