Which type of feather should you use to smudge
with sage? Watch this video to find out which type of
smudging feather that you should use to smudge yourself or your home or somewhere else. I'm Mallory Graham, Anishinabek, from tribaltradeco.com. Be sure to subscribe and hit the bell for
new videos every week on smudging, the indigenous culture and native teachings. If you're curious what type of feather that
you should use when you're smudging, by the end of this video you will know which types
of smudging feathers are used and some traditional options used by us as indigenous people. At Tribal Trade, we've helped thousands of
people find the perfect sacred medicines for them, as well as how to use them and how to
smudge themselves, their homes. And now it's your turn. Smudging involves burning sacred medicines
and has been practiced by indigenous people all around the world for centuries, and it's
still very popular today. One of the traditional elements of the smudging
ceremony is the smudging feather, which is used to waft the cleansing smoke around your
body and around the room and around items that require cleansing. So I'm just going to do a quick demonstration
to show you how it is done. So once you've the lit your sacred medicine
and it's starting to burn, you then use the feather to waft the smoke from the sacred
medicine around the room. The feather is used to waft the smoke and
heal those around you and create positive energy. Now, the feather represents air, and it helps
to complete the balance of the elements. So the symbolism of the feather and its connection
to the element of air is one factor for why indigenous people use feathers for smudging,
but also birds in general play a very important role in the indigenous culture. So because of this, feathers are found in
many rituals and ceremonies. There is not one answer for which smudging
feather you should use when you're doing your smudge, but there are a few traditional options. First type of smudging feather to use when
you're smudging with sage or other sacred medicines is the eagle feather. The eagle is perhaps the most important bird
in the indigenous culture. The eagle flies the highest in the sky, so
it is believed to be the closest in contact with the creator. Because the eagle is able to fly high above
the earth, it's believed that the eagle can carry messages from the earth up to the creator. And therefore, the eagle is given the place
of the highest honor and respect. So because the wings of the eagle carry the
messages up to the creator, the feathers of the eagle are used during the smudging ceremonies
to lift our messages and our intentions and gain the attention of the creator. Feathers from the golden eagle, the bald eagle
and other eagles indigenous to North America are traditionally used in smudging ceremonies. And they're also often given as a gift, as
a sign of respect to an elder. If you don't have an eagle feather, then imitation
eagle feathers are also really popular for people wanting to try smudging and they might
not have their own eagle feather that's been gifted to them. The second type of smudging feather to use
when you're smudging your house is a hawk feather. Even though a hawk is not held at the same
level of importance as an eagle, the hawk also flies really high in the sky close to
the creator, playing a very similar role in the indigenous culture. Feathers from a variety of indigenous North
American hawks, like the red-tail hawk are often used for smudging. And these are similarly gifted to elders,
friends or family members as a sign of respect. Which type of feather have you used when you
smudge? Please share with us in the comments below. So now we've looked at the first two types
of smudging feathers to use, which is the eagle feather and the Hawk feather. Now the third type of smudging feather to
use when you're smudging yourself is the turkey feather. The wild turkey happens to be one of the largest
indigenous North American birds. And it also plays a very significant role
in the indigenous culture. The turkey helps to keep the land safe and
healthy, providing both gentle care and vigilant protection. The turkey has also been an important food
source to indigenous people for centuries, generously sharing its resources with us for
the purposes of health and survival. Because of this and also their beauty, turkey
feathers are often used in smudging rituals. Now, the fourth type of smudging feather to
use when performing a smudging ceremony is a feather fan. Even though many people choose to use just
a single feather, decorated or plain, some people prefer to use a feather fan for doing
their smudge. Feather fans or smudge fans are made of two
or more feathers that are bound together to form a fan. Some smudge fans may have elaborate beading,
intricate designs, wooden handles and other decorative features, while others may be kept
plain and simple. Whether you want to go with a single smudging
feather or a feather fan, it all comes down to your personal preference and your connection
to your bundle and the items that you're using when you're smudging. Now, the fifth type of smudging feather to
use is a feather alternative. If you don't have a feather on hand or you
haven't found a place to source your own feather, then that doesn't mean that you can't start
smudging. The smoke created from burning sage or other
sacred medicines can easily be wafted around yourself or your environment by something
as simple as your hands. So now we've gone through all five types of
smudging feathers that you can use when you're smudging. The eagle feather, the hawk feather, the turkey
feather, the feather fan and the feather alternative. If you're wanting to learn more about the
various sacred medicines and the smudging process, download our free smudging guide
at the link and the description below. If you liked this video, please let us know
by liking it. Tell us what you liked about it in the comments. Be sure to subscribe and share it with your
friends. Thanks so much for watching, guys. We'll see you next time.
