Four Direction Healing Bags workshop

Joseph V. Sowmick - February 05, 2014

 

In an effort to provide bonus coverage, Team Observer joins with the SCIT Behavioral Health and Ziibiwing Center as they assembled their Four Direction Healing Bags on February 5th.  Helping Healer and Mide’ Elder Beatrice Jackson informs the Four Direction Healing bags were developed by the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Maine. They contain the four sacred medicines:  sweetgrass, tobacco, cedar and sage. They are made of 7-inch square pieces honoring our Seven Grandfather teachings. “The bags are used for healing for historical trauma and are recognized as a stress reliever,” Jackson teaches.  “You gently pat the Four Direction Healing bag on your body and the smell and medicines work to give you that sense of balance and wellbeing.”  Tribal Elder Sandy Smith of Behavioral Health made the individual designs of the bags as a labor of love for our community.  “My sister, Mary Allison, and Beaver Pelcher encouraged me 18 years ago when I started doing the blankets for the Baby Celebrations,” Smith said reverently.  “I continue to honor my sister Mary and the love she had for all our people by doing these gifts.”  A full story on the workshop will be featured in the March edition of the Tribal Observer.