This article will be dedicated to
"The Seeds Of Our Very Existence" to all children and grandchildren
everywhere.
There have been several requests asking for information, of how the
Native Americans give honor to their youth that pass from childhood into
young adults. What rites of passage do we give for them, and what are
the family members responsibilities to them?
Also in this article, you will briefly learn some of the items used and
what they represent, and how they are used in ceremony to the Native
people.
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SMUDGE: Is a blending of physical and spiritual
together, to create a "bonded prayer" that is sent to the Creator of all
from our spirits to His spirit.
The smoke from the blended herbs and ingredients and prayers are fanned
with their hands towards them, to help to be breathed in by an
individual and to fan the smoke all around them to help Physically and
Spiritually put the person(s) into a "focused prayerful frame of mind"
Removing any and all evil or negativity from around them and inside
them.
SAGE: The leaves of this herb is burned to create a smoke, that
symbolically rises to the heavens with our prayers to the Creator of
All.
Medically, this herb is used to heal the inward body as well as the
outward. Spiritually, it helps the soul to heal from evil toxins that we
have a great tendency to collect in our everyday lives, from ourselves
first, then people and situations around us.
CEDAR: Physically, this wood is well known to deter all "Wood Eating"
bugs and insects from harming it. Spiritually, Represents Life and
Strength and Protection from harm or evil.
TOBACCO: Medically this plant (just to name a very few) has been used
for a great many salves, poultices and cure for internal worms of both
human and animals, smoking it for pleasure, the list goes on and on...
Spiritually, this plant represents "Truth" to us as Natives. Whether
smoked, or burned as part of the smudge for purification, or given in
wrapped cloth to someone in Respect and Honor. It speaks only truth.
Natives believe, if one smokes the blessed smoking pipe called in the
Tsalagi (Cherokee Language) "ga nv no wa" pronounced phonically in
English: (gah-nuh-no-wah) with the sacred Tobacco, one can only speak
truth among one another.
SWEET GRASS: Is a wild prairie field grass that is gathered and braided
together while it is still green and fresh. Then is hung up to dry to a
brown color, then it can be lit and burned to create a "Sweet Smelling
Smoke". It is used Spiritually, to give respect and honor to all our
Good Ancestors who have walked on this Earth before us. This helps in
teaching us what we need to know in life, through our visions and
dreams. When we burn this Sweet Grass, the smoke is to "Spiritually"
call them around us to participate in what ever sacred ceremony we are
conducting at the time.
It is stressed very highly, that when praying for the Ancestors to come
and be around you and others, you ALWAYS BE SPECIFIC in requesting the
"GOOD ANCESTORS AND GOOD ANCESTORS ONLY"!
By doing this simple thing, you or anyone else will not invite "just
any" Ancestor to come visiting. Prayer is a good and very powerful tool
when used in the right way, but it can be twisted into something else if
we do not follow certain protocol.
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Now, with all the ingredients that have been listed, you have what most
Natives use to start a ceremony. Usually, it is the Holy Person (Male or
Female) also called by other names: Medicine People, Spirit People,
Elder, or by the (Central American Term) Shaman.
Note: Older Traditionalists Cherokee (Tsalagi) do not use the word
Shaman.
The Holy Person, Medicine Person, Spirit Person, or Elder, conducts the
smudging of each person involved in the ceremony, by taking a container
(either a turtle shell or abalone sea shell) that has the blended
ingredients of sage, cedar, tobacco and sweet grass. They light the
mixture so that it starts to burn, then lightly blow the flame out so it
will just smoke. They usually have a fan that is of a left wing
(Heart-Side) of a Eagle, Hawk or Pheasant or whatever winged one they
use for a "Prayer Fan," to "Fan" the smoke toward an individual to
purify them (inside and out).
The coming of age ceremony is also called the rite of passage ceremony.
If compared to other cultures, we would have many similar beliefs and
ways of conducting these. There is "Four Cycles" of Life in every Human
Being... Infant, Youth, Adult and Elder.
When a young boy or girl becomes of age, around 12-13 years of age, a
very special ceremony within the Nation or tribe is conducted.
First and foremost, the young girl is taken aside with the elder women,
and the young boy with the elder men.
The young girl is advised of what her "passage" from childhood into
adulthood will consist of and undertake in her life. She will be
instructed by her Mother, Grandparents, Aunts, and all of her Elder
women relations of the Nation and Tribe. Along with, if at all possible,
the Head Nation or Tribes’ Medicine Woman/Holy Woman.
Some of these subjects taught, consist of the (young woman now)
"Moon-Cycles" or said in the English term "Periods." She will be
instructed on how she needs to keep up her personal hygiene, how to
prepare certain "Herbal Medicines" to ease her pains during her monthly
times. Also what she needs to combat the "Emotional and Chemical"
imbalance that can happen during this time. They were taught what to
look for incase of irregularity or possible signs that could mean there
was a medical problem the young girl would definitely need to tell her
Mother about or the Medicine Woman/Holy Woman of her Nation or Tribe.
It is an older tradition, not used in modern times as we know today, the
reason most young and older women kept to themselves during this time,
wasn’t because they were considered unclean, it was just the opposite,
they were consider to be in a "Holy Time" of renewal of the spiritual
and physical time of a woman (Re-Birth) so-to-speak. Women being in tune
with the "Cycle" of the Earth, but most of all because they are the
"Life-Givers".
Note: This time "being apart from" other people and the everyday hectic
cycles gave the woman a "personal time" to reflect and to balance
herself again physically and spiritually between herself and the
Creator, and all around her on a day to day basis. If the older married
women had children, the Grandmothers or Aunts would take care of the
infants or younger children, when this time was in effect.
The next step was to instruct the young woman, of her responsibilities
as a young "adult" woman, and what is expected of her. No longer from
that point on, was she to be looked on as a child.
The "Elder" women would then pledge their responsibilities to her as her
Elders, to teach her the "Ways of Women". The Holy Woman/Head Medicine
Woman, would instruct the young Adult woman in teachings and give
"Spiritual" advice along the way from that day on, so she would stay on
the "Red-Road" all her life for her sake, her family and children and
people.
The young "Adult" woman, would then be told that during the ceremony ,
she would be purified by her first "Sweat Lodge Ceremony" and afterwards
be "presented to all the Nation/Tribe of people" and be given her new
"Adult Name" to be known and called by her people from that day on.
This name is usually given by the Grandmother or Head Matriarch at that
time. If not, the Medicine/Holy Person gives it. Lastly, the young Adult
Woman is instructed of the added responsibilities that will come along
with "Maturity", and with this knowledge, the people call this the
"Wisdom of the Ages".
As the same with the young Adult man, he would be take aside by the
Father, Grandfathers, Uncles, and Elder men. Also, if possible, the Main
Medicine man/Holy Man of the Nation or Tribe. The young Adult is also
told of his new responsibilities and what is expected of him as a young
Adult male among his people and peers.
He would be instructed in the ways of being a provider and protector of
his immediate family and of all his people. The Elder men would pledge
to teach him of the "Ways" of his Ancestors and Fathers that walked
before him. Then, he also would be taken through his first sweat lodge
ceremony, and presented to the people. Given a "New Name" by which all
would know him as and call him by from that day forward.
The Holy Man/Medicine Man, would work with the young Adult man
throughout his entire life, instructing and giving "Spiritual" advice as
how to stay on the Red-Road for his sake, his family and his people.
Both Young Adult Woman and Young Adult Man, will be given presents at
this ceremony to show Love and Support for them on their new journey in
the "Second Cycle of Life".
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