Was really impressed about the importance of the sacred objects like the peace breathing Calumet. The stem is our backbone,the bowl our head. the stone is our blo----, Most pipes were used for religious ceremonies as well as the sheer love of smoking. But most elaborate pipes-some of them with delicately carved four and five foot long stems often decorated with fur, horsehair wrappings and quills were believed to have particularly strong powers. Those were used only in ceremonies of the most important nature. such as making war or peace, the healing of the sick , or during rituals intended to ensure a successful hunt. Such pipes were highly revered and their owners took every precaution for their safety. When not in use they were stored together with other sacred objects in elaborate containers. In addition to highly prized catlinite, the bowls were fashioned from steatite, argillite, shale limestone, or serpentine slate. most pipe stems were made from ash or sumac, soft wood with easily scraped out pith. sometimes kept in quilled and beaded bag for holding a bowl and stem as well as a supply of Kinnikinnick , the smoking mixture that contained tobacco and such vegetable matters as sumac leaves and dried bark. Also we enjoy the weekly evening meeting. and OB
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