par admin » Sam 28 Jan 2017 11:25
WABANAKI CONFEDERACY PROTOCOLS
BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE
The Wabanaki peoples, gathered again for the first time in Confederacy in 1993, claimed it is now the time for the recognition and the implementation of their political structure in respect of their ways of life, to live together in peace and in harmony with their environment, for the strength and the well being of all their family clans living on their Wabanaki ancestral territory.
CONFEDERACY PROTOCOL
Introduction to the Confederacy
The Wabanaki Confederacy is the grouping of our Nations that have met in alliance, sisterhood & brotherhood since long before the Europeans arrived. Founded on Wabanaki traditional spiritual teachings and ceremony, the Confederacy is a gathering of our people to share their ceremonies, conduct healing, share traditional knowledge, history, language, make collective decisions about common interests and concerns.
As allies, we the Wabanaki Peoples gathered periodically to exchange important information, to listen to each other's concerns, and to resolve upon matters affecting our common well-being. Of vital significance, of course, were issues of war, truce, and peace. When any of us was threatened or attacked by outside enemies, we could call upon each other for support.
Never having accepted a paramount Sachem or Sagamaw as head of the Wabanaki Confederacy, our allied tribal Nations did not settle on a permanent seat of government.
Because our collective survival often hinged on our success, solemn proceedings are wrapped in our unique Wabanaki diplomatic protocol. Our language is typically stylized, underlined by meaningful gestures, and supported by presenting ritual objects such as Wampum belts and other objects of importance.
According to our particular designs, some of our ceremonial belts but not all, served to record and commemorate important joint decisions such as declarations of war and peace.
Confederacy wampum belt
One of the most important of our wampum belts made in contemporary time and under the influence of the Catholic Church, represent the Wabanaki Confederacy itself signifying the political union of our last 4 allied Nations of the east door. It show four white triangles on a blue background.
During peace negotiations with foreign dignitaries, an orator would speak for the Wabanaki Confederacy and offer certain wampum belts, each symbolically representing a major point or message to be conveyed on behalf of the Wabanaki People.
But today it in important to re-open the east door or the Wabanaki Confederacy and to do the role call of all the Nations that are still part of the Confederacy.
Beside the Confederacy belt there are other belts used for spiritual ceremonies . These belts are also part of the Confederacy spiritual protocols .
Diplomatic language
In the political rhetoric of Wabanaki diplomacy, our kinship metaphors became important. Having become "related" as allied Nations, our leaders or their ambassadors addressed each other as "brothers" or “sisters “ Allowing for some ranking difference between older and younger brothers, this kin term essentially expressing equal status.
Location of the gathering of the Confederacy.
According to the occasion, our Sachem or Sagamaw would decide on a certain location for our next Confederacy meeting, or Council fire.
Usually, these Council fires were kindled at politically important and centrally located places. Historically, meetings were held in Wabanaki communities such as Panawamskek in the Penobscot valley (Oldtown), the Abenaki village at Odanak (St. Francis), the Passamaquoddy village at Sipayik (Pleasant Point), the Maliseet villages of Meductic or Aukpaque, or the Mi'kmaq village of Bear River (southern Nova Scotia).
Having chosen a particular village for our Council fire, the Wabanaki People would discuss the challenges facing us and try to reach consensus on our decisions. However, given that each of the Nation allies had retained a great deal of independence, our Confederacy gatherings were not always effective to reach concensus.
Confederacy ceremonies
Among the Wabanaki ceremonies was a spectacular war-making ritual known as the "Dog-Feast" or the Dog Ceremony . In this ritual, the Wabanaki people and their followers shared a meal of boiled dogs before setting out on the warpath against a common enemy. Typically hosted by a renowned tribal Sachem or Sagamaw, the ceremony would be attended by warriors invited from all the Wabanaki communities and French and Métis allied villages. Holding a joint council of war, they would discuss options and, if they agreed to fight, elect their captains and decide on battle strategy.
There were also other important pan-tribal ceremonies, including the ritual of the pipe ceremony, Sweat lodge, shaking tent and Star lodge.
