The Thanksgiving Address is an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) expression of gratitude that acknowledges connection to all beings. The address is known to have existed at the latest since the formation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy—perhaps around 1451—when its ritual use was established by the Peacemaker, but it was likely passed down through oral tradition for untold centuries before. The word Haudenosaunee means “the People of the Longhouse” (or, technically, “They Are Building a Longhouse”), and it is the name of a confederated group of six (originally five) Native American nations, including the Mohawk. Longhouse refers to the characteristic structures in which they lived—immense rectangular structures made of logs that housed numerous families. The longhouse was more than just a shelter; it became a metaphor for the cultural and social values of the Haudenosaunee. The Haudenosaunee recite this address at the beginning and at the end of any important gathering of their people, whether the event is religious, political, or social. It can be recited in any one of the Haudenosaunee languages or even in English, when English is the primary shared language of those gathered together. Among Mohawk of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, the Thanksgiving Address, some form of which has been in use for at least a thousand years, is called “Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen,” which means “Words before All Else” or “Words That Come before All Else.” This refers to the practice of reciting the Thanksgiving Address at the beginning of a gathering, before events commence, and at the end of a gathering, before the people depart.