Benediction of the Apaches

I don't have any suggestions, but I think that's beautiful! Sorry to not be much help

Just a quick look online, and I found 3. The first is the "Rite of Seven Steps - Native American Wedding Vows:"

Let us take the first step to provide for our household

a nourishing and pure diet, avoiding those foods injurious to healthy living.

Let us take the second step to develop physical, mental and spiritual powers.

Let us take the third step to increase our wealth

by righteous means and proper use.

Let us take the fourth step to acquire knowledge,

happiness and harmony by mutual love and trust.

Let us take the fifth step, so that we be blessed

with strong, virtuous and heroic children.

Let us take the sixth step for self-restraint and longevity.

Finally, let us take the seventh step and be true companions

and remain lifelong partners by this wedlock."

cont

We have taken the Seven Steps. You have become mine forever.

Yes, we have become partners. I have become yours.

Hereafter, I cannot live without you.

Do not live without me. Let us share the joys.

We are word and meaning, united.

You are thought and I am sound. May the night be honey-sweet for us;

may the morning be honey-sweet for us;

may the earth be honey-sweet for us and the heavens

be honey-sweet for us. May the plants be honey-sweet for us;

may the sun be all honey for us;

may the cows yield us honey-sweet milk.

As the heavens are stable, as the earth is stable,

as the mountains are stable, as the whole universe is stable,

so may our unions be permanently settled.

There is also the "Traditional Prayer of the Great Plains Indian:"

0 Morning Star!

When you look down upon us, give us peace and refreshing sleep.

Great Spirit!

Bless our children, friends, and visitors through a happy life.

May our trails lie straight and level before us.

Let us live to be old.

We are all your children and ask these things with good hearts.

Finally, there is the "Commitment Reading of the Pueblo Indians:"

Before we met, you and I were halves unjoined except in the wide rivers of our minds. We were each other's distant shore, the opposite wings of a bird, the other half of a seashell. We did not know the other then, did not know our determination to keep alive the cry of one riverbank to the other. We were apart, yet connected in our ignorance of each other, like two apples sharing a common tree. Remember?

I knew you existed long before you understood my desire to join my freedom to yours. Our paths collided long enough for our indecision to be swallowed up by the greater need of love. When you came to me, the sun surged towards the earth and moon escaped from darkness to bless the union of two spirits, so alike that the creator had designed them

for life's endless circle. Beloved partner, keeper of my heart's odd secrets, clothed in summer blossoms so the icy hand of winter never touches us. I cont

Thank your patience. Our joining is like a tree to earth, a cloud to sky and even more. We are the reason the world can laugh on its battlefields and rise from the ashes of its selfishness to hear me say,

in this time, this place, this way - I loved you best of all.

Yeah, I've seen all of those. But they're more like vows than they are like a reading type deal. I'm looking for something to close our ceremony and be read by the officiant.

1st of all Michelle, Great finds. I have to say I am pretty sure the last of them seems like you & fh carmen.

I love all of them.

carmen, I know how you feel about using something that has been done before, but if it works for you, then it works for you :-)

What I find really funny is that the Benediction of the Apaches was written for a book called Blood Brother in the 50's. I has nothing to do with the Apaches at all.

I've been considering using the ten laws of the Native Americans, but I'm not sure it has the same ring to it.

Treat the Earth and all that dwell thereon with respect.

Remain close to your spirituality.

Show great respect for your fellow beings.

Work together for the benefit of all Mankind.

Give assistance and kindness wherever needed.

Do what you know to be right.

Look after the well being of mind and body.

Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good.

Be truthful and honest at all times.

Take full responsibility for your actions.

I guess I got confused - I was looking up Native American wedding vows. I wasn't aware you wanted something along the lines of a final reading or benediction, as it were.

Actually, I think the 10 Laws would be great for that. But I can understand what you mean.

And I've always thought it strange about the Benediction of the Apaches as well. Oh well...

I really like the 10 Laws. To me it seems to be something that all people can relate to, too

Inuit Wedding Vow

You are my husband/wife

My feet shall run because of you.

My feet dance because of you.

My eyes see because of you.

My mind thinks because of you.

And I shall love because of you.

Cherokee Wedding Prayer

God in heaven above

please protect the ones we love.

We honor all you created as we pledge

our hearts and lives together.

We honor mother-earth

- and ask for our marriage to be abundant

and grow stronger through the seasons;

We honor fire and ask that our union be warm

and glowing with love in our hearts;

We honor wind and ask we sail though life

safe and calm as in our father's arms;

We honor water to clean and soothe our relationship

- that it may never thirsts for love;

With all the forces of the universe you created,

we pray for harmony and true happiness as we forever grow young together.

Amen

I like the 10 laws and think it would be a nice closing the ceremony.

Traditional Wedding Prayer of the Great Plains Indian

0 Morning Star!

When you look down upon us, give us peace and refreshing sleep.

Great Spirit!

Bless our children, friends, and visitors through a happy life.

May our trails lie straight and level before us.

Let us live to be old.

We are all your children and ask these things with good hearts. Amen

Traditional Shoshone Indian Love Poem

Fair is the white star of twilight, and the sky clearer

at the day's end, but she is fairer, and she is dearer

She, my heart's friend.

Fair is the white star of twilight, and the moon roving

to the sky's end; but she is fairer, better worth loving

She, my heart's friend."

EXCERPT FROM "A SONG FOR HIAWATHA"

Come join us in celebration, those who love sunshine on meadow

Who love shadow of the forest,

love the wind among the branches and the palisades of pine trees,

and the thunder in the mountains whose innumerable echoes flap like eagles

in their eries.

Listen to this song of marriage. How, from another tribe and country came a

young man, "give me as my wife this maiden, and our hands be clasped more

closely, and our hearts be more united.

Thus it is, our daughters leave us, those we love and those who love us.

When a youth with flaunting feathers beckons to the fairest maiden.

From the sky the sun benignant looked upon them through the branches, Saying

to them, "oh, my children life is checkered shade and sunshine."

The two figures man and woman Standing hand in hand together, with their

hands so clasped together that they seem in one united. And the words thus

represented are, "I see your heart within you."

Sing them songs of love and longing

Now, let's feast and be more joyous.

Commitment reading of the Pueblo Indian, author unknown

Before we met, you and I were halves unjoined except in the wide

rivers of our minds. We were each other's distant shore, the

opposite wings of a bird, the other half of a seashell. We did not

know the other then, did not know our determination to keep alive

the cry of one riverbank to the other. We were apart, yet connected

in our ignorance of each other, like two apples sharing a common

tree. Remember?

I knew you existed long before you understood my desire to join my

freedom to yours. Our paths collided long enough for our indecision

to be swallowed up by the greater need of love. When you came to me,

the sun surged towards the earth and moon escaped from darkness to

bless the union of two spirits, so alike that the creator had designed them

for life's endless circle. Beloved partner, keeper of my heart's odd secrets,

clothed in summer blossoms so the icy hand of winter never touches us.

I thank your patience. Our joining is like a tree to earth,

a cloud to sky and even more. We are the reason the world can laugh

on its battlefields and rise from the ashes of its selfishness to hear me say,

in this time, this place, this way - I loved you best of all.

I don't know if this will help your search, but it's something my grandmother was very specific with me about(I'm a descendant too!): I think members of the Great Sioux Nation actually either identify themselves either as Nakota, Dakota or Lakota natives, Sioux was a name given to them by the French... Maybe those extra keywords might help your search?