Adoption Ceremonies

[Pootatuck]

Earth I need help!

The Sicangu have adopted me against my will and I don’t know what to do.  They say I am obligated to support the entire family.  They make me send money all the time to Mission.  I want to love more of them as family members but they will only marry me off one daughter.

What should I do?

[Barnaby_McEwan]

Pootatuck's account will remain locked until I get an explanation via PM for the previous post.

Never mind, temporary sense of humour failure there. Normal service is resumed.

[Pootatuck]

Pootatuck's account will remain locked until I get an explanation via PM for the previous post.

Never mind, temporary sense of humour failure there. Normal service is resumed.

Now how was I supposed to give you an explanation if you locked my account?  Why not just post a reply that you would like an explanation?  Pretty heavy handed.  This place starting to smell like the fat man and Hotel California.

Barnaby, if you don't understand ndn humor, best to leave it alone.

[Barnaby_McEwan]

Now how was I supposed to give you an explanation if you locked my account?

Via PM, as I said.

Barnaby, if you don't understand ndn humor, best to leave it alone.

I don't always get it, you're right. However, there have been instances of the most vile abuse directed at female members of this forum and I didn't want to take a chance that this was more of the same. I'm sorry to have treated you so heavy-handedly: perhaps if you had introduced yourself that could have been avoided.

[earthw7]

Earth I need help!

The Sicangu have adopted me against my will and I don’t know what to do.  They say I am obligated to support the entire family.  They make me send money all the time to Mission.  I want to love more of them as family members but they will only marry me off one daughter.

What should I do?

Oh Hi Poota, you have to behave this is not the rez you know

[Pootatuck]

Earth I need help!

The Sicangu have adopted me against my will and I don’t know what to do.  They say I am obligated to support the entire family.  They make me send money all the time to Mission.  I want to love more of them as family members but they will only marry me off one daughter.

What should I do?

Oh Hi Poota, you have to behave this is not the rez you know

Oh, now you tell me.  I think I jinxed myself.  After I posted this my one sister-in-law called for a 'loan' over to Bismark and then not even  two hours later my wife's uncle needs money  for a rez  car.

Please tell this Barney we like to joke around.     

[earthw7]

Poota remember just because you are married to a Lakota means we can't adopt you it would incest.

[Ranantanonnha]

Seko,

We of the Haudenosaunee also have rites of adpotion in our Great Law.

Wampum #66
The father of a child of great comeliness, learning, ability or specially loved because of some circumstance may, at the will of the child's clan, select a name from his own (the father's) clan and bestow it by ceremony, such as is provided. This naming shall be only temporary and shall be called, “A name hung about the neck???

Wampum #67
Should any person, a member of the Five Nations' Confederacy, specially esteem a man or woman of another clan or of a foreign nation, he may choose a name and bestow it upon that person so esteemed. The naming shall be in accord with the ceremony of bestowing names. Such a name is only a temporary one and shall be called "A name hung about the neck." A short string of shells shall be delivered with the name as a record and a pledge.

Wampum #68
Should any member of the Five Nations, a family or person belonging to a foreign nation submit a proposal for adoption into a clan of one of the Five Nations, he or they shall furnish a string of shells, a span in length, as a pledge to the clan into which he or they wish to be adopted. The Chiefs of the nation shall then consider the proposal and submit a decision.

Wampum #69
Any member of the Five Nations who through esteem or other feeling wishes to adopt an individual, a family or number of families may offer adoption to him or them and if accepted the matter shall be brought to the attention of the Chiefs for confirmation and the Chiefs must confirm adoption.

Wampum #70
When the adoption of anyone shall have been confirmed by the Chiefs of the Nation, the Chiefs shall address the people of their nation and say: "Now you of our nation, be informed that such a person, such a family or such families have ceased forever to bear their birth nation's name and have buried it in the depths of the earth. Henceforth let no one of our nation ever mention the original name or nation of their birth. To do so will be to hasten the end of our peace.

Wampum #74
When any alien nation or individual is admitted into the Five Nations the admission shall be understood only to be a temporary one. Should the person or nation create loss, do wrong or cause suffering of any kind to endanger the peace of the Confederacy, the Confederate Chiefs shall order one of their war chiefs to reprimand him or them and if a similar offence is again committed the offending party or parties shall be expelled from the territory of the Five Nations.

Wampum #75
When a member of an alien nation comes to the territory of the Five Nations and seeks refuge and permanent residence, the Chiefs of the Nation to which he comes shall extend hospitality and make him a member of the nation. Then shall he be accorded equal rights and privileges in all matters except as after mentioned.

