Maple Ceremony Wahta Twaneheltu The Maple Tree We

Maple Ceremony Wahta> Twanehel@tu The Maple Tree, We Thank It

Course Instructions This course is designed to ensure employees within Comprehensive Health Division are provided an introduction to the Oneida Ceremonies. You will take a quiz after reviewing the Power. Point and must pass to get credit. If you do not pass the quiz the first time, the system will provide the correct answers. You may take the quiz a second time. If you do not pass the quiz in two attempts, you will need to contact the Culture Awareness. Team members at CHD_Culture_Awareness or contact one of the members below to give you one more try. Kelly Skenandore, kskenan 1@oneidanation. org, (920)869 -4817 Diana Hernandez, dhernand@oneidanation. org , (920) 869 -4818 Lola Smith, lsmith@oneidanation. org, (920)490 -3714 We have included the Power. Point as an attachment to the email communication and within the e. Learning course. IMPORTANT: Quiz questions will come from both Power. Point and Video when there is one. It is important to know that this course will be kept up-to-date with changes as they occur.

Quiz Instructions Please select the most appropriate answer (s). Read each question carefully as you may be asked to select more than one answer at time. Please do not use the back arrow once you've started the quiz. If you do not pass the quiz, you will receive one more try to pass the quiz. If you do not pass the quiz a second time, please email the Cultural Awareness Team members at CHD_Culture_Awareness or you can contact one of the members below to give you more attempts to pass the quiz: Kelly Skenandore, kskenan 1@oneidanation. org, (920)869 -4817 Diana Hernandez, dhernand@oneidanation. org , (920) 869 -4818 Lola Smith, lsmith@oneidanation. org, (920)490 -3714 You will be given credit for taking the course after you have passed the quiz. Supervisors will be able to see that you've taken the course after one working day of passing the quiz in Supervisor Inquiry.

Maple Ceremony WHAT TO EXPECT This e-Learning course will provide a detailed description of the Maple Ceremony. By completing this course and quiz, you will obtain 60 minutes of Cultural Awareness education for the month of February.

Maple Ceremony Learning Objectives of Wahta> Twanehel@tu The History of the Maple Ceremony Origin The Purpose of the Maple Ceremony is to Give Thanks to the Maple Tree Personal Preparation for Maple Ceremony When the Maple Trees are Ready for Tapping Tobacco Burning & Thanksgiving 2 Feather Dances Closing Maple Ceremony at the Longhouse Application to Health and Wellbeing

The History of the Maple Ceremony In 1983 when the ceremonies were started in the Oneida Community, there were only 2 Maple tapping camps. Since then, there are now approximately 9 Maple tapping camps It is Nature’s sign to our community that the Maple Ceremony is to be held when the first Thunders (Grandfathers) and lightning occur. This usually happens towards the end of February or early March. The lightning represents the purification of the sap.

Origin of the Maple Ceremony The origin of the Maple Ceremony and all ceremonies go back to when the Creator (Shukwaya>tisu) sends a messenger (Y@>tehonihsu - he does not have a father) to the people. Shukwaya>tisu seen the people were going along at each village and to him he thought and felt he has created all of these things on the earth, so he thought there should be a way to give gratitude for all of the things he has placed there. Y@>tehonihsu teaches lessons of gratitude and thanksgiving.

Purpose of the Maple Ceremony To give thanks to the Maple Tree that it continues to be medicine and natural sugar for the people. To give thanks to the recurrence of the sap that still runs. To ask for the continuation of the sap runs. To ask that we be blessed by seeing it come year after year.

Personal Preparation for Maple Ceremony It’s important to know what’s taking place on each day of the ceremony so you have what you need before you get there. Here are some things that one would want to have ready for the Maple Ceremony Bring your personal tobacco for the Tobacco Burning. Make sure your traditional clothing is clean, ironed, and mended. If you are a woman and on your moon (female menses), you cannot handle any food, drinks, or tobacco. Women are not allowed to attend the tobacco burning, but they can come after the tobacco burning has been completed. Depending on the family, Women on their moon, may or may not be allowed into the Longhouse for ceremonies, but they are encouraged to NOT participate.

Personal Preparation for Maple Ceremony (cont. ) Have your personal thanksgiving ready for the drinking of the maple drink at the Maple Ceremony. For the feast held at the end of the day for the Maple Ceremony, the food should be prepared the night before or the day of the ceremony. Put a lot of love and good thoughts into the food you are preparing. Prepare a healthy dish with healthy foods. Don’t forget to bring your donation of homemade Maple Syrup or Maple drink.

Personal Preparation for Maple Ceremony (cont. ) Arrive to the ceremony on time. The majority of ceremonies start at 9: 00 a. m. If you are bringing children, remember to feed them before going to the ceremony. This will help with focusing and keeping still. Bring healthy snacks for them. Remember your Longhouse Etiquette! GOOD THOUGHTS! GOOD WORDS! GOOD ACTIONS!

Maple Ceremony Agenda & Preparing for Ceremonies Handouts (Note: The following documents are included as part of the PDF version of the Employee Power. Point Handout. ) Click the link to access the “We make ready for ceremonies” handout G: ohc(CAT) Takos Teame-Learning Courses16_February 2017_ Maple CeremonyPreparing for ceremonies_2016. pdf Click the link to access the Maple Ceremony Agenda from Cultural Heritage G: ohc(CAT) Takos Teame-Learning Courses16_February 2017_ Maple CeremonyMaple Ceremony Agenda_Cultural Heritage. pdf

The Tobacco Burning Before any tapping of the Maple Tree begins, a burning of the tobacco and a Thanksgiving is conducted at each maple tapping site. Each person present adds to the tobacco bundle which is to be burned. In the Tobacco burning you talk to all the trees, but the Maple is the strongest of trees. They are the leaders of all the trees. The Creator intended the Maple to be our natural sugar. We address our understanding of how this will go.

