Let’s keep Tobacco Sacred
Did you know tobacco is a sacred plant for many First Nations people? Commercial tobacco products, such as cigarettes, spit tobacco, and nicotine vaping products, are not sacred and can cause great harm. We are working with communities to connect Elders, Knowledge Teachers, and Youth in sharing the cultural significance of this sacred plant.
LISTENING TO OUR ELDERS
"In my heart, the tobacco, once it’s lit, the smoke is going to take my message to the Creator for whatever my vows are."
- ELDER GENEVIEVE BRUISED HEAD |
"The pipe is our Bible. In it, it contains all the sacredness of our spiritual beliefs. All of our ceremonies are held in that pipe, spiritually speaking"
- ELDER ANDREW BEAR ROBE |
"Let’s take the sweet grass, there’s three strands. Each one of them represents mind, body, and spirit. When they smoke that cigarette, because of all those toxics, they all go separate. We get lost."
- ELDER GORDON GLADUE |
"We are descendants of our strongest ancestors. In other words, all of us sitting here, in our DNA and in our blood, there’s a reason we’re still here, because we are descendants of those strongest people that walked away from all of the hardships that our people have endured…when you tell our young people that, it puts a different perspective on the way they think."
- ELDER TRAVIS PLAITED HAIR |
OUR JOURNEYCheck out our video to learn more about how KTSC supports communities and is revitalizing sacred tobacco.
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Supporting Communities to Prevent the Impact of Commercial Tobacco
VISION
Empowered and healthy Indigenous communities, connected through culture and through emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Mission
To support cultural connectedness and healing through sacred tobacco, to improve health outcomes in Indigenous communities.
Project Purpose
Empowering Elders and Knowledge Teachers to engage and support Indigenous youth in commercial tobacco use and nicotine vaping prevention, through sacred tobacco cultural knowledge restoration and community setting change.
leaders of change
Keep Tobacco Sacred Collaboration Guided by Members and Supported by Community Voices
Treffrey deerfoot
guiding Knowledge TEACHER
Charlene Bruno
Community Engagement Specialist
Thank you to those who have walked
the path with us
Our Supportive Health Partners and Engaged Corporate Sponsors
CORPORATE sponsor
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health PARTNERS
it's time to change the narrative
on tobacco
Join our community and be a leader in empowering First Nation's youth to learn more about tobacco’s role in our cultural traditions.
Guide New InitiativesLead your community by creating powerful initiatives that encourage First Nations’ youth to engage and celebrate all aspects of Indigenous culture.
Share your knowledgeLeverage your power as a community leader to foster positive change by providing First Nations’ youth with more opportunities to learn, understand the sacred use of tobacco.
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Put a Stop to Commercial TobaccoHelp stop the use of commercial tobacco by arming your community with the tools needed to create and maintain commercial tobacco prevention, cessation, policy, and programs.
promote community wellnessBe part of the solution when it comes to educating youth about the harmful effects of commercial tobacco, nicotine vaping, and other related tobacco products.
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Tools and Resources to Support Your Community
Elders, Knowledge Teachers, and other respected members of the community can make an impact where it matters most: in our communities.