Post by blackcrowheart on Sept 5, 2007 14:51:31 GMT -5
Green Corn Ceremony
The Green Corn Ceremony was the high religious and social ceremony of
a number of American
Indian peoples of the Eastern
Woodlands, and was practiced in ancient and modern times. This sacred
ceremony occurred during the fist new moon following the corn harvests. The
ceremony was marked with dancing, feasting, and religious dances.
Among the Cherokee people, the ceremony
honored Se-lu, the Corn Mother. The actual name of the ceremony in the
Cherokee language was Ah-ga-we-la Se-lu-ut-si which means "old woman corn
mother".
The Green Corn Ceremony in ancient times lasted for four days in large
townships, and for two days in smaller communities. The ceremony was comprised
of sacred dances which were performed by the dancers within the sacred circle.
The ceremony would begin with all the members of the town going to a running
body of water right before sundown. The men and women would separately wash and
anoint the seven places. When the last sight of the sun had set, and twilight
was descending, the ceremony would begin. The sacred dancers were selected from
young men and women from each clan, and wore sacred garments made from white
buckskin.
Within the sacred circle, a deep pit would be dug and a branch of thunderwood
(wood from a tree struck by lightening) would be lit and used to bless the
grounds for the ceremony. The coals from this thunderwood would be used to
kindle the sacred fire in the pit in the center of the circle. Each person
present in the township would extinguish their home fires and approach the
sacred fire and state their clan and their name to the fire.
The dancers would then perform several rounds of sacred dances which
typically lasted from 2-4 hours. At the end of the first night of the ceremony
and dances, all the people would take coals from the sacred fire in the circle
and would enter the circle and visit socially together. The new home fires for
the year would then be kindled from the spirit of the sacred fire blessed by the
thunder beings.
In many townships, all the residents would bring out their furniture and
shared living items and burn them in the center of the community as a symbol of
renewal of the new corn harvest. They would then remake new furniture and shared
items for their clan dwellings.
If you have a chance to make life better for others and fail to do so,
you are wasting your time on Earth. No matter what our station in life,
we are here to serve, even if that sometimes means making the greatest
sacrifice of all.
www.theupcn.com
The Green Corn Ceremony was the high religious and social ceremony of
a number of American
Indian peoples of the Eastern
Woodlands, and was practiced in ancient and modern times. This sacred
ceremony occurred during the fist new moon following the corn harvests. The
ceremony was marked with dancing, feasting, and religious dances.
Among the Cherokee people, the ceremony
honored Se-lu, the Corn Mother. The actual name of the ceremony in the
Cherokee language was Ah-ga-we-la Se-lu-ut-si which means "old woman corn
mother".
The Green Corn Ceremony in ancient times lasted for four days in large
townships, and for two days in smaller communities. The ceremony was comprised
of sacred dances which were performed by the dancers within the sacred circle.
The ceremony would begin with all the members of the town going to a running
body of water right before sundown. The men and women would separately wash and
anoint the seven places. When the last sight of the sun had set, and twilight
was descending, the ceremony would begin. The sacred dancers were selected from
young men and women from each clan, and wore sacred garments made from white
buckskin.
Within the sacred circle, a deep pit would be dug and a branch of thunderwood
(wood from a tree struck by lightening) would be lit and used to bless the
grounds for the ceremony. The coals from this thunderwood would be used to
kindle the sacred fire in the pit in the center of the circle. Each person
present in the township would extinguish their home fires and approach the
sacred fire and state their clan and their name to the fire.
The dancers would then perform several rounds of sacred dances which
typically lasted from 2-4 hours. At the end of the first night of the ceremony
and dances, all the people would take coals from the sacred fire in the circle
and would enter the circle and visit socially together. The new home fires for
the year would then be kindled from the spirit of the sacred fire blessed by the
thunder beings.
In many townships, all the residents would bring out their furniture and
shared living items and burn them in the center of the community as a symbol of
renewal of the new corn harvest. They would then remake new furniture and shared
items for their clan dwellings.
If you have a chance to make life better for others and fail to do so,
you are wasting your time on Earth. No matter what our station in life,
we are here to serve, even if that sometimes means making the greatest
sacrifice of all.
www.theupcn.com