Archive for the ‘Myths & Legends’ Category
The Sacred Weed
The Sacred Weed (morgue file)
For longer than anyone knows, Indians throughout the Americas have smoked tobacco and other plants for pleasure and for praying. The smoke was the Great Spirit’s breath taking the prayers up to the Ones Above.
With a pipe in his hands, a man could speak nothing but the truth. Sir Walter Raleigh learned the use of tobacco from the Indians. When he first had a smoke in a London inn, the bartender, thinking that he was on fire, emptied a tankard of ale over him. To the white man, smoking became an addiction; but to the native American, pipe and tobacco were sacred and smoking was a holy ritual.
A man who killed a member of his own tribe could not smoke ritually with the others. He had to smoke a mean little pipe all by himself – hard punishment.
Find many resources about American Indian/Native American history, myths and legends in the SCC Library.
Another resource to explore is our 24-7 Ask-a-Librarian service. This instant messaging chat service connects you directly with a Librarian who is standing by to assist.
~RG
