Wopila

Wopila (wó-pi-la) is a noun in the American Lakota language referring to a sharing and/or a giveaway. It is an offering of giving/sharing, a thanks given for all of existence and a blessing inherent in each moment of it, often used in ceremony, and as a broad statement of thanks within a community. Warfield Moose Sr. says that Wopila in the true Lakota sense means, “everything around you is a gift– and never forget where it comes from, your heart.”

At Standing Rock in North Dakota today, a Wopila feast is being prepared for the water protectors peacefully protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. I offer my thanks for them, and for the dazzling bounty of life on earth. I bow in acknowledgment of the inherent diversity and cooperation which allows life to flourish! And yes, yes– everything around me is truly a gift.