sacreddreamcatcher
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
sacreddreamcatcher

Native American Herb group


You are not connected. Please login or register

The Sacred Pipe

Go down  Message [Page 1 of 1]

1The Sacred Pipe Empty The Sacred Pipe Fri Jan 23, 2009 5:41 pm

Admin

Admin
Admin

The Sacred Pipe


Much has been said about 'going back to the ways of the pipe' or 'making peace with the pipe', but few people, even some full-bloods, today know the proper use or traditions of the pipe or even how it came to us.

First, contrary to what you have seen in the movies or on TV, it is not a 'peace pipe'. We have been taught by the Old Ones, passed down through the generations, that before beginning any worthwhile undertaking one should always have a pipe ceremony. This is probably where this misconception of a 'peace pipe' started. When the early Native Americans came in contact with the European 'visitors' the Pipe was brought forth to assure all involved that the words that were spoken at the councils would be true and from the heart. One of the first rules or laws concerning the pipe is that this must be, one never picks up the pipe with a bad heart or tells a lie in it's presence. To do so would be as blasphemy to The Great Spirit himself!

This practice continued on through the 1800's when many of our ancestor tribes met with the white men in various treaty councils for one reason or the other. That probably is where it started; the chiefs, elders, and holy men at these meetings would bring forth their pipes as they had done for countless generations and the white man took it as a instrument of peace! But it is so much more than that! Did you know that in some plains tribes it was a sacred tradition that if anyone, even your worst enemy, approached you carrying the pipe that he was to be honored and greeted as a friend?

A story was once related to me by an old Lakota woman of how, long ago, a group of Lakota were camped on the plains to the east of Mato Sapa, or Bear Butte, a sacred mountain to both the Lakota and Cheyennes, where they were approached by a group of Pawnees, probably their most hated enemy. Leading the group of Pawnees was a holy man carrying a pipe in a sacred manner. The Lakota scouts saw this and reported it to their leader. The leader sent out word to his warriors and people that these Pawnees would be received in a sacred, and friendly, manner and not be molested. The Pawnees were allowed to enter the camp where they were seated in a circle, fed, and a pipe ceremony, called a Canupe by the Lakota, was performed. After the ceremony the Pawnees stated their reason for coming, the were traveling with the remains of an old holy man, whose last wish was to have his funeral ceremony on Bear Butte. It was said that he had met a spirit there, in a vision quest many years before, and his last wish was to return to Bear Butte and go to The Land of Sky People with his spirit helper. Upon hearing this, the Lakota allowed the Pawnees safe passage and simply "looked the other way" as they passed.

Where did the Sacred Pipe come from? I have been taught of this in the Lakota way so I will relate to you The Legend of Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman as it was taught to me;

Early one morning, many winters ago, two Lakota were out hunting. They had been hunting for four suns, but had found nothing. They climbed a high mesa, looking for game, when they saw something coming towards them in a strange and beautiful manner.

When this wondrous thing came closer to them, they saw that it was a very beautiful woman, dressed in white buckskin, and bearing a bundle on her back. The woman was the most beautiful either of the men had ever seen.

One of the men had bad intentions, and told his companion; "I will take this woman here and now!" The other man had good thoughts and told the bad one; "You must not even think of these things, for surely this is a Wakan {holy}woman!"
The strange woman was now very close to the men, and after putting down her bundle, she asked the one with the bad thoughts to come over to her, saying "Do as you wish." As the young man approached the mysterious woman, they were both covered by a great cloud. Soon when it lifted the sacred woman was standing there, and at her feet was the man with bad thoughts who was now nothing but bones and great snakes were eating him!
"Behold! You see!" The woman said as she turned to the good man; " Do not be afraid, for I am coming to talk to your chief, Standing Hollow Horn. Return to him, and tell him to prepare a large lodge in which he should gather all his people, and make ready for my coming. I wish to tell them something of great importance."

The young man hastily returned to the lodge of his chief, and told him of what had happened: that this Wakan woman was coming to visit them and that they all must prepare.

Standing Hollow Horn then had several lodges taken down, and from them a great lodge was made as the sacred woman instructed. He sent out a Icimani, or news crier, to tell the people to put on their best buckskin clothes and meet at once in the lodge.

The people were all very excited as they waited for the holy woman. They all wondered where she came from and what she wished to say.
Soon the lookouts spread word that they saw something in the distance. Suddenly she entered the lodge, walked around sun-wise and stood in front of Standing Hollow Horn, who was seated in the West, the place of honor, as a leader of his people should be.

