The Talking Feather

In many Indigenous cultures, people use a talking feather, stick, or stone to help them talk and listen respectfully. Only the person holding the feather, stick, or stone may talk: other people in the group must listen attentively and respectfully. When the speaker is finished, he or she passes the feather, stick, or stone to the next person who wishes to speak. In this way, everyone has an opportunity to speak and a right to be heard with respect.