Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) Hymns

1 All Hail the Power

Anamikawik sa Jesus
ishpiming eyaayeg
Wiindamoyok dash gakina
odoogimaawiwin

Gaye giinawaa anangoog
imaa mishagiizhig
wiindamoyok epiichiwiid
'aw Gichi-Ogimaa

Gaye giinawaa sa akiing
wenji-noojimoyeg
zhagashkiitawik sa Jesus
gaa-pimaaji'ineg

Maano sa gakina akiing
anooj ezhi-wiinzod
da-nakwe'amaagewag 'iw
ji-nagamotawind

Oo apegish dash ishpiming
negamotawaajig
nakwe'amawangwaaban 'iw
nagamotawaawaad

 

7 Come, Thou Fount

Ondaashaan sa Debendaman
gichi-zhawenjigewin
wawezhitoon o'o ninde'
ji-nanagamotoonaan
gikino' amawishin sa
ishpiming negamowaad
oo miigwech minjiminiyan
gizhawenjigewining

Gigii-tagwishim sa omaa
ji-zhiibiniketoonaan
enenimiwanen dash go
miinawaa ninga-giiwe
Jesus ningii-mikaag megwaa
babaa-wanishinaambaan
mii 'iw naniizaaniziyaan
gaa'-onji-nibotawid

Oo geget zhawenjigewin
ningichi-mazina'aan
maano zaagi'idiwining
minjimapidoon ninde'
netaa-wanishinaanin sa
nindizhi-gidimaagiz
gimiinin ninde', oo maano
odaapinamawishing

10 Holy, Holy, Holy

Maamawi-biinizi Gizhemanidoo
ambe enigok sa wawizhenimaadaa
maamawi-biinizi 'aw Debeninged
gaye dash 'aw Baanizid ojichaag

Baaniziyan Manidoo! Enami'aajig
giwawizhenimigoog waaseyaaziwining
gakina ishpiming meshkawiziijig
gaagining giwawizhenimigoog

Baaniziyan Manidoo, aano-gashkiidib'kak
ji-waabandanzigwaa giwaaseyaaziwin
Giin sa Baaniziyan, Giin gaye go eta
Giin Mayaamawi-biinaadiziyan!

 

11 How Great Thou Art

NiManidoom, maamakaadeniminaan
gakina akiiwan ozhitooyan
anangoog gaye aanakwad chi-madweweg
gimashkawiziiwin minz'we ayaag

Nanagamoomagad sa go ninde'
Gwetaamigwendaagoziyan
nanagamoomagad sa go ninde'
Gechi-ishpendaagoziyan!

Megwekwaang gechi-bishigendaagwak,
bineshiijyag mino' amaazowaad,
wajiwing gichi-minwaabishinaan
zhiibiiwishe chi-minwewejiwang

Mikwendamaan Manidoo gii-miigiwed
Ogwisan maa aazhideyaatigong
bimoondang gakina baataaziwinan
ina'amaan Gwetaamigoziyan

Apii go Christ ninga-bi-gaganoonig
giiwewizhid ninga-moojigendam
ojijiingwanigaabawiitawag sa
nagamoyaan gechi-ishpenimag

 

13 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Zaagi'iyaang gichitwaawad
biidoon minwendamowin
bi-ozhigen ninde'inaang
gaaginig ji-bi-daayan
Jesus, Giin Zhewenjigeyan
gaaginig zaagi'iyaang,
oo ambe bi-dagwishinin
endasing ninde'inaang

Bi-bagidanaamonodan
endasing niiyawinaang
Giin dash ji-zaagi'igooyan
ge-onji-anwebiyaang
ikonan baataaziwinan
biinitoon ninde'inaan
ninga-zhazhiibendaamin dash
oo zhawenimishinaam

Gwetaamigwendaagoziyan
odaapenimishinaam
giga-wiij ayaawigoo dash
apane dash gaaginig
minawaanigwaadakamig
baakaj gii-tagwishinaang
ji-anami'etaagooyan
ji-zaakwaadamaagooyan

Ambe ninga-na'endaamin
ji-godagizisiwaang
ninga-mikwendaamin eta
waa'-izhi-zhawenimiyaang
ninga-ishpiwinigoomin
apii aabijiibaayaang
bagijikwaanetaagooyan maamakaazaabishinaang

 

14 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Oo ambegish sa midaaswaak
Niijanishinaabeg
ji-nanagamotawaawaad
ninGizhemanidoom

Noosinaan, wiiji'ishinaam
ji-wiindamaageyaan
omaa enigokamigaag
ezhiwebeziyan

Jesus gaa-nanaandawi'inang
gaa-kaasibiingwe'inang
geget sa minonikaazo
gaa-noojimo'inang

Wiin sa ogii-mamaazhi'aan
majimanidooshan
gii-pi-ziigwebinamoonang
wiin Jesus omiskwiim

Ogashkitoon ji-webinang
baataaziwinishan
biini'iwemagadini
'iw Jesus omiskwiim

Na, Jesus obimoondaanan
waani'igoyegon
gakina ji-noojimoyeg
Jesus gii'-onjine

Jesus wenji-zegizising,
wenji-gashkendanzing
gichi-minotaagwadini
'iw owaawiinzowin

Noondawik sa 'iw ekidod,
anishinaabedog!
debwetawik Bemaaji'iwed
ji-bimaadiziyeg

Nind-Oogimaam, wiiji'ishin
ji-dibaadodamaan
gibishigendaagoziwin
omaa minziwe akiing

 

18 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Bi-naazikawishinaam Christ
giin Bemaaji'iweyan
ji-onji-zegizisiwaang
aabweyenimishinaam

Giin Jesus waadookawadwaa
gwayak enami'aajig
giminode'eshkawaag sa
igiw epenimikig

Gii-abinoojiiyiwiyan
gigii-Kichi-Ogimaaw
biinjina sa ninde'inaang
gaaginig ogimaawin

Geget sa gigichi-ondiz
gii-gwayakwaadiziyan
Oo maano debi'ishinaam
ishpiming ji-izhaayaang

 

20 Hark, the Herald Angels Sing

Naazheneg nagamowag
onji gii-niigid Jesus
baadood aabweyendiwin
gaye bizaaniziwin
Akiing endanakiiyeg
moojigi-nakwe'amawik
ishpiming dazhi naazheneg
azhigwa gii-niigid Jesus

Naazheneg nagamowag
onji gii-niigid Jesus

Christ a'aw ishpiming wenjiid
Christ 'aw gaaginig eyaad
genapii gii-tagwishin
oshki-ikwen wegiijin
gii-Kizhemanidoowi
gaye gii-ininiiwi
giwiijayaawigonaan
gaa-wiinind Immanuel

Naazheneg nagamowag
onji gii-niigid Jesus

Anamikawaadaa Christ
wiin sa wenji-waaseyaag
obimaaji'iwewin
gakina gii-piidawaad
nashke, obagidinaan
bishigendaagoziwin
ji-onji-bimaaji'aad
niw eyaanijin akiing

Naazheneg nagamowag
onji gii-niigid Jesus

 

21 Silent Night

Gichitwaa-dibikad
waaseyaaziwin maa
ayaamagad ayaad Mary
baanizid Abinoojii niigid
Christ sa gii-niigid!

