With the hard work of many
individuals, smoking rates have decreased in Canada. The smoking rate decreased
by about 15% from 1980 to 2004 (Wong, 2006)! Although this is good news for
Canada as a whole, it appears that the prevalence of First Nations smoking
although also decreased, is still quite high with an astounding 59% of Aboriginals
on reserve who smoke (Health Canada, 2011).
There are
many factors that influence the smoking rate of the First Nations in Canada although
some factors in this list are not strictly limited to Aboriginals: nicotine
addiction, ease of access for aboriginal youths (whether they get it from
friends, family, or willing retailers), poverty, poor education, having access
to tax-free tobacco on reserves, as well as the cultural meaning of the use of
tobacco (Wong, 2006). For this blog entry, I will be focusing on the last
point: the cultural meaning of using tobacco among the First Nations in Canada.
For many
Aboriginals, smoking is not just a way to relieve stress or to be accepted into
a social group. Smoking has a deeper meaning to many where it becomes part of
rituals and traditional ceremonies (Wong, 2006). For First Nations, tobacco is
vital in ceremonies where it creates a link between the person performing the ceremony
and all living things as well as the Creator. This powerful link can be
established by smoking a sacred pipe (Godlaski, 2012).
These
spiritual practices have existed for more than 2300 years (Godlaski, 2012) and
carry a significant cultural meaning to the First Nations people of Canada. Through
stories, it is known that the pipe was a vital part in sacred acts, as
described in the passage below:
“What is perhaps most important is
that the sacred pipe is a metonymy; it represents itself, the use of tobacco,
and the worshipful act. The pipe is a kind of altar or sacrificial vessel, in
which the offering of tobacco is burned, sending its smoke to all directions of
the cosmos and ultimately to the Great Holy” (Paper, 1987, 1988).
Therefore,
without the use of the pipe in rituals, there would be no meaning or power
associated with the act (Godlaski, 2012).
Interestingly, the tobacco used in such
ceremonies actually has more nicotine in it when compared to other tobacco
ranging from 3.9- 8.6%. The more common types of tobacco only contain 0.05- 4%
nicotine (Godlaski, 2012). This puts individuals at risk of developing an
addiction to tobacco and may cause them not only use it ritually but also
recreationally.
Pipe Bowl Mississippi Style Bowl
The whole entire ritual from the way the
tobacco is put into the pipe to smoking and eventually the end of the ceremony
holds significant meaning and requires meticulous preparation. The use of
tobacco in such rituals is therefore key to the Aboriginals.
If
you’re interested in reading more about the use of tobacco in Aboriginals, try
looking at this pdf: http://www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/tobacco-aboriginal-people
References:
Godlaski, T.M. (2012). Holy Smoke: Tobacco Use Among Native American Tribes in North America. Informa
Healthcare, 1-8. doi: 10.3109/10826084.2012.739490
Health Canada. (2011). First Nations & Inuit Health.
Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/substan/tobac-tabac/index-eng.php
Wong, S. (2010, June). Use and misuse of tobacco among Aboriginal peoples. Paediatric Child Health, 11(10), 681-5. Retrieved from http://www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/tobacco-aboriginal-people
