Tobacco
The plant genus of Tobacco has more than 70 species, most of which are indigenous to the Americas. Tobacco has been an important ceremonial plant in many Native American and Indigenous tribes since time immemorial. Traditional uses range from social, spiritual, ceremonial, to economic.
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Topical Application
Burn/Smoke
Alternative Names:
Tobaco nicotiana
Cultural Narrative
Several community members described the role of tobacco in ceremony and prayer, emphasizing its importance as a gift of reciprocity or offering to the earth or community in exchange for help, support, or blessings. One community member specifically described how she was taught that the smoke is a direct line to the Creator and that it lifts prayers up to the sky. She emphasized that we donít inhale it to our lungs but rather just briefly take it into our mouths and offer it back out with our breath as prayer.
While commercial and recreational tobacco use has led to serious health concerns and death in Native and Indigenous communities, efforts to restore traditional and ceremonial practices with the tobacco plant have had an impact in increasing knowledge about its cultural role as a sacred medicine. Continued efforts are needed in tobacco cessation for cancer prevention simultaneous to building cultural knowledge about how and when to use tobacco in ceremonial practices. Traditionally, tobacco leaves have been used as a barrier to handle sacred items, burned as smudge to cleanse items or people, and dried as an offering to the earth during prayers, among other practices.
Smoking tobacco can lead to serious health consequences. Content here is for informational purposes only. As with all medicines, please consult with your physician before use.