Gichitwaa-dibikad
gichi-zegiziwag
apii wayaabandamowaad
i'iw bishigendaagoziwin
Christ sa gii-niigid!

Gichitwaa-dibikad
Gizhemanidoo sa
gichi-bishigendaagozi
miigiwed iniw Ogwisan
Jesus gii-niigid!

 

33 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Apii ko enaabiyaanin
imaa aazhideyaatigong
gaa-dapined nind-Oogimaam
gakina ningide ninde'

Gaa gegoo sa nindayaanziin
'iw ge-mamiikwaadamaambaan
mii sa eta ni-Manidoom
gaa-izhi-miizhid 'iw wiiyaw

Waabandamawik oninjiin
gaye go iniw ozidan
binaazhaakojiwan miskwi
gaye ozaagi'idiwin

Giishpin gakina miininaan
enigokwaag o'o aki
geyaabi sa daa-noondese
gaa-bi-zhi-zhawenimiyan

 

35 Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

Gii'-aabijiibaa Jesus, oo maamoyawedaa!
Ambe wawizhendandaa, oo maamoyawedaa!
Gaa-kichi-wiisagined, oo maamoyawedaa!
ji-onji-giishpinaninang, oo maamoyawedaa!

Nagamotawaadaa Christ, oo maamoyawedaa!
ishpiming nemadabid, oo maamoyawedaa!
jiibegamigong gaa'-asind, oo maamoyawedaa!
Giinawind gaa'-onjined, oo maamoyawedaa!

Ogodagiziwinan, oo maamoyawedaa!
gibimaaji'igomin, oo maamoyawedaa!
iwidi ogimaawi, oo maamoyawedaa!
endazhi-nagamotawind, oo maamoyawedaa!

 

39 Jesus Shall Reign

Jesus da-ogimaawiwi
enigokoshkang 'aw giizis
odoogimaawiwin minziwe
da-debishkaamagadini

Giiwedinong gaye dash go
zhaawanong bi-onjibaawag
wegimaawijig gakina
wii-pi-zhagashkiitawaawaad

Mii 'aw ge-bagosenimind
gaye ge-maamoyawamind
odizhinikaazowin
da-ombishkaamagadini

Anooj enwejig gakina
oga-nagamotawaawaan
gaye go abinoojiiyag
da-nakwe'amaageshiwag

 

42 Amazing Grace

Gichi-zhawenjigewining
bemaaji'igooyaan
ningagiibiingwenaaban go
noongom idash niwaab

Ningii-segiz maa ninde'ing,
ozhawenjigewining
nind-oonji-bizaaniz igo
gii-tebweyendamaan

Niibowa neniizaanak go
nimbimi-zhaabwitoon
ninga-de-dagwishimigon
owiidookaagewin

Apii gichi-gabe-ayi'ii
gii-wiijayaawang
dibishkoo go giga-oshki-
mamiikwaanaanaan dash

 

43 Amazing Grace

Geget gichi-minotaagwad
nwaajimo'igooyaan
'iw megwaa wanishinaambaan
gii-gagiibiingweyaan

Megwaa dash wanishinaambaan
Jesus ningii-mikaag
gaye gagiibiingweyaambaan
ningii-waabi'igoo

Ninde' imaa ningikendaan
naniizaaniziyaan
ningii-paapinendam dash wiin
gii-kwayakwendamaan

Niibowa godagiziwin
ningii-bi-zhaaboshkaan
gii-zhawenimid 'aw Jesus
ninga-giiwewinig

 

46 Blessed Assurance

Ningwayakwendaan sa go geget
'aw nind-Oogimaam bimaaji'id
nindibenimig ni-Manidoom
gii-kiishpinazhid omiskwiiming

Nindibaajimaa nagamoyaan
nagamotawag gabegiizhig
nindibaajimaa nagamoyaan
nagamotawag nind-Oogimaam

Gichi-waaseyaamagad nanda
wayaabanda'id nind-Oogimaam
nimbi-wiindamaagoog naazheneg
ezhi-zaagi'id nind-Oogimaam

Nimbagidinidiz onikaang
nimbaapinendam dash ninde'ing
akawaabiyaan baabii'oyaan
zhewenimid sa ni-Manidoom

 

53 Jesus Loves Me

Ninzaagi'ig sa Jesus!
Jesus niwaawiindamaag
gaye abinoojiiyan
gakina ozaagi'aan

Eye' ninzaagi'ig
Eye' ninzaagi'ig
Eye' ninzaagi'ig
Jesus niwiindamaag

Ninzaagi'ig sa Jesus
Gii-kichi-wiisagine
wii-shawenimaad iniw
odabincojiiyiman

Ninzaagi'ig sa Jesus
aano niinamiziyaan
geyaabi niwiidookaag
apii ko nebaayaanin

Ninzaagi'ig sa Jesus
gaye go besho ayaa
Gaye apii niboyaan
ishpiming ninga-izhaa

 

59 What a Fellowship

Zaagi'ididaa, wawizhendandaa
aasoshinang imaa onikaang
zhaweniminang ninanaa'endam
aasoshinang imaa onikaang

Aasoshinang
gaawiin gidaa-zegizisiimin
aasoshinang
aasoshinang imaa onikaang

Onizhishin sa gwayak bimoseng
aasoshinang imaa onikaang
ezhi-waaseyaag 'iw sa miikanens
aasoshinang imaa onikaang

Wegonen dash ge-gotamangiban
aasoshinang imaa onikaang
ninanaa'endam Jesus omaa ayaad
aasoshinang imaa onikaang

 

60 What a Friend

Wiijikiwendiwin Jesus
bemoondang baataaziwin
Minwendaagwad gaganoonind
debweyenimind Jesus
Bizaanendanziwang omaa
dazhi-wiisagineyang
wiindamawaasiwang Jesus
anami'aawining

