The Native American Potlatch:
Radical Acts of Thanksgiving
with Norma Nakai Burton M.Div.
Potlatch is a system of "giving it away," a practice of letting go of attachments to this world of material substance, knowing there is a greater realm from which we all come and to which we all return.
The Potlatch was a regularly held ritual of North West Coast Native peoples of giving generously when accumulation takes place, of holding a ritual to disperse it, a ritual of Thanksgiving to the Source, a ritual to keep in balance with the greater truth by sharing generously through a radical redistribution of wealth.
The Metaphysics of the Give Away is that it results in JOY. Deep connections with one another bring us joy.
Tlingit tribe - Agnes Alfred, Alert Bay, said this in 1980 about the Potlach ritual:
"When one's heart is glad, we give away gifts. Our Creator gave it to us, to be our way of doing things, to be our way of rejoicing, we who are Indian. The potlatch was given to us to be our way of expressing joy."
This Thanksgiving season - what rituals of thanks will we do? What radical acts of Thanksgiving can we practice?
Let us revive our JOY !
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