Have you recently been given a tobacco tie? Wondering what the meaning of it is, or what you should do with it?
Tobacco Ties
Tobacco is one of the four sacred medicines used in many First Nations cultures. There are many different teachings on tobacco, which can vary depending on the community, Elder, or knowledge holder.
In a tobacco tie, tobacco is placed in a piece of cloth along with a person’s prayers and intentions and then tied into a small bundle. Tobacco ties can be gifted as a sign of respect, hung on a tree, or laid on the earth or in water to give back to Mother Earth. It can also be put into a fire to allow those intentions to go to the Creator and to Mother Earth.
Making a Tobacco Tie
- Lay out your square of cloth (usually red, but you may see other colours as well)
- Take a pinch of tobacco, making sure you put all your good intentions and/or prayers into it
- Gently place the tobacco into the cloth, gathering it into a bundle
- Tie the string around the bundle, making sure that all the tobacco is secured