Tobacco Burning (cont) We address the animals in the forest to let them know we are acknowledging them in their home We ask them for permission to be in the woods. We don’t want to interrupt their home and everyday responsibilities. Natures elements at this time can be violent, with the snow and ice still present, therefore we ask for protection from the elements. We address Creators helpers, Kay# niyukw#=take – the four spiritual beings, as it is their responsibility to watch over us. The Beings represent natural things in nature and maintain balanced relationships to sustain life on Mother Earth. Lastly, we thank the Creator, as he is the one that created all of nature and how it all works together.

Maple Sap Thanksgiving Click the link to access the Maple Sap Thanksgiving prayer from Cultural Heritage. (Note: The following documents are included as part of the printable version of the Employee Power. Point Handout. ) G: ohc(CAT) Takos Teame-Learning Courses16_February 2017_ Maple CeremonyMaple Ceremony Thanksgiving. pdf

Finding the Right Tree to Tap The Maple Trees have to be at least 1 foot in diameter. The diameter of the tree will determine how many taps you can put into the tree. You cannot tap a tree in the same spot. Depending on the location of the tap and the time of the year will depend on the flowage of the sap. Ideal temperatures for good running sap is between 30 – lower 40.

Finding the Right Tree to Tap (cont. ) It must be above freezing during the day and at/or below freezing at night for the sap to flow. The weather will determine when you should collect the sap. Tree tapping is generally done within a 45 week window. Toward the end of the season, the sap will generally be darker.

Cooking the Sap After all the sap has been collected, it has to be cooked to remove the water. Sap naturally contains a large amount of water. The sap is placed in a huge pan and cooked over a constant temperature fire until the sap turns to syrup or sugar. Constant temperature of rolling boil. 80 gallons of sap = 2 gallons of syrup Approximate cooking time depends on the size of the cooking vessel and the temperature of the fire beneath it. E. g. It takes 16 hours to boil down 120 gallons of sap

Maple Ceremony at the Longhouse Maple Ceremony is completed with a short one-day ceremony held at the end of the tapping season. Kanehelatuksla – The Thanksgiving Address (Opening) is the responsibility of the Wolf Clan. On each side of the house, the speakers will ask if any family has had misfortune. If there is, this will also be mentioned. “Inform the Minds” - The agenda of what will happen at the ceremony. The dancers and singers will be selected from each side. Encouraged to be mindful of why we are here today. To give thanks to the maple trees that it continues to be a medicine for the people.

Maple Ceremony at the Longhouse (cont. ) Ohstowa>ko - Great Feather Dance: There are 2 Great Feather Dances held at the Maple Ceremony. To honor the Maple Tree – completed before the Maple Drink To honor the Creator – completed after everyone gives thanks and drinks the Maple Drink - One young man and one young woman are selected to pass around a 5 gallon pail to give everyone a cupful of the maple drink. Everyone present gives their personal thanks in the Oneida Language (Yaw^ko). You must stand before you drink the syrup. Ohstowa>ko – Great Feather Dance to honor and give thanks to the Creator for all he has provided us with to live.

Maple Ceremony at the Longhouse (cont. ) Acknowledgement - of what has been accomplished: the making of the Maple syrup. ^skalihwanh%t&=ki> – The Thanksgiving Prayer (Closing): The Bear and Turtle Clans closes the ceremony. The Feast - The feast is a potluck where everyone brings a dish to share and indulge in with the Maple syrup, maple drink, and maple sugar that was made from the maple sap for the ceremony

Application to Healthcare Medicinal Properties of sap are similar to that of a Spring cleansing. Health benefits include: Improves osteoporosis-like symptoms Prevents gastric ulcer formation Lowers blood pressure It supports a healthy immune response Maple sap contains antioxidants Click the link to access and read more into the Health Benefits of Drinking Maple Tree Sap https: //wildfoodism. com/2015/02/24/thehealth-benefits-of-drinking-maple-tree-sap

Application to Healthcare All ceremonies begin and end with the Thanksgiving Address. In doing this, we are letting Creator know that we are thankful for all things he has given us. We are letting him know that we are continuing our duties and responsibilities by his instructions through our ceremonies. It increases our appreciation to all of creation. It provides a source of identity relative to the universe, beginning with the individual, and radiating out to the earth and all living things. When giving thanks, one does not have to give thanks to everything in creation every time. As in the Maple Ceremony, there is the Personal Thanksgiving which the people say before they drink the sap.

Application to Healthcare As a member of Oneida Comprehensive Health Division, the knowledge you have of the Oneida people and their traditions is important and reflected in the ways you communicate and interact with your patients. This story influences the Oneida People’s beliefs and belief systems surrounding health, healing, wellness, illness, disease, and delivery of health services. Understanding of our ways, will have a positive effect on patient care delivery by enabling health care providers to deliver services that are respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, and cultural & linguistic needs of the Oneida Community.

Resources Oral teaching with Randy Cornelius on 1/19/17 Tape Recorded Maple Ceremony Agenda Handout provided by Cultural Heritage Maple Ceremony Thanksgiving Handout provided by Cultural Heritage Six Nations Farmers Market http: //sixnationsfarmersmarket. com/ceremonies_traditions_map le_sap. php Indian Time http: //www. indiantime. net/story/2016/03/17/culturalcorner We make ready for ceremonies Handout by Kalana Brooks provided by Cultural Heritage Wild Foodism https: //wildfoodism. com/2015/02/24/the-health-benefits-of-drinking -maple-tree-sap/