What's in a name
Over the weekend I attended a feast to celebrate my nephew's 7 month old daughter, Milo, receiving her Indian name - it's a shame I don't know how to write it in Cree. The English meaning would be something like the first sunlight of the day. What could be more beautiful, a magical moment.
Milo is adorable and she was so good at her feast. After a prayer and burning of sweetgrass her mother carries her around the circle of about twenty people and each person kisses her on the cheek or forehead, and she didn't cry or fuss. It's such a gentle and loving moment, welcoming the baby with her new name into the world. Then everyone feasts. It's the role of the young men (my other brother's young boys) to serve everyone. The servers take around plates, cups, cutlery to each person and then they serve the food to each person. We had stew, bannock, tea, fruit juice, various fruits, and some sweets. At the end all leftover foods (there was a lot) are divided among everyone in attendance. Any food left on the plates must be eaten. If any food should be left on plates it must be burned or given back to the earth and buried under a tree. There must not be any waste.
It was a beautiful day and makes you a little more aware of the earth and your relationship to it.
Milo is adorable and she was so good at her feast. After a prayer and burning of sweetgrass her mother carries her around the circle of about twenty people and each person kisses her on the cheek or forehead, and she didn't cry or fuss. It's such a gentle and loving moment, welcoming the baby with her new name into the world. Then everyone feasts. It's the role of the young men (my other brother's young boys) to serve everyone. The servers take around plates, cups, cutlery to each person and then they serve the food to each person. We had stew, bannock, tea, fruit juice, various fruits, and some sweets. At the end all leftover foods (there was a lot) are divided among everyone in attendance. Any food left on the plates must be eaten. If any food should be left on plates it must be burned or given back to the earth and buried under a tree. There must not be any waste.
It was a beautiful day and makes you a little more aware of the earth and your relationship to it.