Wabanaki people
“When we talk about who we are as Wabanaki People, we're also talking about Wabanaki People being the land, being the trees, being the animals, the water the air and the universe because in that cultural perspective we are all related. The Wabanaki people are part of everything. We're not just a species standing apart from everything else. The Wabanaki when joint together are always in a position to defend their interest .
In contemporary time , we the Wabanaki People have the responsibility and the obligation to remind all the people who live on our territories that they have an obligation to protect our land because it was never ceded. So on the basis of the treaties, the Wabanaki People consider that all people living on our land being Wabanaki or not have a common responsibility to protect the land under those treaties. We all must insure under international protocol, to be responsible to each other's needs according to legal, economic and social implications for the survival of all and to renew this alliance to rebuilt lasting relationship .
The Wabanaki Confederacy must maintain and open door to all its allies if we all want to survive and live in peace on our ancestral territory of the Wabanaki.
Confederacy colours
The colours of the Confederacy are dark blue and white . The dark blue represent the infinity of the universal cosmology we all live in and the white represent the brilliant light of the spiritual world.
The Confederacy flag
The colours of the flag are represented by the colours of the Confederacy. The background is dark blue and the double curved design in white denote the union of the People of the Wabanaki assembled in ceremony .
The current Confederacy flag was designed in contemporary time to unite all the Wabanaki Nations : the Migmaw, the Penobscot, the
Wolastogikik, the Passamaquody the Abenaki and all the other allied Nations . The Flag was once presented by the Penobscot and accepted by all these Nations. There is no need to create a new flag.
Confederacy directional flags colours
The colours of the four directions for the Confederacy ceremonies as per ancient instructions are as followed:
RED for the EAST
BLUE for the SOUTH
YELLOW for the WEST
WHITE for the NORTH
GREEN for the CENTRE
Nation representations
Each Nations should be able to provide representation to the Confederacy. They should be able to identify their Elders , Their Pipe carriers, their family Clans, their youth leaders ,their Clan Mothers, their Sagamaws and their sachems.
THE CONFEDERACY LODGE
The Confederacy lodge represent the symbol of who we are as living beings and the way we should related to one another in respect of all living thing on mother earth. The lodge is also our special connection to the universe and to the cosmos. Built in respect of sacred geometry the lodge is the open door to the meeting of the being of light.
The lodge teach us how to make contact in the universe and to facilitate the understanding of agreement among ourselves that reflect our understanding of the tangible forces of the universe according to the natural laws . The lodge must be built according to the instructions we once received from the being of light, our own forefather and foremother to make spiritual connection .
Location of the Confederacy lodge
The Confederacy lodge should be place in an open area to facilitate access, safety and security for the Confederacy sacred object exhibited for viewing and to be used in commemorative ceremonies and presentations. The lodge must be seen clearly from a starry sky for planetary relation and interaction when day and night ceremonies are performed.
Building of the Confederacy lodge
Building the lodge is the responsibility of all the people attending the Confederacy gathering as it become an exercise of unity and brotherhood and sisterhood among all members of all the Clans, the families and the Nations.
No Nation should be taking the sole responsibility of building the Confederacy lodge by itself as the lodge must be connected to all the Peoples. Each clan, Family and Nation must make sure they assigned some of their members to be full participant of this building task .
Tools
Nations must make sure the necessary tools are brought by their citizens to built the lodge . Tools such as axes, hogger, machetes, saws, shovels , cutters slash hammers etc.
Covering material
The Nations must make sure their are sufficient tarps and rope to built and cover the Confederacy lodge . The lodge will also have to be dressed with colour cloth and identification with animal clan markers in front of each of the 52 grounded poles of the lodge.
Structure
The structure of the Confederacy lodge is built according to sacred geometry . The shape of the lodge is an oval turtle back who represent our universal connection and composed of 26 ribs supported by 52 grounded poles placed at a distance of one sitting stretched legs position apart (3 feet). All 52 poles to be placed in the ground will be pointed in a pyramidal shape. The 26 ribs will be supported by 3 levels high of perpendicular ribs to provide physical and spiritual strength to the lodge as each level represent our 4 steps of life.
