Special Vocabulary

Special Vocabulary for Metis Life Blessing Way Ceremony: A
ceremonial chat that recounts the Creation Story and which is
usually recited over 1 or 2 nights. It is recited as a means of
maintaining a positive and healthy environment and to prevent
imbalance and disharmony. Potlatch Ceremony: A diverse, complex
series of ceremonies practiced by First Nations and Metis peoples of
the Northwest Coast of America and Canada. Its function is to
maintain balance and harmony among ones community. It usually
consists of a community feast while the host family presents gifts
to all the guests and to reenact the families oral history from
stories told from present back to the beginings of time. Sacred
Circle: A symbolic representation of many Peoples concept of the
world and life. It captures the concept for life and death and
represents ones journey through life. Sun Dance: The Sun Dance is
common to more that the tribes of the Great Plains. It means many
things to many different Peoples. One thing it does do is honor the
Sun, the Warrior. It tests the couraeg for the Great Plains tribes.
It honors the Suna dn plays a role to ceremony the need for the sun
and how some Eastern Peoples show that honor and need. Sweatlodge:
The sweatlodge is a function, generally, to heal the mind body and
spirit of those taking part in the ceremony. It brings about the the
restoration of balance in ones life. Wisdom Keepers: these are also
known as the Elders of the tribe. Living repositories of trible
wisdom and traditions. They are the teachers of the oral traditions
and ceremonies of the tribe. Thye also are those who look for and
train the next generation of Elders for the continuation of tribal
ways and wisdom.



Birth Ceremonies: There are as many birth ceremonies as there are
native linguistic groups. The Metis had the ability to incorporate
some if not a lot of the catholic church in their make-over of the
birth ceremony. Here is the common thread through many of the Metis
birthing/blessing ceremonies. The baby is presented to the 4 Sacred
Directions, given a name (usually after 2 weeks) and sent to the
elders for a blessing and a look into the babies future. Then there
is a meal time for the Aunties (for a girl) and Uncles (for the boy)
as well as the Elders and other wise members of the tribe. This meal
is used as a sign of the need for the extended family and the role
it will play in the growing years of the child. After the meal, the
parents send the child around the lodge and the the child is put on
the floor for a short time. After the introduction to Earth Mother
(laying on the lodge floor), the child is wrapped and carried for
the next 2 years or so. Coming-of-age Ceremony: Here is where the
the child, having reached their 8th year or puberty, depending on
the clan/tribe traditions, is presented to the comunity as a whole
and a celebration is made for their passing from childhood to
adulthood. For the girls there is a time of isolation until her
first period is passed. While in the `moon lodge', she is instructed
on the do's and dont's of womanhood. For the boys they are given by
the parentd to an Aunt and Uncle for the preparation and learning of
manhood and the rites and ceremonies of the Hunt, Fishing, and daily
spirituality. If there is one boy or girl who has been chosen by the
elders for initiation into the inner circle to become an Elder or
Healer for the tribe, that child is given to the Elders for
training. Marriage Ceremony: The Marriage Ceremony is a ceremony to
impress the importants of the life the couple is entering. This is
the time to celebrate the continuation of the tribe or clan. Though
there are very different types of ceremonies for a marriage, from
moving into a lodge together to a major fanfare for the whole
village, the result is the same. The couple are wed and expected to
be honest and true to each other. If the marriage does not work out
and after several chats with the Elders, the man leaves the lodge
and moves into the batchelor quarters. The woman retains the lodge
or wicky- up or what have you, as the man is expected to be able to
make another for himself. Again after the marriage ceremony there is
a feast for all provided by the brides family. Death Ceremony: Many
People believe death is not the end but the begining of another
adventure, this time into the spirit world. Some believe the death
releases us from the bonds of this life that may stop us for
progressing on our path. Others believe death is the transition into
a new and better life. Most ceremonies call for a feast to the
departed (one month, or week or year after death). This feast is
accompanied by a large fire and items the person will need to travel
the new road is made and put into the fire to go to them in the
spirit world. A knife, bow and arrows, leather, clothing, food, and
what ever else deemed necessary by the clan, will be burned that
day. The ashes will be buried under the or over the body as the case
may be. If the person who died was honored by some feat in life,
their name will be given to the next child born of the same sex.
otherwise the name will be set aside for some future use by the
tribe or clan. There is still mourning for the loss by the wife and
parents of the dead person. Some Peoples restrict what and how the
bereaved may live for some specific period of time. During that time
the clan may provide ALL the necessities for that family. Other
Peoples may see the bereaved leave for a respectible period of time
to mourn their loss and then return to the group for a celebration
and liberation and joyous reunion to the Family.