Wopila, also known as "The Giveaway", is how the Lakota Sioux celebrate special occasions. When someone gets married or has a birthday, for example, that person gives away presents to their family and friends. And they often don't give out dollar-store generic items; many will spend weeks or months making the gifts, like art and quilts, or collecting items their loved ones may enjoy, like recipes or little gadgets.
Think about it: it's completely backwards from typical American culture! Can you imagine spending so much time and energy creating gifts for others in preparation for your birthday? Or adding "get gifts for everyone I love" to your list of wedding to-dos? It's crazy!
But it's also awesome, as far as I've read. People who observe Wopila these days seem to really enjoy showering their friends with gifts, and, as a result, think about "stuff" differently. They have developed a habit of focusing on what they can give instead of what they can get (even though they probably also get a lot from other Wopila-ers!).
It's an act worth considering. I have been, at least. :)
Nice! I was invited to celebrate a friend's friend's birthday a few years back. They are both from India. I learned that their custom is similar: the person who has the birthday pays for everyone...the opposite of what we do (chip in to cover the bill of the person who is having their birthday).
ReplyDeleteYou mean I have to give you baby stuff at my baby-shower?!
ReplyDeleteSherry, in the Native tradition, you would give others gifts to show Creator your gratitude for the wonderful blessing of a baby.
DeleteI realize this is a very old blog post. My apologies for commenting on it again, but I just have to! :-D I am currently 89 days away from my wedding. Our wedding has taken 2 years to plan and prepare for. We spent $2 a yard on the fabric for our wedding attire. Everything else we plan on using in our ceremony were gifts... with the exception of the quilt I am making by hand (and have yet to finish! EEK!). For two years we have acquired gifts for our families. Some have been purchased, others have been hand-made. I have canned 100 jars of jam and 100 jars of lavender salt (lavender from our very own garden). I am absolutely thrilled to be marrying the love of my life, but what I'm most looking forward to is showering my loved ones with gifts of gratitude.
ReplyDeleteDon't ever apologize for adding nice comments! :) Thank you for sharing your wedding story - that's truly amazing. Good luck with the final preparations!
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