TEEPEE

The Teepee

Values help guide behavior through the process of growing up, changing and handling responsibilities. Personal values are what determine a person’s decisions and actions. Social values are set by cultural beliefs as to what is important for a community. There are fifteen traditional Cree cultural values that serve as a guide for happy and healthy living. Each value is honored in the construction of a teepee, which requires 15 poles — with each pole symbolizing one value:


1. Obedience – accepting guidance and wisdom from others


2. Respect – for self and others


3. Humility –knowing that we are not above or below others in the circle of life


4. Happiness – showing enthusiasm to encourage others


5. Love – love of self and love of others, not things


6. Faith – belief in the spirit world


7. Kinship – relationships and bonds with parents, siblings, extended relatives, knowing one’s home community


8.Cleanliness – spiritual cleanliness


9. Thankfulness – gratitude for life and for family


10. Sharing – sharing knowledge, stories, traditions, for future generations


11. Strength – spiritual strength to do things that are difficult


12. Good Child Rearing – guidance and protection of the sacred gift of children


13. Hope – hope that the women who are the life givers and the nurturers will carry on the teachings to bring healthy spirited people into the world


14.Ultimate Protection – protection of the minds, spirit, emotions and health of the youth


15.Control flaps from winds – balance in life’s journey

 

These are the sacred values that sustain the Cree spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally. The first three are considered the foundation of the teepee because a teepee will not stand upright with only two poles, a minimum of three are needed - just as you need a child and two parents to make a family.



A ceremony is followed when erecting a teepee with tobacco given to Mother Earth by a woman in thanks for the use of all the materials to make the teepee, and the doorway facing east. The teepee is symbolic of the sacredness of womanhood as it stands with dignity; it provides warmth, comfort and shelter, and love and care to the family. With the control flaps up, the teepee resembles an old woman standing with her arms extended out in thanks. Women are named after the fire that is built in the centre of the teepee.


The control flaps are used to control the release of smoke and insects from the fire. When they are positioned properly, all smoke and insects flow out through the opening at the top of the teepee. So these flaps represent balance in life’s journey.

http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/cree_learning_activities_int.html

a CREE NATION story

A Cree chief had a very beautiful daughter who was sought after by many brave warriors. There were two suitors who led the rivalry for her hand, a Cree chief from Lake Winnipegosis and a Sioux chief from Devil's Lake. The girl herself favored the Cree warrior, and when he brought a beautiful white horse from Mexico as a gift for her father, the man agreed to the marriage. The Sioux chief was enraged by the rejection of his suit. On the day of the wedding, he gathered a war-party and came thundering across the plains toward the home of the beautiful maiden. The Cree chief tossed his lovely bride on top of the white horse and leapt upon his own gray steed. The couple fled to the west with the rejected Sioux and his war-party on their heels.

The canny Cree chief doubled back several times and the couple hid among the prairie bluffs. For a time, it seemed as if they had lost the Sioux. But once they were on the plains again, the beautiful white horse was visible for miles, and the war party soon found them. A rain of arrows fell upon the fleeing lovers, and the warrior and his bride fell dead from their mounts. At once, the Sioux captured the gray steed, but the white horse evaded them. One man claimed he saw the spirit of the young bride enter into the horse just before it fled from their clutches. The white horse roamed the prairies for many years following the death of the Cree warrior and his lovely bride. The inhabitants feared to approach the horse, since the spirit of the maiden dwelled within it. Long after its physical body passed away, the soul of the white horse continued to gallop across the plains, and the land where it roamed became known as the White Horse Plain. They say that the soul of the white horse continues to haunt the prairie to this very day. A statue of the white horse was erected at St, Francois Xavier on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Winnipeg, to remind all who see it of the phantom white horse and the beautiful maiden who once rode it.

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Rainbow Warriors

Here is my thoughts of the sacred rainbow warriors.

This legend was brought to us by fire eyes from the

Cree tribe and it explains to us the coming future

events of mankind. The web has brought us together but

now we need to gather in sacred circle.

The drum is the spirit of the Native peoples of Turtle

Island (America) The teachings of the Rainbow Warriors

teaches us that we can return to the old ways while

still living in a modern time.

We can evolve through love. We must transform greed

hate and ignorance into love compassion and

understanding. To do this we must gather and to do

sacred things always.

Native Americans teach us that we are one people and

no matter what path we follow we are one people. The

legend of the Rainbow Warriors is coming to pass as

reality. We have a chance now to bring peace love and

harmony to the world.

Here is the legend of the Rainbow Warriors Poem:

Do you know what a rainbow is ??

Yes, a beautiful bow of colors in the sky.

Do you know what a warrior is ??

A warrior is a brave person.

One who has courage instead of being afraid.

Now let me ask you a question.

Do you love animals or hate animals?

Do you love trees or hate trees?

Do you love people or hate people?

Do you love the rainbow or hate the rainbow?

Well, if you love animals and trees, people and rainbows,

then maybe you are a "Warrior of the Rainbow".

Prophecy

"Warriors of the Rainbow"