Page 51 - 10th Annual International Charles Town Maroon Conference and Festival Magazine

Charles Town Maroon International Conference Magazine June 2018

Talking with the Stars: The Importance of Ritual in
Indigenous Knowledge Production

The role of Tobacco

sUom Uheri Francis
Through this writing, I honor the maxim that “A medicine thus we are called to assume responsibility
teaching is not to be given without someone asking with utmost respect and humbleness, checking in with
sincerely”. Receiving teachings is not for the sake of our hearts, and the appropriate teachers to represent
knowledge alone; it is receiving a responsibility; it without wrongly appropriating.
involves the act of acquiring knowledge for self-
practice, and keeping the knowledge sacred. In the EARTH’S MEDICINE
Tibetan teachings of the Kagyu it is understood that
after much practice and inquiry you can be taught Mother Earth, Gaia, Unci Maka, Pachamama: the
“secret teachings”. When I heard this I was confused mother of all humanity provides us with all the tools,
and felt alienated - because of my lack of under- material, psychological and spiritual, that we can use
standing - until I was ready to leave my pride aside. to honor our relations. The Medicine Wheel teaching,
known also as the sacred hoop serves as a reminder
From this I have come to understand that secret of our interdependence, responsibility and blessing to
teachings are not the esoteric teachings modern be related to each other and to all things as ALL ONE.
“healers, shamans, gurus” claim, to get you
somewhere higher or better than your current reality. In this circle, we are all together : all people, minerals,
In fact, what I learned was that secret and sacred can animals, all the ceremonies, along with Sun, Moon,
be used interchangeably. To keep something sacred is Sky, Earth, Water, Animals, Wind, Fire, Sweetgrass,
to give it the respect that it deserves, to honor it and Cedar, Sage and Tobacco.
harness its power, its medicine. Thus when we keep
secrets and confide our views and experiences in Sacred Herbs and Ritual
others, we take an oath to not speak about it unless Indigenous cultures are seemingly different on the
permission is granted, or after a certain time has surface but share a common thread: the use of
passed. Sacred/Secret is not meant to establish a medicinal herbs as ceremony. Regardless of their
hierarchy of knowledge, it is simply the opportunity geographic location, language and belief structure;
to grow in understanding, as the knowledge flows Tibetans, Lakota, Catholics, Nahuas, Aboriginal
from person to person and becomes part of each one. Australians and other cultures that have inhabited this
earth for manty generations have realized the power
As each person assumes true responsibility to respect and spiritual significance of herbs and smoke.
and carry out a teaching, a greater understanding of These teachings are so much part of our everyday life
the value of the teaching arises within one’s self to be routine that most of us don’t know how to properly
shared with others. Looking at all ancient cultures acknowledge their gifts. In the medicine wheel we
around the world, we see that our ancestors tuned into pray to the four directions and use a tree resin and or
a higher level of understanding for, as Alan Watts puts a herb as a smudge or by smoking. Each direction
it: “Everything is part of everything else”. embodies many psychological qualities to reflect
spiritual healing in our lives, and the tangible and
All Indigenous peoples, from the Mayans to the practical tools to access the medicine. Invoking the
Egyptians, carried medicine, and us in turn as directions, calling the spirits for support, making
descendants carry medicine within us. We are all offerings and using each direction’s medicine is a

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