Day 21. The Story Blanket – Sharing Warmth and Wisdom.
Blankets hold memory. They are symbols of protection, gratitude, and love. Across Turtle Island, gifting a blanket marks life’s sacred moments—births, weddings, graduations, and farewells. The act says: You are covered in care.
In many Indigenous traditions, blankets also carry stories. Some depict clan symbols; others, geometric patterns of place and lineage. A “story blanket” wraps both body and spirit, weaving together narrative, artistry, and affection.
Unitarian Universalists may see in this ritual our own call to covenantal care—the way we wrap one another in compassion during times of joy and grief. To share warmth is to share belonging.
“When we wrap one another in blankets, we remember that love is something we can make with our hands.” – Traditional Teaching
Reflection: Who has “wrapped” you in community? How might you offer that same warmth to others?
Learn More
- Read the Blanket Exercise by KAIROS – an experiential teaching tool that explores the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the land we now know as Canada. Created as a response to the 1996 Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, the Aboriginal Rights Coalition became part of KAIROS and worked with Indigenous elders and educators to develop an interactive way to learn the history that most Canadians are never taught.
- Watch the University of Denver CLass of 2021 Blanket Ceremony – Rather than simply walking across a stage and accepting a diploma, Indigenous students at the University of Denver chose to participate in an extraordinary cultural experience. Their blanket ceremony represented the achievements of each individual student and the indigenous community that they represent.
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