Shawnee Native American Prayer

Natural Cycle Prayer is seen in most cultures as a way to connect to a higher being. The “Shawnee Native American Prayer” does not meet the traditional requirements of a prayer. It is not praising or asking for gifts, but giving commands only. Tecumseh shapes this prayer as a list of commands on how to live and die with honor. Tecumseh uses commands about how to “perfect your life” within the first section to prepare the reader for an expansion on how to live these vague orders out. Beginning this prayer with these commands contribute to the overall theme by making guidelines of the life of an honorable man. Using commands is an unlikely approach to writing a prayer, but helps Tecumseh to direct the reader to create honor within their own lives. The echo of guidelines throughout the next two paragraphs snowballs toward the understanding that every aspect of the reader’s life should be filled with honor. As the prayer progresses the mention of death is more frequent displaying that it is becoming a reality rather than a far-off daydream. The second section also includes forbidden actions for someone who wants to “beautify all things in their life.” As the prayer concludes, Tecumseh announces the proper way to face death, which finishes the cycle of life. The chronological format of these commands helps the reader to realize the message that you must begin your life with honor and later die with honor, while accepting this inevitable ending which contributes to the overall piece’s meaning by highlighting that honor is a lifelong commitment. The use of repetition throughout this prayer puts a spotlight on the most important concepts that Tecumseh covers- life and death. His echoing of commands about how to live your life, contributes to this theme by keeping the reader confident that their life belongs to them and God, alone. Although he repeats his views on living throughout the entire poem, towards the end he switches his repetition to focus on death. Since life and death are parallel to each other, this pushes in on the idea that honor can be found in even the most opposite aspects of human nature. He repeats commands to ensure power in the reader. Giving power to the reader not only makes them feel obligated to take action, but lets them hold their fate with their own two hands. By establishing feelings of power and ownership, Tecumseh ensures the reader that they can follow out these commands in their everyday lives. Tecumseh uses a chronological format to help the reader to relate to the nature cycle of their own lives. When the prayer begins, the reader can focus on how they have lived their lives in the past and more importantly how their lives are being lived at the moment. His use of commands are to help remind the reader that they have the power to live these instructions out regardless of their past. The author goes further and further into depth of modeling a person filled with honor through the prayer’s progression which becomes more complex, just as our lives become more intricate with age. Towards the end of the prayer, Tecumseh is more concerned about how to die than how to live, just as people become at an old age. He says to “sing your death song like a hero going home,” which ultimately completes the circle of life as well as the overall goal of the theme. If you live your life with honor, you can peacefully die with honor.