As an essential plant for the Haudenosaunee people tobacco, or Nicotiana tabacum by its latin name, has been used in ceremonies, prayer and thanksgiving for thousands of years. Often cultivated in small gardens within the village it was the only crop for which men were primarily responsible including planting, plowing and harvesting.
It is said that rising smoke from a fire into which tobacco is thrown or from a sacred pipe burning tobacco will carry the messages and prayers of the people to the Creator (165kb/1sec)
. It could be mixed with other herbs and smoked in men’s pipes as it was believed to provide the smoker with good thoughts. For this reason no man was without his pipe when important matters were at hand. Tobacco is often smoked using a white clay pipe following the installation of a new Chief (153kb/1sec) as it seals the event and provides time to relax. Many nations also used tobacco combined with other plants and herbs to treat some illnesses or burned the tobacco to pray for the effectiveness of other herbs.
The tobacco used for such spiritual purposes is pure and free from the additives and chemicals of commercial tobacco. It was traditionally intended only to be used in small amounts for prayers and ceremonies.