One of the Four Sacred Herbs of the Anishinabe Ojibwe, Tobacco is used to communicate with the Spirit World and to show respect to elders, teachers, and community leaders. When the leaves are dried and smoked in the ceremonial pipe, the smoke carries our prayers and intentions through the Hole in the Day to the Spirit World and the Creator. It is said that the spirits like the smell of tobacco but detest Menthol cigarettes, so always use native filter-less tobacco in ceremonies! Tobacco is also exchanged in the form of tobacco ties (tobacco placed on a colored cloth with the four corners drawn up and tied) as a token of respect. Tobacco is harvested mid-summer into fall and is hung upside down to dry. It is then processed into small strips used for smoking in the ceremonial pipe, offered into the fire, or made into a tobacco tie.
Moreover, tobacco plays a central role in traditional healing practices among Native American healers and medicine people. While the therapeutic properties of tobacco vary depending on the specific species and preparation methods, it has been used medicinally for a myriad of ailments, including respiratory conditions, insect bites, and spiritual imbalances. Tobacco smoke is often employed in purification ceremonies, where it is believed to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit of negative energies and promote healing on multiple levels.
As we honor the wisdom and traditions of indigenous peoples, we should approach tobacco with respect, mindfulness, and a deeper understanding of its role as a sacred symbol of unity, healing, and spiritual communion that transcends time and space.
Spirit of the Alleghenies 