She took from her back the bundle, and holding it with both hands in front of the chief said; "Behold this and always love it! It is Lela Wakan, very sacred, and you must always treat it as such. No impure person should ever be allowed to see it, for within this bundle is a sacred pipe. With this pipe you will send your voices to Wakan Tanka, your Father and Grandfather."
After she said this, she took from the bundle a beautiful pipe, and also a small round stone, which she placed on the ground. Holding the pipe up with its stem to the heavens, she said; "With this sacred pipe you will walk upon the Earth; for the Earth is your Grandmother and Mother, and is thus sacred. Every step that is taken upon Her should be as a prayer.

The bowl of the pipe is of red stone; it represents the Earth. Carved in the stone is a buffalo calf who represents all the Four-Leggeds who live on the Earth Mother. The stem of the pipe is of wood. This represents all that grows upon the Earth. These twelve feathers that hang where the stem meets the bowl are from Wambl Galeshka, the Spotted Eagle, and they represent the eagle and all wingeds of the air. All these peoples, all the things of the universe, are joined to you who smoke the pipe. For all send their voices to Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit. When you pray with this pipe, you pray for and with EVERYTHING!"

The woman touched the foot of the pipe to the round stone laying on the ground and said; "With this pipe you will be bound to all of your relatives, your Grandfather, Father, Grandmother, and Mother. This round rock, which is made of the same stone as the bowl of the pipe, your Father Wakan Tanka has given to you. It represents the Earth, your Grandmother and Mother, and it is where you and all your relations will live. The Earth which He has given you is red, and the two-leggeds who live upon this earth are red; and the Great Spirit has given you a red day, and a red road. All this is sacred! Never forget! Every dawn as it comes is a Holy event. Every day is Holy, for the light comes from your Father, Wakan Tanka. Also you must always remember that the two-leggeds and all the other peoples who stand upon this earth are sacred and should always be treated as such.

"From this time on, the holy pipe will stand upon this red Earth, and the two-leggeds will take the pipe and will send their voices to Wanka Tanka. These seven circles that you see on the stone have much meaning, for they represent the seven rites in which the pipe will be used. The first large circle represents the first rite that I shall give to you, and the other six circles represent which a later time will be given unto you. Standing Hollow Horn, be good to these gifts and your people, for they, too, are Wakan! With this pipe the two-leggeds will increase, and there will come unto them all that is good. Wakan Tanka has given unto you this sacred pipe, and through it you may have knowledge. For His great gift you should always be grateful! Before I leave I will give you instructions for the first rite in which your people should use the pipe."
"It should be a sacred day in which one of your people dies. You must then keep their soul as I teach you, and through this you will gain much power; for if this soul is kept, it will increase your concern and love for your neighbor. So long as the person, in his soul, is kept with your people, through him you will be able to send your voice to Wakan Tanka."

"It should also be a sacred day when a soul is released and returned to it’s home, Wanka Tanka. For on this day four women will be made holy, and in time they will bear children who will walk the path of life in a sacred manner, setting an example to your people.

Behold Me, for it is I they will take into their mouths, and it is through this that they may become Wakan."

"He who keeps the soul of a person must be a good and pure man. He should use the pipe so that all people, with the soul, will together send their voices to Wakan Tanka. The fruit of your Mother Earth, and the fruit of all that bears will be blessed in this manner, and your people will then walk the path of life in a sacred way. Do not forget that Wakan Tanka has given you seven days in which to send your voices unto Him. So long as you remember this you will live; the rest you will learn from Wakan Tanka."

The woman started to leave the lodge but then turned to Standing Hollow Horn. She said to him; "Behold this pipe! Always remember how sacred it is and treat it as such, for it will take you to the end of time. Remember, in me there are four ages. I will leave now, but I will look upon your people in every age, and at the end I shall return!"

Walking around the lodge in a sun-wise manner, the holy woman left, but as the people watched her disappearing in the distance, they saw a shimmering light form around her. She emerged as a sacred white buffalo calf! The calf trotted to the top of a small hill, bowed once to each of the four directions, and disappeared!


<+> <+> <+> <+> <+> <+> <+> <+> <+>

https://sacreddreamcatcher.rpg-board.net

Back to top  Message [Page 1 of 1]

Similar topics

-

» Smudging a Sacred Ceremony

Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum