Hena Mi! (Rise Up)

Hena Mi! (Rise up!)
Hena Mi Olomko ! (Rise up my people!)
Hena Mi Koya! (Rise up girl!)

Hena MI!
Blow; breathe out the bad wind inside of you
The bad wind surrounding you.
Dance your prayer.
Flute-talker soothe my soul with you immaculate wisdom.

Popoyis (Grandfather), Great Spirit,
Everlasting immaculate, constantly moving wind
I call on you!
Bless me the beautiful, cleansing, healing aroma of sage
Let the aroma please you and adorn my plea for penance.
Baptize me with the cleansing heat of the sweat lodge
As the impurities, of my sins, drip off my body
Like the sweat dripping off the brow of Jesus on his cross of salvation.
A child following you!
Cleanse me with the Great Sacred Pipe and tobacco
The meaning synonymous to the bread and wine,
My “Holy Communion” I share with you.

I dance my prayer of struggle
A child, who fully belongs to you.
I dance my prayer of sorrow
As I sing my song to you.
Uplifting my hands to you,
Unselfishly opening my heart to you.
I dance…

Stomp.
Dance.
“Let it rain.”

Stomp.
Dance
“Let it rain.”

Let the movement of my feet
Bless you.
Bless you.
Let the movement of my body
Worship you.
The energy of my movement,
Worships you.
I stomp to smite the evil that has befallen me.
Knowing that the power that I hold
By believing in you gives me that authority.

Stomp.
Dance.
“Let it rain.”

Stomp.
Dance.
“Let it rain.”

The beauty of my dance is my thankfulness
The drum in my soul
The rhythm breathes through every ligament, every muscle, and every limb…
The rhythm creates the movements in my arms, my legs, my feet
And my whole body.
The beauty of my dance is a thanksgiving
Of all that you have given me.

My feet dance to the steady rhythm of my heartbeat
My tears and my soul.
I feel your presence in the very movement
I let the tears flow in my dance.
They call out to you
And ask you to forgive me and bring me closer to you.

My song spills out in strong, confident
Yet penance- full breaths.
Tears of blood from the crucifixion fall from my eyes
Honoring me with your salvation.

“Hena Mi!” (Rise up)
“Eyya manay kanni (don’t forget me), Lord.

December 23, 2003.