Gigagweji'igoowiz na
migoshkaadiziwining?
Gego aanizhiitangen
gaganoozh Debenjiged
Gaawiin awiiya bekaanizid
gekendang gashkendamang
Zhaagwiiwiyang ogikendaan
maano Jesus wiindamaw

 

66 He Leadeth Me

Ningikendaan 'iw wiijiiwid
nimoozhitoon maa ninde'ing
dibi go bimi-ayaayaan
Wiin Manidoo niwiijiiwig

Niwiijiiwig, niwiijiiwig
Debeninged niwiijiiwig
Ninga-noopinanaa wiin go
Debeninged niwiijiiwig

Apii bimi-gashkendamaan
gaye bimi-ayaanwaating
gemaa gaye bimi-niiskaadak
nindaasonig, niwiijiiwig

Jesus, gizagmmjiinin
Gaawiin nindaa-azhetaasiin
Nawaj go ninga-na'endam
Wiin Manidoo niwiijiiwig

Apii ishkwaa-anokiiyaan
zhigwa gii-shaagoojitwaayaan
gaawiin ninga-zegizisiin
wiijiiwid aazhawaadagaaziiyaan

 

68 How Firm a Foundation

Inashke gosha ezhi-gichi-zoongang
i'iw sa gaa'-izhi-waawiindamaagooyeg
awegonen 'iw geyaabi nwaandeseg
giin aazha Jesus gaa-pi-naazikawad

Gego zegiziken, mashkawiziin sa!
Niin maa nindaaw 'aw giGizhemanidoom
giga-miinin sa 'iw ji-niibawiyan
minjimininaan imaa sa nininjiing

Apii ani-aazhawaadagaaziiyan
imaa gichi-nisaanendamowining
gaawiin giga-mamaazhi'igosiinan
giwiijiiwin maa 'iw ji-naadamoonaan

Apii ishkodeng ani-inendaagwak
ono gichi-godagendaagoziwinan
gaawiin gegoo giga-doodaagosiinan
anishaa maa wiin gigagweji'igoo

Nanaazh go gikaawaad ninga-wiijiiwaag
ogo gakina dayebweyendamowaad
Apii waabikwed wa'aw zayaagi'id
ninga-dakonaa sa imaa ninikaang

'Aw epenimod iniw sa Jesusan
gaawiin sa wiikaa nindaa-naganaasii
misawaa gakina majimanidoo
ayood iniw omashkawiziiwin.

 

87 Just as I Am

'Iw go ezhi-baataaziyaan
gii-siigise 'iw gimiskwiim
nandomiyan Debeninge
oo gibi-naazikoon, Jesus

'Iw go ezhi-baataaziyaan
giga-biini'aa ninjichaag
ji-biini'igod gimiskwiim
oo gibi-naazikoon, Jesus

'Iw go babaa-wanishinaan
miigaazowining, zeg'ziwining
gaye zanagitoowining
oo gibi-naazikoon, Jesus

'Iw go gidimaagiziyaan
ayaasiwaan nis'dotamowin
miinooj sa ji-wii-mikoonaan
oo gibi-naazikoon, Jesus

Aanoo sa go baataaziyaan
giwii-webinamaw gakina
debwetoonaan gaa'-izhiyan
oo gibi-naazikoon, Jesus

'Iw sa gebishkaagoyaambaan
gigii-sheyaakowebishkaan
'iw dash ji-dibenimiyan
oo gibi-naazikoon, Jesus

 

92 Softly and Tenderly

Nookaaji-giigido Jesus nandomik
nandominang gakina
Ishpiming gidakawaab amigonaan
gakina endashiyang

Ondaas, ondaas!
eyekoziyan, ondaas!
Nookaaji-giigido Jesus nandomik,
Ondaas, bayaataaziyan!

Ozaagi'idiwin waawindamaage
endaso-bezhigoyang
Aanoo-baataaziyang wii-shawenjige
giwebinamaagonaan
Ani-gizhiiyaasin bimaadiziwin
bi-ojichaagwisinoon
nibowayi'iin, ginaazikaagomin
gakina endashiyang

 

109 I Need Thee Every Hour

Moozhag, Debeninge
wiijiiwishin
Mii dash ji-ayaamaan
bizaaniziwin

Apane, oo apane
moozhag wiijiiwishin
maanoo zhawenimishin
binaazikoonaan

Moozhag besho ayaan
mii dash naa 'iw
gagweji'idiwin
ji-binaadak

Moozhag wiijiiwishin
wiisagendamaanin
wewiib bi-danizin
omaa eyaayaan

Gikinoo' amawishin
enendaman
Mooshkinatoon nde'ing
'iw wenizhishing

Moozhag wiijiiwishin
Giin baaniziyan
Oo dibenimishin
niManidoom

 

112 Just a Closer Walk with Thee

Ninzhaagwiiwii niin, Jesus
Maanoo wiidookawishin
Ninga-na'endam idash
ji-beshwaji'inaan igo

Ji-zaagiwiijiiwinaan
maanoo Jesus, ambe sa noo
endaso-giizhigak go
maanoo go, Jesus, maanoo go

Zanagak omaa akiing
bishigwiiyaan, awenen
ge-wiidookawipanen?
Giin eta, Jesus, Giin eta

Apii ishkwaa-ayaayaan,
nagadamaan o'o aki,
ani-gwayakowinishin
ji-dagwishinaan ishpiming

 

114 My Faith Looks up to Thee

Gidebweyenimin Giin Maanishtaanishens
Bemaaji'iyan
noondawishin noongom 'iw anami'aayaan
Oo zhawenimishin nind-Oogimaam

Aabaakawitoon sa nindinendamowin
gedimaagak
gaa-zhi-zaagi'iyan
oo maano gaye niin giga-zhi-zaagi'in
nind-Oogimaam

Megwaa ji-ayaamaan migoshkaadiziwin
wiijiiwishin
Ikonamawishin gisaadendamowin
niigaaniwidoon sa o'o ninde'

Apii dash nibowin bi-odisigoyaan
omaa akiing
giiwewizhishiikan iwidi ishpiming
ji-wiijiiwinaan dash nind-Oogimaam

 

118 Nearer, My God, to Thee

Besho ginaazikoon, niManidoom
aano go zanagak nekweshkamaan
negamoyaanin ko
besho ginaazikoon
besho ginaazikoon, niManidoom

