O Great Spirit

Description

I have long loved this text and it has lived in my notebook full of 'important words' for years now. This prayer, O Great Spirit, comes from First Nations people (possibly Ute) and was translated in the late 19th century by Lakota Sioux Chief Yellow Lark. Little information is known about this prayer and its origins, but it is widely known today and frequently used in worship settings. This work was commissioned by the 2024 South Dakota ACDA All State High School Honor Choir and Reunion Choir in celebration of their 50th Anniversary and was premiered by the combined choirs in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 2024.