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Ceremony

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Written by Leslie Marmon Silko. Presentation by: Valerie Baehl and Laura Rowe 'The only cure ... particularly animals, as the mountain lion came to his rescue. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Ceremony


1
Ceremony
  • Written by Leslie Marmon Silko

Presentation by Valerie Baehl and Laura Rowe
2
The only cure I knowis a good
ceremony,thats what she said. (3)
3
Ceremony
  • A formal act or set acts performed as
  • prescribed by ritual or custom

4
A Call to Ceremony
  • Upon returning from war, Tayo, a Native American,
    is sent to Betonie, a medicine man.
  • After hearing Tayos stories of war, Betonie
    appoints Tayo to complete his ceremony.
  • One stipulation is that the ceremony must change,
    as ceremonies must change throughout time to fit
    the ever-changing world.
  • Betonie reintroduces Tayo to his Native American
    traditions, which allows Tayo to once again
    relate and understand his culture.

5
The Scalp Ceremony in Ceremony
  • Purpose To Rid Tayo of haunting war memories,
    separating him from his life in war.
  • Procedure
  • Tayo sits while Shush and Betonie chant prayers
    of Tayo.
  • Shush and Betonie cut his scalp and sing about
    his journey away and their hopes for his return.
  • Tayo is then taken into the hogan for rest and
    Indian tea.

6
The Ultimate Call to Ceremony in Ceremony
  • While the Scalp Ceremony rids Tayo of many
    haunting memories of war, he does not forget
    everything.
  • In following Betonies advice, Tayo decides to
    find a way back to his Native American roots.
  • Betonie has calls Tayo to embrace his Native
    American roots in an effort to stop the
    destruction of animals and earth by the whites.

7
The Aftermath
  • On his ceremonial quest, Tayo acquires a
    willingness to accept help from others,
    particularly animals, as the mountain lion came
    to his rescue.
  • Tayo soon discovers an abandoned uranium mine,
    which he believes to be the final station in his
    ceremony, as it symbolically connects whites to
    the earth.
  • As called to do, Tayo completes his night in the
    mine, completing the ceremony and repossessing
    all of the land the whites have taken from the
    Native Americans.

8
The Aftermath (Con.)
  • Though Tayos ceremony does not save all Native
    Americans, it affects those who fought in the
    war, those who were affected by different
    cultures, and those affected by drought.
  • To complete the ceremonial journey, Tayo learns
    (as a result of his quest) to accept the
    inevitable concept of loss in his life, for he
    has come to realize that the natural elements of
    the world will always be with him.

9
Other Ceremonies
10
The Pipe Ceremony
11
The Pipe Ceremony
  • The pipe ceremony is a sacred ritual for
    connecting
  • physical and spiritual worlds
  • Tobacco is used to connect the worlds
  • -the plants roots go deep into the earth,
  • -its smoke rises high into the heavens.
  • It is unthinkable for a Native American to break
    their word
  • after smoking the pipe

12
The Pipe Ceremony
  • Beseeching the West power, while thinking about
    the life giving rains and the ever present spirit
    world.
  • Beseeching the north power, the source of
    endurance, strength, truthfulness, and honesty,
    which are qualities needed to walk down a good
    path in life.
  • Looking to the east power. The east is where the
    sun rises, and the sun brings us knowledge, the
    essence of spirituality.
  • Beseeching the south power, which brings us
    bounty, medicine, and growth.

13
The Pipe Ceremony (Con.)
  • Next to be acknowledged is the earth spirit. The
    pipe touches the ground and they say, "Mother
    Earth, I seek to protect you."
  • Since Mother Earth depends on the suns life
    giving energy, the pipe is then held up towards
    the sky.
  • Lastly, the pipe is held straight up to the Great
    Spirit, the Great Mystery, the unexplainable
    source of all life. These words are then spoken
    "Oh Great Spirit, I thank you for the six powers
    of the universe."

14
A Familiar Ceremony
15
High School GraduationCeremony
  • Long robes and flat hats
  • Procession of principle, teachers, and students
    to the tones of Pomp and Circumstance
  • Speeches by Guest Speaker, Principle,
    Valedictorian and Salutatorian
  • Individually handing each graduate their diploma
    and shaking their hand

16
Comparisons (For Further Discussion)
  • How do all of these ceremonies differ in their
    content?
  • How do they differ in purpose?
  • In which ways are they the same?

17
Works Cited
  • http//journals.aol.com/cheyfire/DreamCatchers/ent
    ries/606
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