Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth

In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.

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People of the Waters: A Rite for Minnehaha Falls

Posted by on in Culture Blogs

 Twin Cities Pagan Pride 2014

Minnehaha Park

Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

People gather at bandshell.

 

Words of Welcome 

Pagan Pride Representative

 

Introduction to Ritual

Priest

Blowing of Horn(s)

Procession

Main procession, led by priest and drums, descends into caldera. (The mobility-impaired may choose to watch from the upper walls.) Priestess leads offering bearers and horn-blowers to gather on bridge above Falls. 

Call to Prayer

Priest (facing assembled people)

My brothers and sisters,

we have it from the ancestors,

and they from their ancestors,

that the avenues of communication

between ourselves and the gods

are most open

during the making of offerings;

so as the priestess,

on our behalf,

makes the threefold offering to the Falls,

I would invite you to lift up your hands

and to make your prayers

to whichever gods

your people make their prayers to.

And so we begin.

(Faces Falls. Covers head.)

 

Blowing of Horns

People intone 

Assisted by offering-bearers, the priestess, from above the Falls, makes the Three Offerings. Each Offering is made in three parts. She and the priest make the same prayers.

 

First Offering (libations)

Priest and priestess pray for Life for the People

Second Offering (meal)

Priest and priestess pray for Food for the People

Third Offering (flowers, wreaths)

Priest and priestess pray for Beauty for the People

 

(Priest faces people and leads hymn, call-and-response style.)

 

Hymn (all) People of the Waters

 

O People of the Waters, come to me,

the Maiden Water is calling.

O Maiden Water, O Maiden Water,

your people hear your calling.

 

O People of the Waters, come to me,

the Dancing Water is calling.

O Dancing Water, O Dancing Water,

your people hear your calling.

 

O People of the Waters, come to me,

the Laughing Water is calling.

O Laughing Water, O Laughing Water,

your people hear your calling.

 

Closing

Priest

My brothers and sisters, our rite is ended. 

Let us now, each one of us, go forth

to do our own proper work in the world,

and may the blessing of the Waters

for life, sustenance, and inspiration

be upon you and upon all our people,

and let us all say: 

All

So mote it be.

 

Blowing of horn(s)

(Priest uncovers head.)

Procession, led by priest and drums, ascends from caldera.

 

This ritual was created for the Twin Cities Pagan Pride celebration in 2011, and has been performed annually since then.

 

 

 

Last modified on
Poet, scholar and storyteller Steven Posch was raised in the hardwood forests of western Pennsylvania by white-tailed deer. (That's the story, anyway.) He emigrated to Paganistan in 1979 and by sheer dint of personality has become one of Lake Country's foremost men-in-black. He is current keeper of the Minnesota Ooser.

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