Used when negotiating for peace between two tribes, the peace pipe is part of an important spiritual ceremony that includes a medicine man and the two warring chiefs. Each individual must bring a part of the pipe to the meeting for a chance of peace. The medicine man is responsible for bringing the pipe stem and chiefs bring the bowl and the mouthpiece, signifying each person’s desire to work toward peace together. Filled with tobacco or a mixture of local herbs significant to the particular tribe, the peace pipe is smoked to seal a treaty.
Peace pipe bowls are traditionally made from red pipestone. Also called catlinite, red pipestone is rich in iron and found underground between layers of red quartzite. It is a soft and moldable slate that grows hard as it is exposed to the air. Red in color, this material can be found throughout the states of Tennessee, Minnesota and Utah. Pipestone quarries near the city of Pipestone, Minnesota are protected by the Pipestone National Monument and only Native Americans can remove stone from the area.
Here at Kachina House, each of our ceremonial peace pipes is handcrafted and unique. A variety of styles and sizes are available from different tribes, including Creek and Tohono O’odham handcrafted peace pipes.
A beautiful gift for anyone interested in Native American history and traditions, our peace pipes are available online or at our Sedona, Arizona showroom. To learn more about the peace pipe, contact us online.
To learn more about peace pipes read Francis Parkman’s “Oregon Trail”. His report on Indian Tribes and customs is very informative. His report is from the 1840’s.