Dibishkoo wenishing inendaagwad
bimoseyaan, giizis bangishimo
apii nebaayaanin nindinaabandam ko
besho naazikoonaan, Debeninge

Waabanda shin ishpiming enamog
gakina niisinan maazhiyanin
naazheneg ishpiming
nandomiwaad besho
ji-bi-naazikoonaan, niManidoom

Gweshkoziyaan, besho gi-bi-wiijiiw
megwaa gashkendamaan ginakweshkoon
niwawizhendam sa
besho naazikoonaan
besho naazikoonaan, niManidoom

Apii dash ombishkaad 'aw ninjichaag
ishpiming ji-izhaad da-bimise
ji-ni-nanagamod
besho naazikawag
besho naazikawag niManidoom

 

Drums

"What's Behind the Sun?":
An Indian Sermon

We live by lectures.(1)
Lectures are Indian sermons on how to live in this world. Stop, look, and listen to these lectures, and you'll go along a long way in this world. Sermons help you go along in life. Listen, and you'll live a long life. Listen, and you won't have problems journeying to the next world. And there is a next world.
When an old Indian gives you a sermon, he gives you part of his spirit, part of his soul. When he gives you his words, he gives you part of his life. That's the way these words were passed on to me, from the older generations.
I'll tell you now a full lecture. It's a light to follow. It's a ripe fruit of my own life, that I pass on from my old Indians that went before me. I'll tell it just the way they told me, when we were camping along the Mississippi and Leech Rivers:
Do you stop and wonder about the Great Spirit, or God Spirit, or Spirit of God?
Do you wonder if there's something behind what we see?
What's behind the sun? Does anybody know what's behind the sun? Was anybody in there? Are there any instruments(2) from the sun? The earth is just a little ball going through the big sky. The sun gives light for many, many miles, many, many miles. That sun is a big thing. What is that?
And the moon?
Can they get on the moon? Who put that there?
You can ask the same questions about the stars.
Where is the blue sky? How far does that reach? How far does that go? There must be something beyond there.
The Indian feels that too. They asked the Great Spirit once, "When is the last supper?"(3) They were using their words and they asked, "When is the end of the world?" The Great Spirit didn't answer that very clearly, but He said, "within, within, two thousand years." It must be getting rough now, it must be getting dangerous.
Should we stop and think about that?
There's a limit to anything you go by. There's a limit to your life. There's a limit to people. There's a limit to animals. There's a limit to the life of the inhabitants on earth. There's a limit to earth. There's a limit to wars. That limit is a big thing.
When it comes to the end of a limitation, that's it. You don't live forever! That's why a person has to think, "Why am I here? What am I here for? Am I here just to live, just to grow like a tree? Am I here to grow like animals?"
I'm here to serve the Great for a better world, for a better world. How are you going to do that? You have to do it yourself, with the Spirit. Who put you here? Why did they put you here? You have to say to the Spirit, "Be with me. Spirit be with me. I carry something to remember You,(4) and I remember you by the other people's good words."
I look at the black gown anywhere.(5) What is this black gown for? It reminds you that there's something you have to stop for. The black gown means that the person wearing it is giving you something that you should stop and look at. Why does he wear that? It signifies that you have to listen to those very kind words that he has to say to you. I wear black stuff. Sure, I wear black clothes. When they look at me with black clothes, some people say, "You look like a minister."
"Oh, I'm not exactly a minister, but I think I could say a few words." Well, that's all it takes, and that's a good thing. Listen to those words. You don't have to take all of them. If you don't believe what I'm saying you have the privilege to try your own way. Even if you try your own way, I do think you'll fall for some words I'm saying. If you don't listen to anybody, if you go ahead on your own, I think that will hit you pretty hard.
I don't preach for any money. I don't preach to people to get anything out of it. I preach those words because I love them. That's why I transfer my words and my mind,(6) and talk about the way I lived, to other people. I tell people, "Take is easy. Take it slow. Look as you go. Be good as you live and you'll feel good. If you take some other people's property, or some other things that don't belong to you, sooner or later you'll pay for that somehow. You shouldn't take it. Let it go and maybe you'll get a better deal. That don't belong to you. That belongs to that person there."
Another thing: you'll learn to think of a lot of things. There's a lot of things to your life -- boy! -- and you have to dodge from one another. You'll find from your own experience that the only way you'll get to the end is by just going slow on the straight trail. The Indian says, "Don't look sideways even though there may be somebody there calling you." If maybe somebody's calling you, sure you could stop, look, and listen. But if you don't like it, if you don't like his ways of life or his words, keep a-goin'. Just go right on a straight road. But if you like this person's words, you could stop and talk to him awhile. Fine.
He'll want to go along with you if you're on a straight trail. You'll get to be pretty good pals, and pretty soon you'll have a big crew with you. That's the road that takes you to heaven, or to wherever we go in the next world. There's something above.
Anything could happen to this world, now-a-days. It's getting old. What happened to the earth years ago, many years ago? Why do they dig up this stuff in the big hills?(7) At one time, long ago, this earth bunched up into a big volcano or something and formed these hills. Where did the heat form? Where did that mineral grow from? Stop and think how deep and big and wide this earth is!
We're just little things here. We think we know it all, but there is still a lot that we have to study -- and study deep!
Why?
Why??
Just ask why. Just ask that question, and you'll get an answer anywhere. And in all these answers there should be one word in there that's good.
A lot of them ask me, "Why do you talk so much? Why do you talk to these well-posted people, like preachers?"
"Well, I just take a word or two from what they say and then I learn. Then I add it up with the words of my people. Those that lived before left me with their words. I put them, two and two, together, and why it pairs up pretty good!
I feel good when I see things like that, and I feel good when I have something -- like a stone or a weasel hide -- to carry in my pocket.(8) And if there's a person who has something that he carried good, and if he leaves me that with a good word and tells me what to do with it, that's a big gift. Really, it's a big gift!
You stop for that. You've got to go along with what he did, because he gave you a good word. He gave you a good stone to carry in your pocket. Sure, you stop and look at it, put it in your pocket and go along on your way. It's a big thing. You have to carry something on you.
And don't make fun of the medals people wear now-a-days. When you think, stop and think about those medals, they'll straighten the mind up, and you'll wonder about things. You put them back. Pretty soon, you'll see things better. That's what they're for. They're meditated. They're God's property. They're yours too, if you use them. But if you don't use them, there's nothing that will help you. If you don't want to use the meditation, nothing can help! Go on your own and just see how far you're going to go.
Always look back to the people that loved you and gave you the good words. They like you because you're coming into a world, and they're telling you that it is dangerous. The more it goes on, the longer it lasts. The older the world gets, the more dangerous it is. You don't know what's going to happen anytime, from now on.
I don't worry about what's happening, I'm ready. I'm ready -- I think I'm ready.(9) There might be something that I did wrong, but I still hope the people of the earth remember that anything could happen to this world. I hope they remember to be ready when they're called. We're all going to be called. We might be called at once; we might be called one by one. We don't know.
It's the world we live in. We should thank the Great. We should be thankful for the crop. We should be thankful for the weather. We should be thankful for the minerals and everything we use. We live with that. It helps us.
Who gave it to us? Who gave it to us? If you had a jacket, a little jacket, or a pair of gloves, and you gave it to a guy who is a friend of yours, you felt good about that.
"Here's a pair of new gloves. You need that. You need new shoes, that's a good will." You feel good when you give.
The Great Spirit felt good to give us what He gave us, and if we take it in good will, we'll feel good. But if we're not satisfied, then trouble begins. If we have troubles, we did it ourselves -- because we aren't satisfied. But if you take everything in good will, in good ways, and thresh it out good, you'll always get paid(10) with the best. You'll be well paid, on earth and after you've gone to the next world. Because you felt good on this earth, you'll feel good when you're gone.
