|
The Words That Come Before All Else
The Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen means “The
Words That Come Before All Else.”
It is also referred to as “The Thanksgiving
Address,” “Giving Greetings to the Natural World,” or “The Opening
Address.“
Traditional Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) say
these words to begin and end each day, important meetings, ceremonies,
and socials.
The Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen is an
expression of acknowledgement, greetings, love, and appreciation for
every part of the Natural World.
The Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen helps
to bring the thoughts of the people together.
It is a way by which the Haudenosaunee
remind themselves that human beings are only one strand in the Web of
Life and that we are all connected to each other and to the rest of
Creation.
The images shown here were created by Tuscarora graphic artist Melanie Printup Hope
(http://www.artinjun.ca/printup_hope/).
Click on any of the images
below to see a larger image and hear a short version of that
portion of the Thanksgiving Address as spoken by Kay Olan, Mohawk.
|
