Prince Charles received the highest honours possible from Canada’s Cree Indians on Saturday when he was presented with an Indian name and blanket. After a sacred “sweat lodge” ceremony in which tribesmen of the Northern Plains poured water over hot stones, Elder Gordon Oakes christened the Prince of Wales Kisikawpisim Kamiyowahpahmikoot, or “the sun watches over him in a good way”.
Surrounded by men in tribal headgear, the Prince received the “star quilt”, a blanket decorated with four stars, each representing the four natural elements and the directions. “This blanket will protect Your Royal Highness throughout your journey in life, and also serve as a remembrance of this special day and of the sacred bond that exists between the Crown and the First Nations of the Northern Plains,” the Chief said to the several hundred laymen gathered for the occasion.
After the tribute, the Chief bode farewell to the Prince saying cheekily: “I am implored by my 15-year-old daughter and her friends to say, ‘Come again soon, but if it can’t be soon, send the kids’.”
The Prince of Wales is the 24th member of the Royal Family to visit the Wanuskewin, Saskatchewan grounds. The Prince’s great-great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria struck a treaty with the Cree, hoping to preserve their culture, but ultimately led to the creation of reservations and the banning of some of their customs.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
