Chafb] SENECA THANKSGIVING RITUALS 7 



There is some evidence that speakers are aware of a division be- 

 tween the first eight items, which are terrestrial, and the last eight, 

 which are celestial, as well as of a split in the latter group between 

 the first five items, which are tangible, and the last three, which are 

 intangible. For one thing, the summarization that takes place in the 

 shorter version of the Thanksgiving Speech usually follows these 

 divisions. Some stylistic evidence is noted on page 148. 



Except for some deviation in the first section, all of the items are 

 treated in accordance with a fixed pattern. Each section opens with 

 a statement that the Creator decided on, or ordained, the existence 

 of the item. The purpose that the item serves, the manner in which 

 it benefits mankind, is then explained in terms of an assignment 

 given to it by the Creator. There follows a statement that the item 

 is still present and carrying out its assignment. Finally those present 

 are asked to concentrate on thankfulness for it. 



The first section is concerned with the people; more specifically, 

 with the members of the community participating in the ceremony. 

 This section forms a kind of introduction to the rest of the speech, 

 establishing the expression of gratitude itself as something ordained 

 by the Creator. The Four Beings, referred to here as the *Sky 

 Dwellers', are said to have directed that men should have love for 

 each other. There is the observation that the first thing people do 

 whenever they meet is to greet each other, the relevance being in the 

 Seneca equating of greeting with thanksgiving noted above. The 

 responsibihty of the Creator for the health of the community is 

 mentioned, and the people are enjoined to be thankful that they are 

 present and in good health. 



The subject of the second section is the earth, which serves both 

 as a support for people's feet and as a source of food. Here, and 

 again in the sections dealing with the Sisters, the Thunderers, the 

 sun, and the moon, the Creator is said to have prescribed a set phrase, 

 beginning with a kinship term, that people are to use in referring to 

 the item. The earth is to be called 'our mother, the support for our 

 feet'. 



The third and fifth sections are the longest, because of the inclusion 

 of subsections, in the one dealing with the strawberry, in the other, 

 with the maple. The third section begins with the plants. The 

 Seneca term covers all relatively small uncultivated plants, roughly 

 those smaller than bushes. The only function ascribed to them is 

 medicinal. It is said that they all have names, a statement that is 

 repeated for the birds and the stars.® Turning to the strawberry, 

 he speaker notes its ceremonial importance as a reminder of the 



• A great number of the Seneca names have actually passed out of use, making this statement to an extent 

 anachronistic. 



