The Tale of Traditional Tobacco as Told Through the Hummingbird Brings Back Tobacco Cherokee Legend
Abstract
Hummingbird Brings Back Tobacco is a Cherokee legend which emphasizes the cultural, spiritual, and medicinal properties of tobacco. The plot of this story will align with the research of, and presentation on, traditional tobacco. The story begins with a connected community praying for healing and wisdom through tobacco rituals. Suddenly, the community suffers as their tobacco was stolen by the Dagul’ku geese who wanted the benefits for themselves. In the end, the heroic hummingbird reclaims the community’s tobacco thus restoring their spirit. The paradox of tobacco for many Native American communities confounds anthropological study. Tobacco has been revered as a sacred plant; yet the current grips of the commercial tobacco industry have led to addiction and health aliments. With the decay of devotional tobacco practices, the commercial tobacco industry may come in like the Dagul’ku geese and attack Native American autonomy. In using visual storytelling this interdisciplinary presentation will attempt to correlate the starved spirit to the threatened physical health of modern Native American communities.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Amanda Furiasse
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-5-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
4-6-2023 4:00 PM
The Tale of Traditional Tobacco as Told Through the Hummingbird Brings Back Tobacco Cherokee Legend
Alvin Sherman Library
Hummingbird Brings Back Tobacco is a Cherokee legend which emphasizes the cultural, spiritual, and medicinal properties of tobacco. The plot of this story will align with the research of, and presentation on, traditional tobacco. The story begins with a connected community praying for healing and wisdom through tobacco rituals. Suddenly, the community suffers as their tobacco was stolen by the Dagul’ku geese who wanted the benefits for themselves. In the end, the heroic hummingbird reclaims the community’s tobacco thus restoring their spirit. The paradox of tobacco for many Native American communities confounds anthropological study. Tobacco has been revered as a sacred plant; yet the current grips of the commercial tobacco industry have led to addiction and health aliments. With the decay of devotional tobacco practices, the commercial tobacco industry may come in like the Dagul’ku geese and attack Native American autonomy. In using visual storytelling this interdisciplinary presentation will attempt to correlate the starved spirit to the threatened physical health of modern Native American communities.
