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.

May the stars carry your sadness away,
May the flowers fill your heart with beauty,
May hope forever wipe away your tears,
And, above all, may silence make you strong.

---- Chief Dan George (translated by Lakota Sioux Chief Yellow Lark, in 1887)

"Knowledge is a beautiful thing, but the use of knowledge in a good way is what makes for wisdom. Learning how to use knowledge in a sacred manner, that's wisdom to me. And to me, that's what a true Elder is."

---- Sun Bear, CHIPPEWA

"Our circle is timeless, flowing, it is a new life emerging from death-life winning out over death."

---- Lame Deer, LAKOTA

"With one mind we address our acknowledgement, respect, and gratefulness to the sacred Cycle of Life. We, as humans, must remember to be humble and acknowledge the gifts we use so freely in our daily lives."

---- Audrey Shenandoah, ONONDAGA

"When a white army battles Indians and wins,
it is called a great victory....,
.....but if they lose...,
.... it is called a massacre."

---- Chiksika, Shawnee

"All things share the same breath - the beast, the tree,
the man, the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports."

---- Chief Seattle

"When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength.
Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living.
If you see no reason to give thanks,.. the fault lies in yourself."

---- Tecumseh

"Show respect to all people, but grovel to none."

---- Tecumseh

"The best teachers have shown me that things have to be done bit by bit. Nothing that means anything happens quickly - we only think it does."

---- Joseph Bruchac, ABENAKI

MORE RECIPES FOR YOU

Bannock ("Bannock" is a Native Indian fry bread. East to make.)

Ingredients:

Serves: 4 Yield: 4 pieces

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar (or less, if you prefer your bannock less sweet)
2 pinches salt
water, at room temperature

Directions:

1
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together.

2
Mix with enough water so that the mixture becomes a dough.

3
Form into 4-6 large, thick patties.

4
Fry on lightly oiled frying pan, turning when the bottom is golden.

5
(You may also bake in the oven.) Good served warm.

6
If desired, spread with honey, jam, butter, or peanut butter.

7
Traditionally bannock would have been made with whatever ingredients were on hand.

8
For example, adding blueberries if they're in season.

9
This freezes well. Freeze, already baked, in a labeled ziploc bag with the air squeezed out as much as possible. To serve, bring to room temperature by removing from the bag and letting rest on the counter for a few hours. SPeed up the process, by baking or microwaving until the desired temperature is reached.

Navajo Tacos

Servings: 10

Navajo Fry Bread
Ingredients:

4 -5 cups flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup instant milk
2 cups water

Filling

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 can pinto beans

Suggested Toppings

grated cheese
salsa
lettuce
tomato
onion
sour cream
green onion (whatever sounds good)

Directions:

1
To make fry bread: Mix dry ingredients.

2
Stir in water.

3
Knead dough lightly; cover and let rest 15 minutes.

4
Heat 1" vegetable oil in a 10" skillet.

5
Pinch off dough in small amounts and pat dough into thin 8" circles.

6
In the hot oil, quickly brown on both sides.

7
Drain on paper towels.

8
To make filling: Brown ground beef and onion, drain.

9
Add beans and garlic salt.

10
Simmer 10- 15 minutes.

11
To Serve: Spoon filling onto frybread.

12
Top with grated cheeses, salsa, lettuce, onion, or whatever sounds good.

Smoked Bucket Chicken (Native American Style Chicken)

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

3 whole chickens
butter (spray butter)
2 cups hickory chips (2 cups/2 handfuls)
4 tablespoons garlic seasoned pepper, season to liking or 4 tablespoons seasoning, of choice season to liking

Directions:

1
Well, you're going to need as well:

2
A 5 gallon metal bucket (paint burned off).

3
3 wooden stakes.

4
Tin foil (15x15).

5
8 lb. bag of matchlight charcoal.

