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February 25, 2004
The corruption of the printed word
In researching the song "Ehane he'ama" ("Father God, you are holy")* for an AMBS chapel service, I learned the following:
Traditionally, Cheyenne poets and musicians did not "own" their creations; rather, they considered their songs to be gifts from God. So the Cheyenne elders who sang and recorded their hymns were happy to have their songs put into print because they knew the tradition was being lost. The feeling existed, however, that printed words were not to be trusted because of the many broken treaties. For that reason, according to Dietrich Rempel, Faith and Life Press, will not give anyone permission to reprint unless they contact the Mennonite Indian Leaders' Council, even though Faith and Life administers the copyright (Hymnal Companion 84).
I was struck with how the sins of our forefathers continue to be with us, even to the creation of hymnals.
* #78 in Hymnal: A Worship Book
Posted by thdyck on February 25, 2004
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