Native American Voice (NAV)
Info and cover Image reprinted from above linked Page
A place to share thoughts and insights into our way of life. Feel free to start conversations, share photos, get to know each other. If you would like to help add content to this page feel free to email me. Also ~~ All photo’s / Artwork / Poetry and other information added to this site may not have the author attached because I don’t know it. If you know it let me know and I will add it to the content to give credit to where credit is due. I really enjoy celebrating the artists that give us such incredible visual and emotion stimuli. So please keep me informed so that I can keep others informed.
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 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 greater than 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 may come to you without shame.
(translated by Lakota Sioux Chief Yellow Lark in 1887)
published in Native American Prayers – by the Episcopal Church
Our fathers gave us many laws which they had learned from their fathers. They told us to treat all men as they treated us. That we should never be the first to break a bargain. That it was a disgrace to tell a lie. That we should speak only the truth. We were taught to believe that the Great Spirit sees and hears everything and that he never forgets. This I believe and all my people believe the same.
…Thunder Rolling in the Mountains-Chief Joseph, Nez Perce
The Great Spirit is in all things, he is in the air we breathe. The Great Spirit is our Father, but the Earth is our Mother. She nourishes us, that which we put into the ground she returns to us.
…Big Thunder (Bedagi) Wabanaki Algonquin