Traditional Tsalagi Prayer

ᎦᎸᎶᎯ ᎩᏂᏙᏓ (kah luh low hee gee knee doe dah) sky our grandfather

ᏅᏓ ᎩᏂᎵᏏ (nuh dah gee knee lee see) sun our grandmother

ᎡᎶᎯ ᎩᏁᏥ (Aye low hee gee nay chee) earth our mother

ᎦᎵᎡᎵᎦ (kah lee aye lee kah) I am thankful

ᏍᎩᏂᎨᏳᎭ (skee knee gay you hah) you love us

ᎣᏣᎵᎮᎵᎦ (owe jah lee hay lee kah) we are grateful

Sacred Pipe Ceremony

1) Prior to handling the pipe, ensure that you and the area where the ceremony will be held have been smudged with a buzzard (peace eagle) feather. Drop a small pinch of blessed non commercial tobacco in the area for Mother Earth. 

2) As you handle the pipe, use your left hand to hold the bowl, and your right to hold the stem.

3) Unveil the sacred pipe from its bag;

4) Load the pipe as follows; 

Offer a pinch of tobacco to each direction; 

a) to the East, we ask the eagle for knowledge and to carry your prayers to the creator.

b) to the West, we ask the bear’s spirit to bring healing to those who need it.

c) to the North, we ask the buffalo’s spirit to bring strength and endurance.

d) to the South, we ask the wolf’s spirit to bring joy, growth and unity.

e) Finally,  place the pinch of tobacco into the bowl and ask the creator to bless the ceremony.

5) When the pipe is ready to be lit, use a small twig or sweetgrass/sage braid from a sacred fire, if possible.

6) Accept a passed pipe in your left hand and take a small puff. Do not inhale, simply blow it out upward with reverence. 

7) If you don’t want to smoke, simply bring it in toward your heart and pass it to your right in a respectful way. 

8) Clean the ashes out of your pipe, and dispose of them in a thoughtful way: for example, in a sacred fire, or at the roots of a tree. 

9) Sanctify (clean) the pipe and place it back into its bag.