The calumet of peace

Tobacco that was originally cultivated in the Northern America was the object of trade between Indian tribes long before the Columbus appearance on the continent. And the process of smoking reminded the slow ceremony. Well, in fact it was really the religious ceremony similar to meditation. That is why the art of pipes making was rather important and was considered to be one of the main elements of the Indians' culture.

There were several pipes kinds but the most popular one was the calumet of peace. First such calumet was used by Indians that lived on plains. Later this tradition was taken by the tribes of North America. The calumet of peace was made of long wooden mouthpiece and little cup. There was also tradition to make the pipe of the little size that was made of stone or clay. The clay pipes were especially popular in the tribe of Iroquois. In the south-west Indians made the pipes of wood and during the European colonization Indians also invented the pipes-tomahawks where the cups were substituted by the metal with the knife and the hatchet.

American Indians were the only nation that dedicated the whole ceremony for pipe smoking. The matter was that the peaceful smoke brought peace to the whole world and all tribes. This was the original pray and such tradition is based on the cult of the fire. And the pipe is the child of the home fire. Different tribes smoke pipes but the message was always the same – to bring peace to all who smoke the pipe.

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