Today, it is Thanksgiving in Canada; and I thought it fitting to share an address from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The confederacy, made up of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas was intended as a way to unite the nations and create a peaceful means of decision making. Through the confederacy, each of the nations of the Haudenosaunee are united by a common goal to live in harmony. Each nation maintains it own council with Chiefs chosen by the Clan Mother and deals with its own internal affairs but allows the Grand Council to deal with issues affecting the nations within the confederacy.

Often described as the oldest, participatory democracy on Earth, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s constitution is believed to be a model for the American Constitution. What makes it unique is its blending of law and values. For the Haudenosaunee, law, society and nature are equal partners and each plays an important role.

The Thanksgiving Address (the Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen) is the central prayer and invocation for the Haudenosaunee. It reflects their relationship of giving thanks for life and the world around them. 

Read the full address here: Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address