You'll feel that when you live too. You'll feel good because you know you're going to go to a good place in the next world.
If you feel sickening, and weak, and nervous, and wrecked -- you're guilty. If you don't feel well, something's bothering you. Some ailment is getting in you. Maybe it's something that you shouldn't have done or shouldn't have said, or shouldn't have thought. Maybe you don't believe in anything. Maybe you only believe in your own power.
Uh huh.
If you have a power, it's with the Spirit, and because the Spirit's watching you.(11) If you believe in Him you'll feel good at all times. If you believe there's a Spirit, you're not afraid of anything. And when you talk, everybody'll listen to you because that spirit is talking with you. That's life.
But if you go out into the world alone without a spirit helping you, and if you're not thinking about that spirit, you're going to be in danger. But if you have something in you, if you have your belief in you, the spirit will take you for the best.
That's the one to believe in to figure the way you want to go in the next world. The next world's what we have to figure on. We have a next world. It's a great place. Why do those stars have light? How did they get up there? Who put them up there? Who put the moon up there? How does it stay up there? What kind of air is up there? What is up above the darkness and the blue sky, behind the sun? What is up there? If you can find the answer, tell me.
We don't have to go up there to find the answers to preparing for the next world, they're right here. The answer is in reflection. That's where it's at, in the reflection.(12) We're just nothing but reflection on earth. And when we wear ourselves out here we'll go to the next world.
We're limited in this world, and we're limited to a time apiece. Then, when we're done here, we'll find a better world.
Good! It's good enough for me anyhow. That's what I believe in.
And I go along in this world to look honestly at a person, and I hope everybody's doing the same thing. If I was wrong, I'm glad to hear I'm wrong. I get stubborn, sure, but I admit I'm not perfect. I admit what wrong I do. I don't try to wiggle out of it. I admit when anybody tells me I'm wrong. I say, "Thank you. Good. Fine." And he feels good that I take it, take the Indian belief. And when anybody tells me that, even when they're wrong, I say, "Good. Thank you."
Boy, that's good when that's the way life is. He's giving you something good. Then your mind begins to work, and your blood begins to circulate, and that keeps you from becoming just an old nervous wreck. This life won't wreck you if you live like that. If you have something bothering your mind, seek an answering from the Great Spirit. He'll clear it up.
Christian Science can do it, and it's the same way with the Indian. The Indian can do it too. That Great Spirit is all over. If He wasn't here, what would happen to this world? What would happen? People don't make that healing for themselves. No, they make trouble for themselves. That's just the way they live. If the Spirit leaves, lookout! If the Spirit leaves you, lookout!! If you're without the Spirit nobody wants to be near you. Why? Because you might say something or you might do something that you aren't supposed to do. But if you believe in the Great Spirit, you'll get along all right. People like others who follow a belief in the Great Spirit.
I'll tell you -- in my experience of life -- anywhere I go anybody I talk to likes to listen to me. They even ask me questions. I try to tell them the best I know how. That's what I do. I don't tell them I know it all. But I tell them my experience and what method I go by. I have that privilege to go by my own methods, the one's that I find results with in person. And I feel good about the results. I feel good. I could do a day's work yet. That proves I have power!! Why do I have power? Because I have the Spirit in me! I took Him in me! I believe in Him! I believe in the Great Spirit! And when you believe in the Great Spirit, It's in you! When you believe in Him you have the power to do what you want to do. He'll carry you. He'll carry you. When you have the Spirit, you're able to do what you want, and you're strength will be there when you need it. You'll feel good. You'll feel happy, because you know It's in you.
If you want to be downhearted, wreck yourself, wreck your mind, wreck your heart, wreck your circulation of the blood, just think only of the rough deals and of something that will make trouble. It's best not to think that way. Uh ah. Think for the good, and you'll feel good. You'll clear up if you believe in the Spirit, because you believe in the Spirit. Get Him in you; He'll show you the way. If people can do that, like I have been taught and preached at by my old people, their lives will be better.
There it is. Take it, and use it. The answer is there. That Spirit will do anything you ask Him. He'll even answer you, if you go to the right man. You get an answer if you use it. The answer is there. He'll get the answer from messengers.(13)
There are messages in the air. Health is what you have to have to know these messages. First you get health, then you get power. Why? Because you have that Spirit in you and He gives you health. No evilness will endanger you when you have health and spirit, the Great Spirit. Nothing'll bust in when you have the Great Spirit. When you believe in Him and ask Him for something, He'll do it for you. I don't think anybody that doesn't believe in anything can do that. First you have to believe in Him. First you have to study what He's got you on earth for. First you have to look at the stars. Why, why does He make it dark? Why does the world go 'round and 'round? Why does it go around? What is it hanging on? Huh! Sure. You see darkness, you see daylight -- what makes that? There's power somewhere.
That's deep. We're only a handful here right on earth, on this little world. This little world is small when it comes to the Great Master-of-All. Geeze that's a big thing.
Boy!
Just think!
The Manito(14) got here and went around on the earth. He spoke to people. He spoke to the people, the Indians. He spoke to them. They heard him. When they want to hear Him, they hear Him but they can't see Him. He said, "I shall never be seen until a certain date. Then you'll see me."
"Boy, that's true."
And there's a time coming that you're going to see Him. I don't care how long you're going to live, you're going to see Him. And when that day comes you're going to think worse than you're thinking now.
Your spirit is going to go, and your life is going to go just back into dust, dirt.
But even now there's something beside you, there's something back of you, there's something with you. That's why I say if something goes along with you, you cannot be hurt -- if you use your guards.
You have a body guard. Who is he? You have a body guard. I have a bodyguard. I feel good with Him too. He's right in me, right in me. The last thing I say when I go to bed is, "Thanks." Always I say, "Remember me. In the morning again I hope You're with me. Thank you for a good clean life that let's me be happy. Take the evil away. If there's any danger, You take care of that. You take care of it, Great Spirit, I'm tired. I want a little sleep. If any danger comes before me, You handle that."
Use that as you go in this world. Use that as you go. You don't have to take it all, but think of it. That's going to help.
Don't be afraid of lectures. You're going to see a lot of lectures. You're going to see a lot of people that'll talk for their rights, for their experience in life, for how they live. You're going to find that you're going to feel good with it. If you hear bad talk from me, or bad talk from them, you're not going to feel good. You're going to be stirred up. You'll begin to think you're involved with it. But when you hear good talk, oh geeze, you feel good. And when they see you, they'll say, "Oh Gee, he looks good. He looks good, maybe there's somebody with him."
If you don't have that, don't have this, and don't have that, you're in bad shape. Yea. I'll take you to my Indian doctor anytime. You'll hear the same stuff I'm talking about.(15) I have two doctors, Indian doctors. Ask them any question and they'll tell you the answer. I'm not alone. He's getting around seventy-eight now, he's in his seventies or something. He said, "Paul, you and I have been here a long time -- I can't see very good, but I can tell a lot of stories about a lot of good things and about the way I lived. In my times, and when you were a little boy, I got the same preaching that you got." I said, "I still remember the words my mother and your folks used to say. It still makes me feel good to think of that. It's too bad we have to lose that."
They didn't want any money for preaching. They didn't want anything for preaching. All they wanted was your life to be a clean life. They were happy if they knew you were a good boy or a good girl. They were happy if they knew that there were good people coming into this world as they went along.

