Mitakuye Oyasin
Encyclopedia
Mitakuye Oyasin is a traditional Lakota
Sioux
prayer, with its opening phrase used as a refrain in many Lakota prayers and songs. It reflects the inherent belief of most Native American
traditions and belief systems that "Everything is Connected". The Lakotas, Dakotas
and Nakota
s all the Native American tribes revere the prayer. It is used in all Yankton
spiritual ceremonies and activities, like Peyotism, and employed as a prayer to end other prayers, after which the sacred food or sacred pipe is passed around.
In 1940, American scholar, Joseph Epes Brown
wrote a definitive study of Mitakuye Oyasin and its relevance in the Sioux
ideology of "underlying connection" and "oneness", and it has become a catchphrase and greeting in the animal rights
, womens' rights as well as human rights activism.
To the Creator, for the ultimate gift of life, I thank you.
To the mineral nation that has built and maintained my bones and all foundations of life experience, I thank you.
To the plant nation that sustains my organs and body and gives me healing herbs for sickness, I thank you.
To the animal nation that feeds me from your own flesh and offers your loyal companionship in this walk of life, I thank you.
To the human nation that shares my path as a soul upon the sacred wheel of Earthly life, I thank you.
To the Spirit nation that guides me invisibly through the ups and downs of life and for carrying the torch of light through the Ages, I thank you.
To the Four Winds of Change and Growth, I thank you.
You are all my relations, my relatives, without whom I would not live. We are in the circle of life together, co-existing, co-dependent, co-creating our destiny. One, not more important than the other. One nation evolving from the other and yet each dependent upon the one above and the one below. All of us a part of the Great Mystery.
Thank you for this Life.
Lakota language
Lakota is a Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of the Sioux tribes. While generally taught and considered by speakers as a separate language, Lakota is mutually understandable with the other two languages , and is considered by most linguists one of the three major varieties of the Sioux...
Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
prayer, with its opening phrase used as a refrain in many Lakota prayers and songs. It reflects the inherent belief of most Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
traditions and belief systems that "Everything is Connected". The Lakotas, Dakotas
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
and Nakota
Nakota
The term Nakota is the endonym used by the native peoples of North America who usually go by the name of Assiniboine , in the United States, and of Stoney, in Canada....
s all the Native American tribes revere the prayer. It is used in all Yankton
Yankton
Yankton is the name of:* people: Yankton Dakota division of the Dakota, sometimes referred to as Yankton.* county: Yankton County, South Dakota in South Dakota* county seat: Yankton, South Dakota of Yankton County....
spiritual ceremonies and activities, like Peyotism, and employed as a prayer to end other prayers, after which the sacred food or sacred pipe is passed around.
In 1940, American scholar, Joseph Epes Brown
Joseph Epes Brown
Joseph Epes Brown was an American scholar whose lifelong dedication to Native American traditions helped to bring the study of American Indian religious traditions into higher education...
wrote a definitive study of Mitakuye Oyasin and its relevance in the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
ideology of "underlying connection" and "oneness", and it has become a catchphrase and greeting in the animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
, womens' rights as well as human rights activism.
Translations and themes
The phrase translates as "all my relatives," "we are all related," or "all my relations." It is a prayer of oneness and harmony with all forms of life: other people, animals, birds, insects, trees and plants, and even rocks, rivers, mountains and valleys.The Prayer
Aho Mitakuye Oyasin....All my relations. I honor you in this circle of life with me today. I am grateful for this opportunity to acknowledge you in this prayer....To the Creator, for the ultimate gift of life, I thank you.
To the mineral nation that has built and maintained my bones and all foundations of life experience, I thank you.
To the plant nation that sustains my organs and body and gives me healing herbs for sickness, I thank you.
To the animal nation that feeds me from your own flesh and offers your loyal companionship in this walk of life, I thank you.
To the human nation that shares my path as a soul upon the sacred wheel of Earthly life, I thank you.
To the Spirit nation that guides me invisibly through the ups and downs of life and for carrying the torch of light through the Ages, I thank you.
To the Four Winds of Change and Growth, I thank you.
You are all my relations, my relatives, without whom I would not live. We are in the circle of life together, co-existing, co-dependent, co-creating our destiny. One, not more important than the other. One nation evolving from the other and yet each dependent upon the one above and the one below. All of us a part of the Great Mystery.
Thank you for this Life.