Teacher
Summary |
Giving
Thanks
Giving
thanks for the blessings of life, health, food, shelter, family, friendship
and so on is an ancient practice shared by cultures around the world.
Whereas some cultures celebrate thanksgiving as an annual one-day event, others
celebrate numerous occasions throughout the day and the month and the year to
give thanks to God – who is often referred to in English as “the Creator” by
many Aboriginal peoples. Traditional indigenous cultural practices typically
include prayers of thanksgiving at sunrise to show gratitude for the
gifts of the Creator that make life possible, such as the sun. Other
ceremonies may honour and give thanks for the plant life, the water, the
moon, and so on. Through the ceremonial practice of giving thanks, one
remains aware and appreciative of the gifts and the people that
make life meaningful, with the hope of never taking them for granted. Giving
thanks for the various elements of the world should never be confused with
“worshipping” those elements in the sense of idolatry. All prayers
recognizing elements like the sun, moon, or plant life, for example, are a
thanksgiving to the Creator for the gifts of these elements, and the
Creator’s existence is recognized as existing within these elements.
Thanksgiving
Address
In traditional
Mohawk culture, the Thanksgiving Address is a prayer of reconciliation with the universe. It pays tribute to multiple forms of life such as plants
and animals, the natural elements, the four directions, the four seasons, and
everything that exists. Giving thanks is a way to acknowledge all the energy
forces that work together to sustain life, including those that are
seen and unseen and heard and unheard. Saying prayers of thanks in
Aboriginal cultures is a practice to remind oneself of the interdependency of
these energies, and the need to be respectful of these life forms.
Morning
Prayer
Mohawk Elder
Tom Porter describes a morning prayer, thanking the Creator for creating life
and for sustaining and embracing us through the sun. He then describes how traditionally
Mohawk people will continue to express gratitude throughout the day: for
their family members, by greeting them each day; and after eating and
drinking water; after feeling the breeze of the wind; after stepping on
Mother Earth, and so on. Thanking the sun each morning pays respect to the
energy force that provides warmth and makes our plants grow, which we need to
survive. In respect for all these things, the traditional practice is to
say, “Nya weh,” which means “thank you” in Mohawk. Showing gratitude creates
positive relations with others and makes it easier to communicate. The
traditional Mohawk mindset is focused on the spiritual, constantly paying
respect to all these things. |
Strategy |
1. Open a
discussion on manners. Why do people say “please” and “thank you”? Which
kinds of occasions call for people to say these words? What happens when you
use these words in speaking to people? How is this different from when you
don’t? Explain that the Mohawk people have traditional teachings on giving
thanks. Like many Aboriginal cultures, the Mohawk people have a practice of
giving thanks to all the people and things that make life possible.
Introduce elder Tom Porter who will describe the Mohawk practice of giving
thanks.
2. Visit www.fourdirectionteachings.com and listen to the teachings on giving thanks.
a) Go to “Morning
Prayer” to learn about how traditional Mohawk people greet the day.
b) Go to “Daily
Thanksgiving” to learn about giving thanks throughout the day.
3. Discuss
Porter’s teachings. He spoke of the rays of Brother Sun coming up every day
to watch over us, shedding light to make trees grow, corn grow, and so on.
Without this light we would not survive, as we need the sun - so this is why
thanks are given. What other things did Porter mention that Mohawk people
are thankful for? What are you thankful for today? Who are the people in
your life who are important to you? What are the things that you have in
life that you enjoy? Why is it important to give thanks to these people and
to respect your things and others’ belongings?
4. Shift the
discussion to address how to show gratitude. In what ways do people show
their thanks to others? How do they show their respect for things? How do
people celebrate thanks?
5. Work in groups
to make a list of things to be thankful for. List as many people and things
as possible that contribute to your life, things that make you happy, things
that keep you safe, things that nourish you and keep you warm, etc. Think of
things that you have which others less fortunate do not have. For each item
on the list, think of some way that you can show your gratitude. Perhaps
you could make thank you cards for people you love and tell them why you love
them. You could put your toys away after playing with them so that they
don’t get lost or broken. You could say “please” and “thank you” at dinner
time when you want someone to pass you a plate of food, etc.
6. Wrap up the
lesson with a guided reading of the summary above and a selection of
discussion topics and optional exercises below.
Discussion
Topics:
- Arrange
table settings in the classroom to learn about table manners. Practice
eating together using “please” and “thank you” when appropriate. How do
table manners compare in different countries? In different cultures?
- There
have been many world disasters recently in which many, many people have
lost all their belongings. Earthquakes, hurricanes, and fires cause
tremendous damage, often leaving people homeless. What are some of the
things people can do to assist those less fortunate?
Optional
Exercises:
- Make a
class collage of things to be thankful for. Use paint and other objects
for illustrations.
- Role
play scenarios in which manners are used properly and when they are
not. Discuss the outcomes of the situations. Eg. How did you feel when
the person took your gift and walked away without saying anything?
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