PLEASE REFER TO THE GROUND PLAN FOR LAYING THE POLES
Essence of trees
The Confederacy lodge can be built with a single or a mixture of essence of trees most available in the area of the Wabanaki territory were the lodge will be built. The 2 inches base average sapling trees should be selected and harvested in a traditional spiritual fashion by making offering to the nature material to be taken. The door of the lodge should be facing the east.
Cedar and pine bedding will be necessary to cover the floor of the lodge. Cedar at the centre were sacred objets will be laid down and pine branches all around for the people to sit in .
Each pole used for the rib will be grounded to mother earth in a traditional fashion with the 4 medicines. This will be done by a man and a woman Elder selected by each of the animal clans for this spiritual responsibility.
Disposition of sacred objects
Centre low level table made of young tree and pipe rack will have to be built to hold pipes and sacred object to be use in ceremonies, display for enactment and presentation by leaders and spiritual peoples responsible for the procedure of the gathering.
THE CONFEDERACY SACRED FIRE
Introduction
The Confederacy sacred fire is the open door to the universe of the Creator. The Sacred fire must be placed under the protection of the Star wheel and the spirits of the ancestors for the Wabanaki People to go the centre ring of the Star wheel.
The Wabanaki People need the help of the ancestors to reach a high level of vibration to enter their world and seek their protection to meet with the Creator at the centre of the Star wheel where the sacred fire is burning .
All the people without exception wanting to enter the sacred fire must be instructed of the proper procedure by the assigned fire keeper and helpers.
The sacred fire being the foundation of life and creation for the Wabanani People it must be built in total balance between male and female energy, positive and negative electromagnetic energy, the open door to the spiritual world and in direct connection with the universal forces.
Purpose of the Sacred fire
The Sacred fire located at the centre of the Star wheel allow the connection with the spiritual force of the past, the physical force of the present and the life force of the Creator and its helpers, the being of lights .
Like any other living things in the universe the brain of each of the Wabanaki people is composed of the influence of past and present actions and their soul persist and invade neuron of brain to transplant itself to another collective soul, and for the soul to survive in every one of the people we encounter. With this network of neuron process, at these kind of sacred gathering, the Wabanaki people increase all together their conscientiousness to exist as Wabanaki and this conscientiousness become a true connection to todays reality for the one who live in the material world .
The Confederacy Sacred fire is in today definition the scanner of our Wabanaki physical and spiritual DNA were true healing, understanding can take place for the Wabanaki People of the past, present and future all at once to be able to remember and seal new universal agreement among each others.
The sacred fire and the Star wheel are built according to sacred geometry. They become the symbol of our understanding of our universal environment and the life force.
STAR WHEEL
Construction procedures
Like engineer would do, the construction procedures to built the Star wheel to protect the sacred fire must be rigourous and must be built according to the respect of ancient instructions. Without the respect of these ancient instructions and procedures it will jeopardize our recognition by the being of light who are our ancient teachers and who maintain the teaching of connective through. the pattern of the Wabanaki people collective conscientiousness.
Built in respect of sacred geometry well known by the Wabanaki People, the Star wheel is the spiritual vortex to the meeting of the being of light. The sacred fire placed at the centre of the Star wheel will help to meditate and asks for healing or to ask for any other request.
The Star wheel, like the lodge teach us how to make contact in the universe. The sacred fire witness all the agreement we made among ourselves.
When we recognize the role of the sacred fire in the Star wheel it demonstrate that we the Wabanaki People understand the tangible forces of the universe define by the natural laws . The Star wheel must be built according to the instructions we once received from the being of light, our own forefather and foremother to make our spiritual connection.
Building the physical part of the Star wheel will not guaranty the builders that the Sacred fire will be activated and serve its purpose. Like other ceremonies their is a spiritual key to activate the sacred fire. This key is guarded by some traditional Wabanaki People that are empowered to do the Shaking tent ceremony or the Star lodge.
Stones
In order to built the physical aspect of the Confederacy Star wheel you need 64 stones of different size to built the Star wheel . It is best to find white quarts stones or stones with a wide amount of white quarts in them . You will need 52 stones to be use for the outer ring of the Star wheel and 12 for the centres ring to hold the Sacred fire. There will be 13 stones between the 4 cardinal directions for the outer ring of the Star wheel and 3 stones between the 4 cardinal directions of the centre ring.
