麻豆视频

This article is a review of the Sacred Burning teaching ceremony event held at s茮虛ex蓹new虛tx史 (h蓹n虛q虛蓹min虛蓹m虛) / Tl鈥檈7en岣得虛txw (S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh), First Peoples鈥� Gathering House on May 21, 2026, in conjunction with the course HIST 285 Coast Salish Histories. It provides insights into the cultural and historical framework of Coastal and Interior Salish cleansing ceremonial practices.

It starts by discussing how Salish social structures emphasize egalitarianism, generosity, and relational status conferral, guided by developmental concepts including Secw茅pemc etsxe7 (training and practice) and Hul虂q虛umi7'num虛 蝉苍耻飞虚耻测虚耻濒丑 (responsibility to self and community), before comparing sacred Indigenous smudging with global smoke-cleansing traditions. The article concludes with a reflection on lessons learned during the ceremony.

Introductory Remarks

Tim Michel opened with singing a Secw茅pemc Peace song ¹ to illustrate that 鈥減eace鈥� should result from our willingness to accept guidance from our 鈥淗igher Power.鈥� He talked about how, in many Salish communities, status could be gained or lost through generosity, spiritual power, and ability, rather than solely through inheritance. In European and other lineage-based systems, hierarchical structures typically place a family or a small group of families at the top, with others stratified below the ruling groups.

Salish systems are characterized by greater egalitarianism and merit-based recognition. Individuals of higher status are regarded as generous, spiritual, or possessing other abilities valued by the community. In particular, Coast Salish society consisted of upper class (good people), a smaller lower class (worthless people), and a still smaller class of slaves². The story of Xpey' ³, the origin story of Cedar, illustrates that the 'greatest helper' can translate to 鈥榞reatest chief,' and reflects this ethos. Status acknowledgement is relational; for example, when offering meat or goods to a disabled, injured, sick, or elderly person, the recipient's acceptance determines the giver's status. In this way, recipients held the authority to confer status.

An example of the Salish approach to life is illustrated in a story related by Jimmy Toodlican⁴, a Lleke虂pmuc person from Lytton, who describes the evolution of the usage of 办耻办蝉迟蝉别虂尘肠 (thank you) and 办耻办蝉迟蝉颈虂苍 (you鈥檙e welcome). The literal translation is 鈥淜uksts茅mc - You did me a favour鈥� and 鈥淜ukstsin - I did you a favour.鈥� While today these words are used to signify 鈥渢hank you鈥� and 鈥測ou鈥檙e welcome,鈥� Jimmy said that in the past, usage of these words could follow the following typical script:

1. Hunter would be passing by a disabled or an elder鈥檚 home. He could be carrying a pack full of deer meat from his latest hunt.
2. He would stop and state, 鈥淥h, my pack is so heavy, and I have so far to travel. You would be doing me a favour if you took some of the load off my back.鈥�
3. He would then remove a choice piece of meat, wrapped in precious deer fat, and place it in front of the older person.
4. The person could accept by saying, 鈥淥kay, I will do you a favour.鈥� (办耻办蝉迟蝉颈虂苍)
5. The hunter would say, 鈥淵ou are doing me a favour.鈥� (办耻办蝉迟蝉茅尘肠)

This represents an inversion of the contemporary usage of these terms. The script above of what would be a typical exchange in the past illustrates a component of the social contract: an individual is recognized as higher status when a recipient accepts their gift. If the gift is declined, the recipient withholds acknowledgment of the individual's status.

In Secwe虂pemc society, one of the Interior Salish nations, the concept of training and practice is important. The word used is etsxe7, and refers to engaging in activities necessary for personal development and thriving. How this was done changed over time. For example, in the 1940s, Tim鈥檚 uncle and his cousin, as part of their training, had to survive alone in the camp for two months to test their survival skills and to prove they were ready for adulthood. Tim鈥檚 grand aunt, as part of her training in the 1930s, when she was 5 years old, aided her father in trout fishing. She accompanied him by boat to catch the fish, and she helped in the drying of the salmon over the smoke of campfire embers. Her job was to monitor the smoke from the embers during the drying process. If the smoke died out, she was tasked to seek adult assistance to rebuild the fire and rekindle the smoke. Her father encouraged her to practice these skills.

There has been recent work done by the Coast Salish in developing an ethic on how one should approach training and practice⁵. In particular, the Hul虂q虛umi7'num虛 concept of 蝉苍耻飞虚耻测虚耻濒丑 provides directives for training and practice. One must take responsibility for one's own actions and to help others. These teachings make the Coast Salish approach to training and practice meaningful for Coast Salish society.

1. Preparation: Set an altar with a blanket. Place medicinal herbs (Sage, Sweetgrass, Cedar, Tobacco) in a shell or bowl or cast-iron pan.

On the altar a blanket is spread out with bowls of ceremonial herbs arranged in circle. Four medicinal herbs are typically used. First, Sage, which in the Secw茅pemc language is Kewko7 (literally 鈥渇ar from water鈥�). Next, Sweetgrass, which traditionally does not grow in the Secw茅pemc territory, but would be brought in through trade with the Okanagans, the tribe directly to the south of the Secw茅pemc. In my language we have borrowed the term, Xesxe虂st, from the Okanagan word which means 鈥渧ery good,鈥� for this herb. We would also burn the needles from Cedar boughs (k虛eme t虛e tewllpe虂ke7). Finally, we burn Tobacco (Smenx - Nicotiana attenuata) during our ceremonies. In pre-colonial times, Secwepemc would primarily use Sage and Tobacco.

2. Celebrant offers prayer over Offerings: A Seven Direction prayer is offered for the herbs as the bowl is filled with each herb:

East: I offer tobacco to the East, for spiritual renewal, and to honour the new day.

South: I offer the sweetgrass to the South, for the children and plants that we cultivate and nurture.

West: I offer cedar to the west, to honour our harvesting, collection of plant foods and hunting and preservation of our meat foods.

North: I offer sage to the north, to acknowledge that in the winter and in our golden years, we should spend more time reflecting. It is also to honour the older members of our society.

Sky: I offer tobacco to the upper worlds, to honour the Spirit Chief, the male side of creation.

Earth: I offer sweetgrass toward the earth to honour the Female Creator (厂辩虚颈濒测别).

Oneself: I lift cedar to my heart, to honour myself and to ask for support from the male and female sides of creation.

3. The Physical Smudging Act: Light the medicine with a match. Use a feather to fan and push the smoke over participants. Each participant may individually draw the smoke over themselves in a washing motion to cleanse themselves and pray:

• Courage: Wash hands to be constructive.
• Honesty: Brushing smoke over the head for clarity.
• Respect: Smudging eyes to see the good in others.
• Truth: Smudging the mouth to speak well of others.
• Wisdom: Smudging ears to listen carefully.
• Love: Brushing the heart to heal damaged emotions.
• Humility: Drawing smoke over one鈥檚 feet to walk a path of purpose and kindness.

4. Completion: Participants may turn to have their backs to the celebrant (one who is conducting the ceremony) to have their back brushed with smoke to release lingering burdens.

5. Post-Ceremony: Douse all materials immediately. Dispose of ashes respectfully by returning them to the earth.