Ojibway baby in cradle board, Mille Lacs Indian Reservation.Photograph Collection, Postcard, 1909Visual Resources DatabaseMinnesota Historical SocietyLocation No. E97.33 r1 Negative No. 65233

And they'd tell you, "You should tell the next ones these words when you get ready. Tell your children, all the children. That good word is for the children. If we drop that good word what would become of the children? It hurts you if they lose these words."

Chippewa children, Mille Lacs Lake.Photograph Collection, Postcard, 1900Visual Resources DatabaseMinnesota Historical SocietyLocation No. E97.33 r40 Negative No. 73870

Indian children.Photograph Collection, 1900Visual Resources DatabaseMinnesota Historical SocietyLocation No. E99.33 r3 Negative No.
If you love children, you have to love them all. If you love your children, you have to tell them something good. They think of you, and about what you're saying. "You're right," they'll think, and they'll want to hear more -- even the little children. They know when you're right. It comes naturally. They respect you. They sit down. They want to be talked to. They want to hear good words. Tell them in the right way, and they'll know you mean it and they'll look at you. Then their mind will commence to build up, and when they go out into the world they'll think of you. That's what lectures do. And so that's why I like to talk to people.
When I'm going to see a person drunk I know it ten, eleven hours before. I feel it. I can feel it in me.
When I'm going to see a surprise, I know it.
When I'm going to be sick, I know it. When I'm not going to feel good, I feel it. I know it ahead of time, forty-eight hours ahead. Why? Because I believe in it, and I prepare and get ready for it. Sometimes I catch it before it happens.
You have warnings for everything.
Even the grass in the morning is a warning. When you look at the grass you know what that means; you know what the weather is going to be like. If you live long enough, and study that stuff, like I do, you'll see it.
In the morning you just look around at the weather. Look at the hot day, cold ground, dew, wet, fog. It gets so foggy sometimes you can't see the sun. "Oh, it's cloudy. It's cloudy."
"That isn't clouds, that's fog." If it breaks up in nice rows it will be clear. If it doesn't break up and the earth hits the cold maybe it will rain or snow. The heat and the cold air change with the elevation. It's cold way up above. The reflection of the earth goes only so far and that's why it's warm only so far from the earth. I know that. We all know that. If you get way above, you'll freeze up there. The reflection of the heat only goes so far.
Gee, just think, that earth turns around and still the people are a heavy thing. Why don't they fall off of the earth when it's upside down and dark? Because there's a magnet there. The earth is so big that a person's just like a feather on a great big ball. The gravity holds people on. Where's the gravity? Who's got the gravity? If the gravity isn't there, if the air goes around wrong, if the sun goes wrong, anything could happen, that's what I say.
The moon must go around, but maybe someday something will happen to it. They're fooling with the moon all the time.
If the pressure of the air of the earth goes wrong and cuts in somewhere, maybe something would happen to the cities on the earth. The pressure and the gravity are the ones that hold us there. That's what's holding us on this earth. If they fool around with the moon, and the sun, and everything, that will all crack up and bust. Maybe sometime the moon will leave where it's supposed to be and blow up. It could be. Anything could happen. It already did happen, years ago. We're due for another blowup, maybe, somewhere, because the people are getting rough. They feel the pressure on them. If they could work and be satisfied with their work, and try to help themselves along, then it'll be right. But when they can't work, there's a stir-up. Then there's a stir-up somewhere in the air. It's that way all over, I hear.
"What's the trouble around here?"
"It's that way all over."
We tried to plant this spring. We tried to put in a garden but we couldn't because it was too wet and too cold. Nothing grows in this light soil anyway. So a lot of us went without a nice little vegetable garden this year. Late into the spring it was too cold at night, and by the time it warmed up it was too late to plant. It's still cold at night. That never happened before, and that's a warning that something else might happen. Be ready. Be ready. At any time now something might happen.
I'm afraid to ask that big question.(16) I think the Indian doctor knows the answer too. There has to be a change somewhere. That's why I say there's a limit to everything you see. There's a limit to everything. "Limit," that's a big word. You wonder what the limit is. And then when you're wondering you ask yourself, "Should I be ready for it?" Many people do that. How are you going to be ready for it? Work it out. Don't think of me, just work it out. Do your best. Work your mind. Work your heart. Eat. Earn your own living. Work hard and sweat it out, then you don't have to worry. If you're doing a good job for yourself, if you're doing a good job for your family, if you're doing a good job for the future, then you're ready. That's what I mean. If you don't do anything and just expect everything to come easy, then you'll be a-wondering, "What am I going to do if something's going to blow up?"
There's a limit. There's a limit. There'll always be a limit to things. The world will change somehow. It may change one by one, or the whole deal may change altogether. Something different is coming. That's the way it is all over the world. When it changes, it's going to be a big change. The old timers saw those big changes. Things they never dreamt about they've seen. They've seen things they never dreamt were going to happen. They've seen things that really happened. I heard them talk about that in the old times.
We've had a good time all this time, but look out. Even the summers don't hit their periods right all summer season. The different seasons are the same way. The winter season is falling back, or going ahead, or something. It isn't paced where it should be.
When you think of that, when you think of things far and near, and way-off and back, and when you're thinking ahead, probably it's time for you to get ready. If you're trying for the best, if you're on the right trail, you'll be all right. That's the way I feel.
Mother used to say, "At my age, son, I think I lived a life. I was starting off bad, and maybe that bad couldn't of took me where I am now. Then I started for the good." She was about eighty some years old when she told me, "I lived a life. I'm satisfied, so I pass the words on to you." All those old people said that.
You're young and you look at the great road you're going to. Use your head as you go along. Listen and wonder why, and you'll see things. That's a big thing. But if you go along just talking, and if you don't care for anything, the first thing somebody'll cross your road and run into you. They'll think, "Oh, he doesn't even excuse himself he's in so much of a hurry." And when you get to where you're headed there's nothing there. You'll want to turn around and go back, "Well, I'll go back," you'll think. But you can't go back. You have to keep on a-going the direction you're headed.
"Gee, I wish it'd get better," you'll think.
Find a good place where you can commence to wonder how beautiful it is to breathe in the good air. Find a good place to live in. You can think to yourself, "I'm stopping, for a vacation. How wonderful it is. Who put this earth there?"
Who put it there? Who gave me that? Who gave me the opportunity to get this, to receive it? The earth is something wonderful. It's a great life. Geeze how I sleep good."
How I wonder when I go and look at things! "How did I get there? How did these things get there? Who's responsible for this pureness? There's lots in this world that's good. If we find it, we use it. Good things are all over this world.
Good words are all over too. Use them. You can't say there are no good words wherever the people are. The good words are there. It's just that sometimes the people don't use them. When they use the good words -- including the words of the Good Book -- if they respect that day they're living, they'll feel good.
That Good Book says you're supposed to rest and think about that one day of the week. That day you're supposed to rest and think of the words you've heard. Just that one day He asks, that's all.
Rest is one main thing of history. Everybody rests, and when you get your rest, you go along refreshing your life, your mind, your body and your strength. Rest helps as we go along in this world.
And oh, how good you feel if you go and hear a good sermon! When you come out of that sermon, oh, everybody's happy. You feel good if you listen to good words just one day out of a week. But if you hear that everyday, every day after day, like the old Indians, pretty soon you really feel good. After a while all you want to hear are the good words.
If you hear some bad words you won't even listen to them. When you hear some bad words you'll think to yourself, "Well, yes, you're talking about your problems. It is true. But I will not upset that problem until I hear your problem and the problem of the other person. There's another side to it. Any problem usually makes two and two. Maybe the other side's got a word to put in for his problem." You have to hear two sides. Then, probably, you can't blame one person. You can't blame one group.
You can't blame one party alone. You have to hear two sides, then you'll figure out where the drawback is, where the problem is. You can usually point at the problem if you hear the both sides: "There's the problem right there."
