The Words That Come Before All Else

Some blessings are easier to give thanks for than others, but making the effort to be grateful, even for our scars, always seems to be worthwhile. By some curious alchemy, the act of giving thanks converts suffering to wisdom and makes valuable the apparently pointless. A thankful acceptance of life and the world are given traditional expression in the UpNorth Gallery, in the form of the "Ohenton Karihwatehkwen," the Thanksgiving Address, illustrated by fifth and sixth grade students from the Akwesasne Freedom School.