A Prayer At the U.S. Senate

Frank Fools Crow

In the presence of this house, Grandfather, Wakan-Tanka, and from
the directions where the sun sets,
and from the direction of cleansing power,
and from the direction of the rising un,
and from the direction of the middle of the day.
Grandfather, Wakan-Tanka,
Grandmother, the Earth who hears everything,
Grandmother, because you are woman, for this reason you are kind,
I come to you this day.

To tell you to love the red men, and watch over them,
and give these young men the understanding
because, Grandmother, from you comes the good things, good things
that are beyond our eyes to see have been blessed in our midst
for this reason I make my supplication known to you again.

Give us a blessing so that our words and actions be one in unity,
and that we be able to listen to each other, in so doing,
we shall with good heart walk hand in hand to face the future.

In the presence of the outside, we are thankful for many blessings.
I make my prayer for all people, the children, the women and the men.

I pray that no harm will come to them,
and that on the great island, there be no war,
that there be no ill feelings among us
From this day on may we walk hand in hand
So be it.

— Frank Fools Crow, Old Lord of the Holy Men
Ceremonial Chief and Medicine Man of the Lakota Nation
Prayer before the U.S. Senate, 1975