A lot of people don't think that way. They hear one side and right away they're saying, "Oh geeze, . . . ." Then they go along with the problem.(17) That's wrong!! You have to stop and think, "Well, I'll probably think about the other side of the problem first, and then maybe we'll find out what it is. Maybe, then we'll see it." That's the way it is all over.
True or false?
Is that true?
If you hear one side, sure, that's one side of the problem. But you can't figure the problem out from one side. How about the other side? You have to pair it up.
Christ!
That's true.
There's a lot of mistakes made when people grab problems too quick. They see things too quick, and if you don't hear the other side of the problem, that makes it a bigger problem. There's a weight to everything, and there's a scale that balances things out. If one side's heavy and the other side's light, well, then it's lopsided. When anything's lopsided why you have to find where the level is, where the weight is.
When I go to bed again I'll be setting here in the dark saying, "I lay me down to sleep. Tomorrow is another day like this. I feel good. Thanks for what You give me. Thanks for what You give me. I can't live alone. Without You I can't live. I have to have You near. You have to be here. I shall stop for that, I shall stop for this here."
I have a medal with an Indian head on it here on my table. It reminds me of an underground mineral, an underground metal. This is from on high. And that animal horn next to it is a wicked thing here.(18) You're supposed to eat the animal it came from.
What's that for?
Look-it here. See the tobacco around there? Heh? I put that tobacco out there. For the Great. That's my belief: stop, look, listen; anywhere.
Wha!
Everything, everything, is given to you to carry.
Ya.
I think I have to give it, for you. Naturally I would, because I've had the experience of life. What experience I have I should deliver it unto you, to examine what part of the experience of my life would be sound for your future life. You just take from my life what is sound for you. It's just like taking fruit off a tree. The fruit of my branch is what I deliver unto you.
If it's worthwhile, take it. If it's not, leave it. Don't forget -- some fruit is forbidden!(19) It's forbidden. That fruit is forbidden. Don't take that forbidden fruit. You're supposed to keep that in mind. Why? It isn't for you.
But there's some fruit that's downed by the wind and by the sunlight it is made nice. If you take on the fruit off from the tree, and it's for you, it's good that you took it. You were standing with it. Remember where the tree was, you know, where the big tree was.(20) It stood there. Why? It cast this, the flavor, unto the life of others. It benefits your life. It adds to your strength, to your system. It helps build the requirement of what you're low on. You're maybe low on some -- what would I say now? -- . . . vitamin. That vitamin may be built up. The younger generation needs a lot of vitamins, and through the experience of life that we went through maybe we'll help build vitamins. Vitamins is what helped me. A vitamin is a great thing.
If you go to any doctor, he'll say, "What's ailing?"
You tell him.
"You're low on resistance. The resistance isn't there."
There's a vitamin that will help build up your mind and body, but you have to find the vitamin which your mind and your body requires. Why did we talk about vitamins to the younger generation, to the younger class, at the campfires? The vitamin is something good for you. The vitamin in you is a good remedy. It makes you build strength. It builds you up.
It's the same way in life.
How good that was! I wish I had more of that at my age! Maybe it's good. Maybe I shall take it. It sounds good. I use it. I feel good. I want more of that. They're done, but they pass it on to you. These are the words which I pass on to you. You got it. It's a long life.(21)
Now, when the sun shines ask what's back of the sun? Who does that? Who regulates the water? There's very little land we got out of that four quarters of this earth.
Am I wrong or right?
Isn't that right? . . .
Yea, it's true.
It shows right there. You have three quarters water in this world and you should respect water, and the waves. It could do a lot of things. And that water gives life to the vegetation. It gives life to the timber that grows. Moisture -- without it we'll never live. We need moisture.
The great water is a meditation of your body too. It's the requirement. You have to have a certain amount of moisture in the growth in your mind. That's why three-quarters is water and one-fourth is land. It's a big thing.
Why?
Should we understand that, or should we not? Should we overlook this service we're getting from the Great Master?
It belongs to you. Use it. It's healthy. Everything's there for you to meditate your life, as you go along, for happiness. You meet friends, and you can see what they need. But nothing is better than water, as you're paddling your canoe.(22) And we need the land too. We have all the equipment we need for our health.
Study that. You'll see that a certain amount is required in your body, a certain amount is required in your mind. A certain amount of fruit on land is required. A certain amount of food is required.
Without water we can't live. Without land we can't live.
So we have plenty to play with. This is our life. This is true! And this brings strength, if you use it for your mind. You're happy. It cleans you as you go along in this life.
Water and land is a great thing. There's things under the water that's living. There's things up in the land that's living. Where did they get it? Where'd they get life? From the land and water.
Land and water's a great thing. You feel good when you go to water and use the waters the way they should be used. It meditates your body. You're breathing that different air, different climates. That's why lots of people who get the same climate want to re-freshen by going to a different climate of the country. They go for a vacation; they rest. How different! How refreshing! How the vegetation treats your body, your lungs, your sight, your hearing, your seen-ery -- your vision.
Remember your appetite. You know it's there. And when you eat, eat according to your appetite. Eat slowly, and just enough to remedy your motor of your system. Keep it full, with plenty of gas. Give plenty to the motor, plenty of gas. I'm referring to motors, that's your life.(23)
Well, what throws the light on that? What throws the light on us? What's back of that light? Did anybody ever go back there and prove what that great sun is? What is it made of? Gold and silver?
That's what I like to hear. Everybody else does too. But nobody knows! We've just have to stay put 'till that time comes.
Your days are limited, each and every one.
You can't say no when your limit is up. You may have money, gold and silver, but when your time is called, you're going to go. When my time is called, I have to go! The most healthy people on earth have to go when they're called. They may think, "I got strength. I don't care. Why here, sure, I'm willing to go." How quick they go. No money stops them. That's what I mean.
That's why you can't ask too often, "What's behind the sun? Who is there? What's on earth?" It cannot be seen. That's power. I judge all these things. You should be glad you have them. You should be glad they throw you light. You should be glad they throw you darkness, to rest, and light to get up in the morning. You have no excuse. It's no excuse that you say you're tired out. You shouldn't abuse yourself by working full strength; you have time to rest. Everything's there for you to live for, and next day is better. That's what a betterment is. You're going to get better yourself everyday.
Why don't the other people better themselves? Why don't the other people better themselves like you're trying to better yourself?
They have their own mind. You have yours. For better education they see one another. And when they have a better understanding they like that. They see that.
So this is a happy life. We're preparing for betterment, on earth and after earth. There'll be another betterment when we're through with earth. There is a thing behind that sun.
There is a thing. If it isn't behind the sun, it's somewhere. One of these stars has it, one of these suns has it, maybe the moon's got it, behind it. But watch that light. When that light shines, it serves you. You have no excuse. If you build a fire in the dark, in the darkness, when that light is there, when you're in the dark, it makes you feel good. Light a match in the dark, and you can see your way. You have no excuse. It's because of that light that you went around that stump or that tree in the dark. The light showed you. The sun is a great thing. It shows you the light of the way of your life. You're not going to miss if you follow the light of the sun.
And when you're done on this earth, when you get a judgement, you have no excuse. Maybe you get a judgement, maybe your body goes back to dust, but you can't lie to that Spirit. He's got the proof, the evidence. He's got everything evident-ly true.
There's no excuse in life. You have no excuse when you live without these words. You just can't sit and say you didn't understand. The reading is there. The book(24) is there. The way of life is there. Look at it! Everything grows! You should work, sweat, with your hands as much as you could stand in your own mind. When you're tired you could drink water. When you're hungry you could eat. But for how long can you do that without believing in something?
You have to work for betterment. You have children, maybe you have children, and for them you work for betterment. That's what you're working for. As they come, you have to leave them something. You have to leave them something to eat on. And you have to leave them something to look upon! You have to leave them a light, as you go. Then they'll follow you.

