Tobacco comes from Mother Earth. The pipe is a reminder of the good things that the creator has given us. To begin the ceremony, Teel sprinkles cornmeal around the edge of the rug. The cornmeal is part of a blessing that turns the section of the storage room into a sacred place, Teel said. We're asking a little prayer, asking Mother Earth to bless this ground and let us sit here in peace.
Participants sit on the floor at each compass direction - north, south, east and west.
Teel leads the group through rhythmic Cherokee and Lakota songs, and everyone introduces themselves. Some have come to the Friday evening group for months and are well versed on their roots. Others are still searching. The worship group started about two years ago in Mariposa Park and moved to the Rio Grande Trading Company several months ago. Teel said he would like to have an intertribal center where people could practice native customs and learn crafts, such as beadwork and leatherwork.