The Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World

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The Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World

Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen: Words Before All Else

These traditional Native American words of thanksgiving come from the people of the Six Nations — the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora — also known as the Iroquois or Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse), who live in upstate New York, Wisconsin and Canada. Spoken as a spiritual address to the powers of the natural world, these words are used to open gatherings in order to bring the minds of the people together as one and align the gathered minds with Nature. The roots of these words reach back thousands of years to the very origins of the Haudenosaunee as a people.

John Stokes produced a version of the Address in English, which was sanctioned by the Mohawk members of the team. This was then translated into Mohawk by Dan Rokwaho Thompson of the Wolf Clan. The Mohawk is included in each language version of the Address to honor the roots of these powerful words.

John tells us that Chief Tommy Porter (Sakokwenionkwas, meaning “The One Who Wins”), a spokesperson and spiritual leader of the Mohawk Community of Kanatsiohareke (Ga na jo ha lay gay) in the Mohawk Valley near Fonda, New York, explains that the Thanksgiving Address is the master key to opening our spirituality. And now our minds are One.

Related Practices:

Who taught us this?

This practice is taught by John Stokes, Founder/ Director of The Tracking Project. It came through his collaboration and friendship with the Iroquois Confederacy, especially through his work with Jake Tekaronianeken Swamp, a traditional Ganienkehaga (Mohawk) from Akwesasne, New York who served as a leader for the Wolf Clan for 30 years. Every gathering of the Haudenosaunee people begins with this thanksgiving practice.

Who taught us this?

This practice is taught by John Stokes, Founder of the Tracking Project. It came through his collaboration with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, through his work with Jake Tekaronianeken Swamp, a traditional Ganienkehaga (Mohawk) from Akwesasne, New York who served as a royaner for the Wolf Clan for 30 years. Every gathering of the Haudenosaunee people began with this thanksgiving practice.

Who taught us this?

This practice is taught by John Stokes, Founder/ Director of The Tracking Project. It came through his collaboration and friendship with the Iroquois Confederacy, especially through his work with Jake Tekaronianeken Swamp, a traditional Ganienkehaga (Mohawk) from Akwesasne, New York who served as a leader for the Wolf Clan for 30 years. Every gathering of the Haudenosaunee people begins with this thanksgiving practice.

Photography: Stein Egil Liland | Licensed from Pexels.com, used with permission.