Ancient instructions
As we are using sacred geometry to built the Star Wheel to protect the sacred fire, the outer ring of the Star wheel should be proportional to the size of the stone. The stone 2 hands in size will become spirit of ancestral grandmother and grandfather safeguarding the sacred fire.
Woman being the life giver and the foundation of all living thing they will be the first one to be laid on the ground to start the Star Wheel .
The diameter of the outer ring of the Star Wheel should always in be in multiple of 13 like 26 -52-104-208 etc . The number 13 represent the 13 moon of the circular year or the 360 degrees of a full circle .
All odd numbers of the Star wheel are of female energy and even numbers are of male energy.
An Elder must place some tobacco offering and requesting the grand mothers or grandfathers of a clans that passed on the other side to join in this ceremony, before laying down the stone on the ground in a clockwise fashion.
Their is no such a thing as doing it the write way. It is a question of doing in the order of the ancient instructions we received to insure the building up of the necessary physical and spiritual vortex. Each one of these vortex go hand in hand and in parallel as they are the reflector of that tele-deportation process between the two world.
The Fire Keeper selected as the engineer responsible to lead in the building of the fire must establish the distance needed between the four direction like 13 or 26 steps from the centre as a radius. It is best to use a cord to do this as it bring the Star wheel to symmetry.
By placing a stick in the centre and tied the rope to it it facilitate to go all around to lay down the stone in respect of sacred circular geometry.
Another stick can be tied at the other extremity and use by a Fire keeper helper to keep the distance and insure the outer ring will be shaped as a full circle .
The 4 cardinal directions must be identified before laying all the stones . 8 of the biggest stones must be used for the 4 doors and could be pre-selected for that sole purpose. The Star wheel is built clock wise or anti clock wise depending of your nation ceremonial procedures. Make sure to follow the directives of the Star wheel ground plan to insure the fire is well balanced .
When the 8 directional stones are laid down for the foundation of the Star Wheel no one should cross the outer circle to the exceptions of the Elders offering tobacco, the Fire keeper and his helpers leading in building the sacred fire.
The 12 stones of the inner ring located at the centre of the Star wheel needed to received the sacred fire, are positioned in place together by 6 man and 6 woman. They must succeed to lay them symmetrically by grouping of 3 stone with 4 directional opening, all at the same time and with success. They must repeat this exercise until they reach full consensus . The 12 stones represents the Creator, the 7 gifts of life, and the 4 directions.
PLEASE REFER TO THE GROUND PLAN FOR LAYING THE STONE OF THE STAR WHEEL AND THE SACRED FIRE
Directional markers
Each directional doors of the Star wheel is identified with youth protectorsto supports the grand parents.
Sapling of young white birch pointed in a pyramidal shape should be place beside each of the Grand mothers and Grand Fathers guardians of each of the doors .
The directional colour ribbons, red, blue, yellow and white of the Star wheel will be placed on each of the Grand mothers. The colours of the Confederacy blue and white will be tied up on each of the Grand Father.
GRAND ENTRY OF ALL NATION
When the Nation are ready to enter in the Lodge they must gathered the people of their clans to enter the Confederacy lodge for the opening ceremony of the Confederacy . Each Nations with their identification national and clan banners. The hosting Nation must take the lead in the Grand Entry. People will decide with time the order of the nations in the grand entry.. It is the responsibility of each Nation to provide the order of entry of their people into the lodge.
DELIBERATION PROTOCOL
Roll call of Nations and their family clans
One of the most important role of the Wabanaki Confederacy is to empower the Wabanaki people to the decision making process by consensus.
The Confederacy must facilitate the participation of all Wabanaki People by insuring participation of all the family clan representatives being their Elder, Clan mother, Youth and Clan spoke person.
Part of the opening ceremony in the Confederacy lodge, will be the roll call of all the Nations and their respective family clans that compose the Wabanaki People in attendance or not at the Confederacy gathering.
