id: ohlone-ceremonial-talking-stick
title: Ohlone Talking Stick Circle
description: >-
  A California Native practice of passing a ceremonial talking stick in
  council so each person speaks once, fully, before any reply. Practised
  among Ohlone and many California Indian nations for council decisions and
  peacemaking.
source: Ohlone and California Indian traditional practice
source_url: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/
tags: [ohlone, california-native, talking-stick, council, indigenous]
forked_from: null
image: null
steps:
  - headline: Convene in circle
    description: >-
      The council convenes in a circle, often outdoors. The elder opens with
      a prayer or words of grounding and places the talking stick in the
      centre.
  - headline: Lift the stick to speak
    description: >-
      Whoever wishes to speak lifts the stick; only the holder speaks. The
      circle listens without interruption or facial judgement.
  - headline: Return the stick
    description: >-
      When complete, the holder returns the stick to the centre. Another may
      lift it. No one speaks twice until all who wish have spoken once.
  - headline: Elder closes
    description: >-
      When the matter is settled or the time complete, the elder closes with
      thanks and any decision is voiced.
outcome: >-
  Decisions or understandings emerge with every voice honoured, in a form
  that resists dominance by the loudest.
practice: >-
  The "speak once before any speaks twice" rule is the discipline. It
  prevents reactive debate and lets each contribution be fully received.