The Covenant of Survival

[aethyrflux]

although Trickster had stolen the Secret of Fire as a boon for humankind,
along with it came the Mysteries of Death

then, during the Long Darkness of Winter-time,
the Great Hunter taught us The Covenant of Survival
"SOME MUST DIE SO OTHERS MAY LIVE!"

by slaughtering animals for food
we learned to use the weapons of war as tools for bringing life to the community.

in return for these bounties, the ancestors taught that anyone who slays a creature
must chant The Covenant of Survival in reverence for the animal,
so that its' spirit may return to the primal source and be re-born into the world...

this practice also prevents the animal spirit from haunting those who consume it.

so, as we do not wish to anger any ghosts

let us now sing our praises to the spirits of those creatures who have provided for us

please, if you will, join with me in chanting The Covenant of Survival:
"SOME MUST DIE SO OTHERS MAY LIVE!"

--

chanted before the Great Turducken Feast of 2003, during Samhain at High Hill
with a secret handshake to Greg Stafford...
and a tip o' the trick top hat to The Lion of England

--

also q.v. my post, re: bio-ethics & the industrial food industry "Where's the beef?"

--

03/07/04 addendum: through a suggestion from contentlove,
the Covenant of Survival was adapted for inclusion
in halffull's chant as Kali in Dark Goddess '04
...this is one of the single highest points in my life,
to have been surprised that i was able to contribute to my community in this way!