Wampum #76
No body of alien people who have been adopted temporarily shall have a vote in the council of the Chiefs of the Confederacy, for only they who have been invested with Chieftainship titles may vote in the Council. Aliens have nothing by blood to make claim to a vote and should they have it, not knowing all the traditions of the Confederacy, might go against its Great Peace. In this manner the Great Peace would be endangered and perhaps be destroyed.

Wampum #77
When the Chiefs of the Confederacy decide to admit a foreign nation and an adoption is made, the Chiefs shall inform the adopted nation that its admission is only temporary. They shall also say to the nation that it must never try to control, to interfere with or to injure the Five Nations nor disregard the Great Peace or any of its rules or customs. That in no way should they cause disturbance or injury. Then should the adopted nation disregard these injunctions, their adoption shall be annulled and they shall be expelled.
     The expulsion shall be in the following manner: The council shall appoint one of their War Chiefs to convey the message of annulment and he shall say, “You (naming the nation) listen to me while I speak. I am here to inform you again of the will of the Five Nations' Council. It was clearly made known to you at a former time. Now the Chiefs of the Five Nations have decided to expel you and cast you out. We disown you now and annul your adoption. Therefore you must look for a path in which to go and lead away all your people. It was you, not we, who committed wrong and caused this sentence of annulment. So then go your way and depart from the territory of the Five Nations and from the Confederacy.

I can say however, I have never had anyone foolish enough to try and tell me they were adopted!

[Skully]

I don't know of us (ojibwe) having anything like this as far as I know. Well at least I've never heard of adoption ceremony.

When you get a name however, you become unofficial kin to the person who gave you the name...and that person will pass you on the name that they have.

My son was named Mishikwud (Gray Cloud) when he was 6 months old by his Uncle with the same name.  The next day, it was announced to the public at a powwow in White Earth.

Some years before that, I was named Asin-amaguun (kind of like "Stands still") by my Uncle with that same name. It too was announced ASAP to the community by posting a flyer at the Ogema Post Office, Waubun Post Office, the tribal office in White Earth, and Cass Lake, and the community building in Natawaush.  I was listed in the newspaper called "Dibaagiimowin" as well.  They let the general public know.

Of course, a headline in the local paper is "So and So family had an extended visitor from St. Cloud."

[Ranantanonnha]

Seko,

Our "Naming Ceremonies" are should not be confused with adoption. That's why adoption names are referred to as "a name hung about the neck." Our "formal" names belong to each clan and are perpetual.

For example; John Norton was adopted by Joseph Brant and given the name Teyoninhokarawen. When he died his name died with him.

[Leonard]

... actually, I do have a question to 'earthw7'. I know of this person who lives on 'Cheyenne' and claims that he is 'hunka' to the 'Little Shield' family. I shall not use any names as I am not trying to dis-credit or cause any problems ... and what I hear you say is that no one has ever been 'made relative' into the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota ? Is this true and do I hear this correctly ? ...

Leonard.

[earthw7]

... actually, I do have a question to 'earthw7'. I know of this person who lives on 'Cheyenne' and claims that he is 'hunka' to the 'Little Shield' family. I shall not use any names as I am not trying to dis-credit or cause any problems ... and what I hear you say is that no one has ever been 'made relative' into the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota ? Is this true and do I hear this correctly ? ...

Leonard.

This is what I said:
The Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Nations are in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Minnesota, three Canadain States. in order for a person to be adopted into the nation it would have to be OKed by all of the nations and bands. I can tell it has never happened.

We have Hunka relatives and they become a part of the family who adopts them but No one has never been adopted into the NATION but into families.

[Leonard]

Oh, OK, Thank you. This was my mis-understanding.


Leonard.

[glendadeer]

Kickapoos have adoption ceremonies...but this happens only when a person has passed on...depending on if that person left a spouse or not would determine how soon this ceremony would take place...A person of the same sex is chosen by family...usually the children...to replace that person in the family and they do assume the responsibility (somewhat) of the person they are replacing...Is why we always say "we are never without relations"...We take these relationships very serious...Sometimes, this person is of another tribe...is why we say we have Ponca, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Osage, etc relations...

I know of no adoption ceremony where a person has been adopted into our tribe...

You are given your ndn name the first spring of your life...and named into a clan....

[zoi lightfoot]

Any family can take someone in and refer to them as 'my son/daughter,but at no time does that give them the right to claim Indian Heritage.Anyone claiming to be 'officialy recognized by the Nation they state they are an adoptee of can and should be able to answer when where and on what date were they 'held up before the Nation' We all have different names for these ceremonies but its basicaly ancient tribal law.