GCL 3401: Valerie Tanner presents
Today in class, one of the coolest things I’ve done in class at St. Scholastica happened. I’ve been blessed by the Sisters before, but for the first time I was blessed by one of CSS’s Anishanaabe professors in a tradition called Smudging, which is the act of purifying a person or place.
The image above is what smudging roughly looks like. An earthern bowl or holding item contains a lit piece of sage, sweet grass, cedar, tobacco, or other natural products are lit and the person is fanned with a feather to spread the smoke and its blessing onto a person or place. Smoke to Natives is believed to send prayers to the Great Creator. Eagle feathers are seen to be a great blessing and is sacred. It represents a spirit helper and is typically beaded.