6
Cotton string (about 3-4 ft.).

7
Make or acquire 3 sturdy wooden stakes. Drive them into ground after laying down foil.

8
Place the stakes close enough together so that you can fit the three chickens on them and still fit bucket over them].

9
Place seasoned chickens, breasts outwards, on stakes, and tie string around them tightly so that when cooking, nothing falls off.

10
Once chickens are placed and tied, spray a lot of butter all around the chickens and season them some more.

11
You're almost there!

12
Place hickory chips around and underneath the chickens.

13
Put bucket over chickens and pour all the charcoal around the bucket.

14
Light it up!

15
The chickens should cook for at least 3-3 1/2 hours.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes - Lower Healthier Fat

Servings: 20

Ingredients:

1 bulb roasted garlic
5 lbs russets potatoes, peeled and cut into 8
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup low-fat milk
1 cup smart balance light mayonnaise
pepper, fresh cracked
salt, fresh cracked is best

Directions:

1
Add potatoes to water and bring to a boil add salt to taste and boil for about 20 minutes till tender.

2
Drain potatoes into a strainer.

3
Return pot to low heat, adding milk, and oil just to warm.

4
Meanwhile rice the roasted garlic first then the potatoes into a large bowl.

5
Top with fresh cracked black pepper, fresh cracked salt, milk, mayo and oil. Stir to blend all ingredients together till creamy and tasty! Go ahead taste it! Go ahead have an other taste. If wanted add additional salt and pepper.

"My friend, I am going to tell you the story of my life, as you wish; and if it were only the story of my life I think I would not tell it; for what is one man that he should make much of his winters, even when they bend him like a heavy snow?"

---- Black Elk

"...And I say the sacred hoop of my people was one of the many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father."

---- Black Elk

"....Also, as I lay there thinking of my vision, I could see it all again and feel the meaning with a part of me like a strange power glowing in my body; but when the part of me that talks would try to make words for the meaning, it would be like fog and get away from me."...

---- Black Elk

"When we become hollow bones there is no limit to what the Higher Powers can do in and through us in spiritual things."

---- Frank Fools Crow, LAKOTA

"Keep your life simple because the more you get, the more complicated it becomes."

---- Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

SMUDGING AND THE FOUR SACRED MEDICINES

Many things have been placed on the earth for our use. One of the major tools given to us are the plant medicines.

Certain plants give up their lives so that we can use their smoke for prayers and cleansing, and the aroma produced by these plants help us place ourselves in a different state of mind thus bringing us into a deeper part of ourselves. Then, as we concentrate on what is happening, the scent may inspire memories, awaken the soul and give a sense of direction.

Many cultures and religions use sacred smoke made from the plant medicines. This is called smudging in Native America.

Often incense is burned during rituals, both for purification and to symbolize the prayers of the worshipper, which are then carried to the Creator along the smoke.

While much is written on the use of smudging to cleanse negative energy, one of its main purposes is to bring vision, aided by the sense of smell.

In ancient Greece, smudging formed part of the rituals to contact the dead, following long periods of fasting and silence. Their sacred smoke was born out of sulphur and minerals in lieu of herbs to part the veil between the worlds of the living and form a bridge to the other world.

Besides producing visions, smudging is used to purify tools and people before an important spiritual ceremony. It is also used to clear sacred space and open the soul before calling upon the Spirits and their healing powers.

The Elders say that the Spirits like the aroma produced when we burn sacred medicines.

It is always recommended to smudge a room or oneself after heavy healing work or a bad argument. This is to remove any negative energy that may persist just like disinfecting a place full of germs.

Healing powers of plants and herbs is universal and across all continents, the only difference is that not all plants grow in one region. People usually utilize the plant or the herb that is abundant in their region

There are Four "major/main" medicine plants; tobacco, sweet grass, sage and cedar that we natives use frequently in ceremonies.

*(This post and the four below are from: http://www.dancingtoeaglespiritsociety.org/medicines.php)