Native American Prayer
Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life to all the world - hear me. I come before you, one of your children. 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, my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise, so that I may know the things you have taught my people, the lesson you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, *MYSELF*. Make me ever ready to come to you, with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades as a fading sunset, my spirit may come you without shame.
Yellow Hawk, Sioux Chief
Indian people were part of a great civilization. The Indian nation had a society that was strict and well organized. Each tribe had it's own language and culture. Each tribe had its own traditional technology for healing, caring, learning, teaching, creating their own shelter, methods for hunting and harvesting food, judicial system system, political system and religious spirituality.
The Indian people held these values in objects which were most important in all of existence:
Great Spirit, as I understand the circle of life. The great and holy power that is above everything.
Myself, as I am. The Indian had a deep sense of pride in himself because he was an Indian, and regarded himself as extremely important because he was free.
My fellow man, as he is. His attitude toward his fellow man was one that caused him to share with and to help him. This made for a strong people.
The world itself, the way it is. (Mother Earth) The Indian people regarded the world (sky, stars, sun, trees, animals, rain and birds) as all one and related. The world was considered to be holy, because God (Great Spirit) is in it.
Oh Great Spirit
Let your voice whisper righteousness in our ear through the west wind in the late of the day. Let us be comforted with love for our brothers and sisters with no war. Let us hold good health mentally and physically to solve our problems and accomplish something for future generations of life. Let us be sincere to ourselves and our youth and make the world a better place to live.
A Prayer of the American Indian
