This object has been deaccessioned and is no longer in the GRPM's collection
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Native American
Native American - Northeast and Southeast Woodland ➔ Smudging Material
Identifier:
2022.75.1Description:
This smudging material contains white sage and is bound with white string. It was purchased from the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.Smudging is an ancient Indigenous practice of burning dried herbs or plants in spiritual ceremonies. The term "smudge stick" is an American term often used to refer to herb bundles however it is not a phrase original to Indigenous tribes. In the late 1900s and early 2000s, smudging became popularized amongst non-Indigenous people, raising concerns regarding cultural appropriation and the practice of smudging in non-Native rituals. White sage, one of the most important materials used for smudging, has become threatened by over-harvesting and habitat loss due to the Westernization of the practice.