My grandfather is the fire
My grandmother is the wind
The Earth is my mother
The Great Spirit is my father
The World stopped at my birth
and laid itself at my feet
And I shall swallow the Earth whole
when I die
and the Earth and I will be one
Hail The Great Spirit, my father
without him no one could exist
because there would be no will to live
Hail The Earth, my mother
without which no food could be grown
and so cause the will to live to starve
Hail the wind, my grandmother
for she brings loving, lifegiving rain
nourishing us as she nourishes our crops
Hail the fire, my grandfather
for the light, the warmth, the comfort he brings
without which we be animals, not men
Hail my parent and grandparents
without which
not I
nor you
nor anyone else
could have existed
Life gives life
which gives unto itself
a promise of new life
Hail the Great Spirit, The Earth, the wind, the fire
praise my parents loudly
for they are your parents, too
Oh, Great Spirit, giver of my life
please accept this humble offering of prayer
this offering of praise
this honest reverence of my love for you.
Oh Great Spirit who walks the four winds of our mighty heavens, hear my voice, for I stand before you as but one of your many children.
I have traveled long and far and I have grown tired and weary. My heart has much sadness for my journey has taken me to a land I do not understand and fear.
My eyes no longer see the beauty you have created for all to see. They now only see shadows and darkness.
My ears no longer hear the laughter of children at play. They now only hear the silence of night and the beating of my own heart.
I fear I have taken the wrong road in life, and with each passing of the sun my heart becomes more heavy with sadness for I no longer walk in balance with the universe and upon Earth Mother.
Oh Great Spirit must I be lost forever like a pebble within a mountain of stones. Am I to wander forever in darkness?
Will you not lend me the wisdom of my four legged brother, the buffalo, the keen sight and swiftness of flight of my feathered brother, the Eagle so that I may return like the blossoms of spring after the long snows of Winter, where once again my eyes may see the rising of the sun, the beauty of our land Earth Mother.
I want once more my ears to hear the winds caressing the leaves, and the sound of water rushing over stones in a stream.
I want my heart to dance again to the many songs of the birds in Spring.
I want to know the happiness and feel the tranquillity of walking in balance with Earth Mother, and my brothers and sisters and where my heart and spirit shall wander no more forever.
When my lift has ended like the setting of the sun, I want to stand before you, Oh Great Spirit, with a pure heart, straight eyes and unashamed."
Oh our Mother the earth, Oh our Father the sky,
Your children are we, and with tired backs
We bring you the gifts you love.
Then weave for us a garment of brightness;
May the Warp be the white light of the morning,
May the weft be the red light of the evening,
May the fringes be the falling rain,
May the border be the standing rainbow.
Thus weave for us a garment of brightness,
That we may walk fittingly where birds sing,
That we may walk fittingly where grass is green,
Oh our Mother Earth, Oh our Father Sky.
Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds
And whose breath gives life to everyone,
Hear me.
I come to you as one of your many children;
I am weak... I am small...I need your wisdom
and your strength.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever
behold the red and purple sunsets.
Make my hands respect the things you have made,
and make my ears sharp so I may hear your voice.
Make me wise, so that I may understand what you
have taught my people and
The lessons you have hidden in each leaf and each rock.
I ask for wisdom and strength,
Not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able
to fight my greatest enemy, myself.
Make me ever ready to come before you with
clean hands and a straight eye,
So as life fades away as a fading sunset,
My spirit may come to you without shame.
Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds
Whose breath gives life to the world, hear me
I come to you as one of your many children
I am small and weak
I need your strength and wisdom
May I walk in beauty
Make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made
And my ears sharp to your voice.
Make me wise so that I may know the things you have taught your children.
The lessons you have written in every leaf and rock
Make me strong--------!
Not to be superior to my brothers, but to fight my greatest enemy....myself
Make me ever ready to come to you with straight eyes,
So that when life fades as the fading sunset,
May my spirit come to you without shame.
Piki äba ish binili ma!
Our Father which art in heaven,
Chi hohchifo hät holitopashke
Hallowed be thy name
Ish apehlichika yät älashke.
Thy kingdom come.
Nana ish ai ahni ka yakni pakna ya
Thy will be done in earth,
yohmi kät, äba yakni a yohmi mak o chiyuhmashke.
as it is in heaven.
Himak nitak ilhpak pim ai älhpesa kako ish pi ipetashke.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Mikmät nana il aheka puta ish pi kashoffi kät,
And forgive us our debts,
pishno ät nana pim aheka puta il i kashofi chatuk a ish chiyuhmichaske.
as we forgive our debtors.
Mikmät anukpälika yoka ik ia chik pim
And lead us not into temptation,
aiahno hosh, amba nan-okpulo a ish pi a hlakofihinchashke:
but deliver us from evil;
Apehlichika, mikmät
For thine is the kingdom,
nan-isht-aiahli, micha isht aholitopa
and the power, and the glory
aiena kät chimmi a bilia yoke.
for ever
Amen.