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Suzanne M. M. Warner - The Tobacco Society of the Crow Indians
Category: Sculpture.
This piece is done primarily in peyote stitch.
The Absoluke (Children of the Large Beaked Bird) or Crow Indians believed that the seeds for their sacred tobacco came from the stars. This piece is based on an actual petroglyph site in Carbon County, Montana on the Crow Reservation. One side of this piece shows the heavens at the top with the star seeds falling to the earth which is indicated by the geometric earth colored designs. The headressed figure on the other side (front) shows a harvested tobacco stalk with the seed pod showing the cross or star symbol indicating the sacred tobacco seeds. Once a year at harvest a sacred ceremony was held to celebrate. The legend of the sacred tobacco seeds have passed down through generations, but only a few of the stories exist n oral tradition and are closely guarded. Throughout the county there are many petroglyph sites and the star or cross symbol is often seen in the rock art.