102 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The prayer at the maple festival 



Wa"da Tadinion'nioV 

 Maple Thanksgiving 



Es n waiyigwa'showine'' odeha'donni. Ne'Vainnondoi'shofik 



Oh partake of this tobacco the forests. This we petition 

 nega'doga nayut'dao 11 naetgone'igais nawa/'da 

 may you continue the production of sweet water Oh maple 

 Hawe'o u Nawenniio' e n gao n dadegao n e n gani'gaiksek 

 The will of the Creator that a certain tree water flows from 

 Ne v ne n ga' e n ga'onk hadieo"sha deodo n o n ne v he' / hadiduk / keno n dies 

 This it may not accidents occur the running about 

 hadiksa/sho n/ o' gahadegon n sho n 

 the children in the woods. 



Ne" ne n ga" wanishade' is' esswai'ya'dagwani'yothet 



Now this day you it belongs to you to enjoy 



ue^ga'' wanishade'. 

 this day. 



Djasayawa'goduk Hawen'iio' cia v dade gaoya'ge'tciojo^. 



We give thanks oh God to you the dweller of the heavens. 



Agwai'wayiis ne'^aiyiwanda^ho. 



We have done it what devolved upon us. 



Osut'gat'ho djogwutgwenio'. 



You have seen what we have done. 



Da'neW. 



So, it is. 



The address to the maple, the chief of trees and the prayer to the 



Creator 



A Seneca ceremony 



The priest stands at the roots of a maple. A fire is burning and 

 the priest casts tobacco in the fire and as its smoke arises he says : 



To the tree: 



" O partake of this incense, 

 You the forests! 

 We implore you 

 To continue as before, 

 The flowing waters of the maple. 



