Traditional tobacco is the first plant that the Creator gave to Native American people, which they began to utilize for sacred reasons within Native American communities. The traditional tobacco does not include the additives and chemicals that commercial tobacco products contain. The use of tobacco has been used in many spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical guidance within the Native American culture for hundreds of years before the production of commercial tobacco products. Native American tribes have used tobacco traditionally in a sacred way which has been being hurt and abused ever since the production of commercial tobacco products. The traditional tobacco gets used as offerings in ceremonies in order to show their respect to people or objects such as: the earth, Creator, drum, fire, river, elders, healers, or other people that they want to show respect to. Tobacco offerings are occasionally smoked but are generally placed or scattered by hand. When the tobacco was traditionally smoked, it would only be practiced less than once a month and it had very little risk of cancer when used in this way.
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References:
"Traditional Tobacco Use." Keep It Sacred. Web. 05 Apr. 2011. <http://www.keepitsacred.org/network/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32&Itemid=24>.
"Traditional Tobacco Use." Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. Web. 01 Apr. 2011. <http://www.npaihb.org/images/resources_docs/Resource%20Guidebook.pdf>.
"Traditional Tobacco Use." Peterborough County City Health Unit, 3 May 2010. Web. 28 Apr. 2011. <http://pcchu.peterborough.on.ca/TUP/TUP-traditional.html>.