Silence, they say, is the voice of complicity.

But silence is impossible.

Silence screams.

Silence is a message,

just as doing nothing is an act.

Let who you are ring out and resonate

in every word and every deed.

Yes, become who you are.

There's no sidestepping your own being

or your own responsibility.

What you do is who you are.

You are your own comeuppance.

You become your own message.

You are the message.

prison writings - my life is my sun dance - leonard peltier

I do not think that the measure of a civilization

is how tall its buildings of concrete are,

but rather how well its people have learned to relate

to their environment and fellow man.

chippewa medicine man - sun bear

Creator, open our hearts

to peace and healing between all people.

Creator, open our hearts

to provide and protect for all children of the earth.

Creator, open our hearts

to respect for the earth, and all the gifts of the earth.

Creator, open our hearts

to end exclusion, violence, and fear among all.

Thank-you

for the gifts of this day and every day.

native american - micmac - alycia longriver - 1995

Oh, Great Spirit,whose voice I hear in the winds

and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me.

I am small and weak.I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes

ever behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made

and my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may understand

the things you have taught my people.

Let me learn the lessons you have hidden

in every leaf and rock.

I seek strength, not to be superior to my brother,

but to fight my greatest enemy - myself.

Make me always ready to come to you

with clean hands and straight eyes,

so when life fades, as the fading sunset,

my spirit will come to you

without shame.

american indian - lakota - chief yellow lark - 1887