What is Sacred
by Waynonaha

Standing in the hoop of the Sacred Corn Mother we honor the young girls as they becoming women. To our people all ceremony is held in the highest respect and honor.

Nothing is taken lightly we stand in total respect of the elders and the teaching during this entire ceremony. The honoring of the women's medicine is powerful when done under the Strawberry Moon.

The hoop or circle is never broken, the sacred fire is never left unattended or let to die out. As the heart beat of the drum is carried out over the camping area we are in the hoop of holy ceremony. For as far as a person can walk for three days in all four directions, that is the sacred hoop of the ceremony.

We as women have the power to hold this sacred hoop of respect so that our young women will be in a space of peace and love. It is the reproduction of the womb that they were born from and a place that is treated as the beginning of all creation.

Only when this ceremony is held in a high and honored place can the spirits enter and work with our minds, spirits and our hearts that beat as one, body and has one soul.

When we are in ceremony it means that during this time we are to conduct ourselves in a respectful honoring way. We are after all setting an example for the young women who are stepping into the place of women and for the elders who hold the place of wisdom and honor in the hoop.

Any show of disrespect can harm the hoop and disrupt the spirits that have come to attend and to help us find our path. The women must think kind thoughts of each other and not criticize or in any way seek to destroy another's ways or words. This ceremony is after all about the young women not an individual person. We tolerated no out breaks of arguments between the women. If this ever occurred the elders would take it to the ceremonial council and make their decision as what to do.


Throughout the ceremony, we keep our minds and bodies clear of things that could come in through us and enter the hoop.

This means that we are to listen to the elders and to hold the ways of the people in our hearts. We do not make our minds closed by the use of drugs or alcoholic drinks. We stand respectful and listen or sit and keep attentive to the elders or teachers that have come to speak.

We are modest women who hold our bodies as the womb that creates the sacred life of our people. Never would a women display herself in any other way than as a modest and virtuous woman. If this was ever done then the women would be ask to leave the hoop for the good of all who were there to learn.


Public display of nudity was not done in the ceremony. We say if a person brings anger and petty needs into the hoop then the power of the Creator will put their lives out side the hoop.

Of a woman conducted herself in a bad way she would be known as an not virtuous women and would be considered as one with a "hole in her moccasin". There also are other reasons for this to happen but we are now speaking of ceremony only.

In the circle of the fire we do not smoke or speak loud, so that others cannot hear the speakers. Nothing other than tobacco, and corn meal, for prayers are placed in the sacred fire. All things that are done or said in the hoop, both good or bad are never spoken of in a gossiping way. This is to call attention to our self as a loose speaking person.

In the traditional way a woman who gossiped or created a public display of herself such as nudity, or gossip, would have her nose slit to show that she was not a women of the people. Some customs went so far as to take the woman out away from the village with only the bare personal belongings and leave her to survive on her own. This woman would never be invited into any village and her own family would not speak to her. She would be a spirit already walking with the stick people, or Chi Ches.

This practice was not only for women but for men too. With the men it was a harder and harsh ritual that sent them away from the village.

This may seem hard and unfair to some, but it was to preserve the ways so that today we can share them with all nations of women.

I trust this helps many understand the need for respect and love, the hoop of healing and sharing is the result of this respect.

If you are ever invited to come and sit in the circle of live or the Strawberry Moon ceremony then do so with respect and love. This can change the way you and your daughters and grand daughters hold being women as a sacred and healing circle of life.

Love Waynonaha

I trust that all women know the violation of the ceremony and the hoop can only cause them pain and suffering in the future. It is not the sisters who will take this task into their council but a much higher being and power will prevail.

Copyright C 2005
by Waynonaha Two Worlds
All publication rights reserved

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Read some other articles by Waynonaha :
Bite My Tongue
Sky Voice & Snowy Owl
Giving The Freedom To Live