Each Nation will have the responsibility to do the role of all its family clans.
It will be followed by a role call of the allied Nations.
Responsibility of the Clan
It is the responsibility of each family clans to select their representatives.
The spokes person of each of he Family clan will be part of the Grand Council of the Confederacy and will be able to meet when required.
Grand Council of the Confederacy
The Grand Council of the Wabanaki Confederay will be composed of the spoke person of each of the family clans. Their responsibility will be define by Wabanaki People gathered in Confederacy according to past and present reality.
Resolution of action
Deliberation on issue presented in front of the people for discussion and action will be supported by the use of a talking stick. Resolution of action will be approved in consensus.
Clan Representatives that composed the Grand Council of the Confederacy and with the administrative support people will be the one responsible to act upon decisions made by the Wabanaki People.
In other urgent circumstances, resolution will be drafted and approved by the Grand Council of the Wabanaki People if the circumstance had an impact on the welfare of the Wabanaki People.
NOTE FROM THE WRITER
When you take the risk to write something on anything it is open to positive comments and criticisms. Please do not comment or criticize this paper if you have the trues answer to the Confederacy protocols . It is best to add to it by sharing your knowledge as nothing is frozen into time and must adapt to the reality of contemporary times,
I took the risk to write this paper as anything worth writing is worth writing even badly to lite a new interest in the Wabanaki Confederacy.
So please take also the risk and share your knowledge and positively add to it .
Marci , Claude Aubin
Here sample of animal clans that were provided to me . But I was told by the shaking tent that there was 26 original animal clans at one time but it seems now people added some more anaimal clans in relation to the new family names . Some people will not agree with this addition and claimed they are connected family in relation to or descendants of the existing animal clans.
FAMILY CLANS
Acquin
Attean
Athanas PORCUPINE
Aubin DEER
Augustine EAGLE
Basque BELUGA
Battiste WEASLE
Bailey
Bear DEER
Belanger LOBSTER
Bruière MOOSE
Bernard FOX
Brook CROW
Benoit Benwha EAGLE
Caplin GEESE
Christmas HAWK
Clement DUCK
Cope BEAVER
Cremo MOSQUITO
Dana PORCUPINE
Doucette SPRUCE NEEDLE
Dedam LOBSTER
Denis, Denny , Dennis OTTER and LOBSTER
Dunbar
Francis RABBIT
Googoo OWL
Gabriel CROW
Gideon WISPIJACK
Gloade WOLF FISH
Gray WEZLE
Gould MUSKRAT
Gehue SEAL
Grand Meuse
Howe
Isaac CROW
Isadore LADY BUG
Jacques STURGON
Joe SNAKE
Johnson MOUSE
Julien Julian LOON
Knocwood BEAR
Launière FOX
Laporte TURTLE
Lafford TURTLE
Lacoute
Levy SNAKE
Lewis OTTER
Lewey
Lola
Moore
Moulton OWL
Moresou DEER
Marshall MOOSE
Martin MARTEN
Metallic DEER
Methot
Mitchell
Morisson DEER
Morris DEER
Narvey
Neptune HAWK
Newell
Nicolas BEAR
Nockwood BEAR
Nolet WOLF
Obomsawin TURTLE
Paul SALMON
Pelletier
Perley WOLF
Peters SNAKE
Phillips RABBIT
Polchies EAGLE
Poulette PARTRIDGE
Prosper FROG
Pyres
Sabatus
Sappier St-Pierre WOLF
Sanipass TURTLE
Saulis BULL FROG
Socobasin Beaubassin CRAB
SOCOBY SALMON
Sock FOX
Stevens Stephen BUTTERFLY
Silliboy BEAR
Simon Cimon OWL
Smith SPIDER
Sadocousse BEAR
Soctomah
Solomon
Stanley MARTIN
Thomas DEER
Thomer DEER
Toney BEANSTALK
Tremblay SQUIRREL
Vicaire MOOSE
Wallace
Wilson
Wysote COYOTE
Watso OTTER
Young SQUIRREL
Claude Aubin
Métis et administrateur de ce site.
info@claudeaubinmetis.com