Traditions, Wise Words and Interesting Facts
Givaways
Submitted
by Nancy Kohn Raven
so that people unfamiliar with the ways will have a small understanding.
A long time ago Give Aways were held as a sacred event. Today, Tribal
celebrations and public events often feature a Give Away.
The person who does the Give Away may do this with the help of his family
and relatives. It is held sometimes in the name of a deceased relative
or to honor a person who is going through a Sundance Ceremony as a participant,
or for someone joining or leaving the Military. Sometimes a Give Away
is held when a prayer or vow has been granted. For example somebody
might have made a vow two years before and that vow has been fulfilled
by that person and family. Therefore they honor that event and that
person with a Give Away.
Sometimes an individual may spend two years or more collecting and making
the gifts: Horses, blankets, money, shawls, automobiles and whatever
else the person and his family deem appropriate to be given away. Giveaways
can also include a gift of time, talents or skills.
The Give Away is often a public event. An announcer will say ''We have
a gift here and we want to give it to a visitor from Alberta Canada"
for example
Anyone from Alberta Canada may step forward to recieve the gift. It
dooes not have to be given to a specific identifiable person.
It may be announced after everything planned has been given away."All
you people who are here, the rest of these gifts are for visitors only
who are not members of this tribe" if you are there and whether
or not you know that person who is giving away, you can take the gift.
There are no reciepts given and no attempt is made to put a monetary
value on a item given away. I would also like to say that Natives do
not take this as a tax deduction on their Tax form either. It is a Sacred
event.
We do this because we have respect for ourselves and out of recognition
that a prayer has been granted, that a vow has been made and honored,
or someone has recovered health. There are various sacred and spiritual
reasons why Give Aways are conducted the way they are, and why we will
continue as long as there are Natives.
If you see this sort of ceremonial thing happening, you will truly know
you are among indian people who give a great deal of attention to their
customs, traditions and beliefs. You will find the poorest of individuals
and families carrying on this traditions. Additionally Natives give
things not only to other Natives and to members of their tribe, but
also to non-Natives. If they know someone is present from a different
country, say from Germany, Japan or wherever, then during the course
of the Give Away it might happen that they will announce for one of
those visitors to step forward, that there is a gift for them.
There were times in the past when the Federal Goverment tried to stop
the Give Away. They saw this happening where the Indian was giving away
everything. It was a abhorrent practice to the non-Native whose cultures
teach saving, and hoarding of material possessions.
To our way of thinking as Indian people, Give Away signifies our respect
for other people.. What good we do for other people will come back to
us in many ways.We have stories that verify this. Giving is a mark of
a person truly involved in his culture. They are the generous ones.
When people die their relatives will sometimes give away their belongings.
Giving away a Ceremonial Pipe is an important way of passing on our
culture to the generations who come after us. The Ceremonies of the
Pipe carries with it our basic teachings and is the best way to come
to know and understand our peoples cultures.
Passing on valuable things in culture is something of an honor. It is
a way of saying; 'My Relative believed in this Ceremony. In giving you
this Pipe we hope thatthese Traditions or this Ceremony that my relative
participated in, will be continued through you.' It is a way to keep
traditions and beliefs alive.
One value trait that the indian people appreciate in themselves and
in others is generosity. The greedy man causes trouble. Long ago in
the beginning all things in Creation were able to talk with one another.
We can no longer communicate with the plants and animals because man
became greedy and as a punishment we cannot communicate or understand
one another. Once we learn to love one another and respect one another
and all that exists, we will regain the power to understand one another.
Then there will be true harmony. We Indians are working to overcome
the bad side of our nature. We ask that people recognize this
Generosity is a cultural trait of high value. In fact anyone who is
looking to become a leader, the people will always ask, 'Is this a generous
man or woman?' If they are they will be recognized for the leadership
role they seek or the one to be given to them
signed by Long Standing Bear Chief. (Blackfoot elder)
Photo
from Adopt-a-Native-Elder program
More to come...
If you have anything you would like to add to this page, please in-box it to me - Gloria Hazell-Derby
