This content was created by Anonymous. The last update was by Christopher B. Teuton & Hastings Shade, with Loretta Shade & Larry Shade.
Offering
1 2019-02-11T22:27:16-08:00 Anonymous 7 21 Elsie Paul prepares a traditional offering for the ancestors in the fall of 2018. 2019-03-18T20:15:50-07:00 9780774861250_DM_585 2018-11-11 Still Image Davis McKenzie Christopher B. Teuton & Hastings Shade, with Loretta Shade & Larry Shade 4583f59774ff4c9c529fdbdef4152f62c3020232This page is referenced by:
-
1
2018-06-04T17:39:39-07:00
Offerings for the Ancestors
15
image_header
2019-04-15T14:59:33-07:00
And I have done it from time to time. Especially on our anniversary, or the anniversary of his death, around May, or somewhere close to June or Father’s Day or something like that. Or I will do it in November for my grandparents too, ’cause the fish are coming up the river and we have an abundance of the fish that go up there. And I will do a feast for my ancestors.“You asked the spirits that you’re feeding, the ancestors, to be there for you, to give you the strength you need, or the direction you need to go.”
“This time is very personal. And you think about all that you want to change in your life. What would you like to see change in your life?”
You asked the spirits that you’re feeding, the ancestors, to be there for you, to give you the strength you need, or the direction you need to go. So when you’re facing away from the fire, then you’re meditating. Taking that time for yourself, for your own wellness. And when that’s all done and the food has burned – you give it time to do that. And another reason why you turn away, too, from the fire, is that when you feed people, like if you feed people around this table, you know, and as a host you’re not gonna stand there and watch people eat or stare at them eat. That’s very rude. So you just put the food on the fire, you turn away, and you allow them to have their feast. So that’s the other reason why you turn away.
So you could do burning any time of the year. I do it about twice a year in my family – I do a little offering. In the fall time I do it for my grandparents, because I know they loved the chum salmon that come up the river and every part of that chum salmon, the fish heads and the fish eggs and the smoked salmon and the tʼɛn, you know, that’s barbecued fish, the tʼɛn. So I do it for them, thinking of my grandparents and all the other Elders, ’cause that was their favourite food, these things I’m preparing. So when I’m preparing the food on the table, I’m making sure it’s all in your thoughts: “Grandmother, you will look after this. This is for you. And I know this was your favourite.” You know, you talk to yourself! If there’s no one there that you’re talking to. If you have family you’re teaching this to, you teach them those things as well. It’s important to identify the foods you’re burning and who it’s for and separate the dish for the person that you’ve delegated to look after the food. But you can do a platter of other food for other people. But the person that you delegated to look after it will see that it’s shared, so you do theirs last. It’s like if you come into my house, I’m not gonna eat and you’re sitting there and I don’t feed you first. That’s rude! So the same applies to the spirit world. You don’t eat first. So that’s why you burn offerings: “This is the last one. You’ve done your job. This is yours.” Or just identify it in your thoughts and in your mind: “That’s yours. You look after the others.” So those are really important to remember.
“It’s like if you come into my house, I’m not gonna eat and you’re sitting there and I don’t feed you first. That’s rude! So the same applies to the spirit world. You don’t eat first. So that’s why you burn offerings.”