The pipe ceremony at the Bear Paw is not any ordinary ceremony. It is something special that brings the Nez Perce tribe closer to the fallen relatives of the Bear Paw and any that may have descended from the Nez Perce at Bear Paw. It’s a gathering of friends and families, and that the men sit in a circle and smoke a pipe with deep religious meaning. They talk about the battle at the Bear Paw, and things they feel are important to the battle ground.
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The ceremony is held every October third at the Bear Paw. The pipe ceremony is a sacred ritual for connecting physical and spiritual worlds. The pipe is the link from the earth to the sky; nothing is more sacred. The pipe represents our prayers in physical form. Smoke becomes words; it goes out, touches everything, and becomes a part of all there is. The fire in the pipe is the same fire in the sun which is the source of life. The reason why the tobacco is used to connect the worlds is that the plants roots go deep into the earth, and the smoke rises high into the heavens.
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There are different kind of pipes and different uses for them. These pipes are used for personal use, family use, and tribal use. The type of tobacco used depends on the different tribal culture. The tobacco leaves can be used as a whole or shredded leaf. Also different types of tobacco can be mixed together.
Special Thanks to: Jude Shepherd, Stepanie Martin and Steve Black. |