Justification For The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet (Smoking Pipe Stem)

Edited From A Collection Of Sources including The Author’s Clan

The Creator

always looks for suitable ways to finish what is incomplete for . A long time ago; The Creator understood that His delegates would be assigned places among because (special) place settings among people can be filled with pride, or worse things. Something else would be needed to emphasize the heaviness of special () occasions. The Creator conceived something akin to a wooden post that holds firm but is somehow, miraculously portable like the (larger) creature’s leg, and redemptive like a heavenly window.

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The Beaver

The Creator, for His purposes, through His Thunder, instructed Amik (The Beaver) to set apart a tree, that appeared good [on the surface] and to position this “Stem” in a place where it would be irresistible for People to find and keep. Afterwards, this stem would be carried by people to show the heaviness of special prayers, roles, and definitive times.

Because (non-novices) are sent for special prayer occasions; this stem, must have a safeguarded airflow to serve as a spiritual path for the valuable prayers of The Creator’s People.

The Woodpecker

The Creator, Through His Thunder, instructed Me’me () [who was known for identifying wood with and for digging deep to uncover what lies beneath the surface] to split a stem along its length and cut out the decayed, infected, (central core) so that the stem would live as a new, redeemed creation by order of The Creator, and this was The Creator’s work. Me’me was to do these things in the presence of men and women so they would learn these things according to the Woodpecker’s example. Me’me was already famous for excavating stems with entrances and exits.

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This stem was rejoined together (in a place where People would notice and learn this), with sap / tar / pitch from the sap-well Me’me had created for this purpose, by order of The Creator, through His Thunder, and this was The Creator’s work.

Bowls Of Incense

The people were led (within their already miraculous existence) to join their bowls of incense to the stem sometimes, so that the stem’s mouthpiece only expresses sincerity cultivated in the bowl’s holy heart of fragrant prayer offerings. The is believed to symbolize the biological source of ancient ancestors. The (Platteville) is a culmination of all of creation; a great [marine] flood / deluge creation of minerals, plants and animals {fossils} found in and this material is believed to represent all types of life (physical, spiritual) and water.

Puzzles And Calumets

The is completely unrelated to confusion which is evil. Instead; The Chippewa / Ojibwa “Puzzle” Calumet features cut-out areas that mimic the work of the Woodpecker, flutes, (The word ) heavenly windows and give the impression that the airflow must flow past open spaces. This meandering of the airflow is intended to prioritize visualizing patience and perseverance instead of efficiency for our journey. The Puzzle Calumet is also intended to test the highly personal devotion of the Calumet Maker / to their vocation / calling. Calumet is also the name for both a (Colonial-State) Village and a [Colonial-State] County within The Lake Superior Chippewa Territory.

Practicalities

The is deliberately, awkwardly, oversized and heavy to emphasize sublimity, the special effort for its portability, and to discourage personal misuse for profane pleasure. ’s size also transcends commingling with other item collections or “Bundles” for transportation, as is the tradition of pluralistic groups.

Improvements

Because The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet (smoking pipe stem) must be cut [open], for inner transformation, the Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet became, out of necessity; much wider, flatter, longer, over time; to create a stronger glue join, and to safeguard the airflow. Historically, the mouthpiece, glue seam and joints fail prematurely from moisture damage and newer Calumets are made to prevent this.

Operational Feasibility

Because The (Solemn) Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet can be much larger and heavier than other ; it must remain stationary during use and must not be lifted, twirled, rotated or passed along as misrepresented by missionaries, anthropologists, (colonial) state agents and pluralistic persons. The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet must not be held up, above one’s head, as hanging on a tree, as this is an accursed state of being as well as the earliest disposal method of Chippewa / Ojibwa dead. The orientation / Cardinal Pointe for the Calumet’s use is Purple or Center (same as Eastern Siouan tradition[s] ) and this is on the part of wisdom; whereas serious, intercessory prayer requires less distraction. The Spirit or meaning of the event is observed without an overly complicated orientation ritual. Personal beliefs outweigh rituals and participants go strait to the significant event or intercessory prayer. Smoke / Incense / prayers rise to be heard in heaven and as a pleasing aroma for The Creator. Grounded like the Eastern Siouan tradition, The Contemporary Calumet's smoke rises freely and effortlessly, mirroring and echoing that of the earlier, antecedent form of in-ground bowls and reeds.

Dynamic Interaction

Because The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet can be much larger and heavier than other Band’s / Tribe’s pipes; it must be attended by more than one intercessor and this forces compassionate unity by two or more persons gathered in the name of The Creator.

The Ojibwa Way

Imagine a miniature on your heart, or scars from a ritual only on your heart; these would be invisible to those who derive their sense of holiness and attention from outward appearances. is The ; a transformation from superficial rituals to inner devotion. Just as The Calumet’s Heart must change, a person’s heart must change before good things are brought out from what is stored in these places.

Indispensable Vs. Disposable

There are two (usage) varieties of Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumets. First is , an original, irresistible cultural item that models deep sincerity for the Chippewa / Ojibwa. The Solemn Calumet can transcend formality as needed, being consultative and casual for the benefit of society. The other (usage) variety is ; a give-away item for diplomatic gifting. Lastly, The (extremely rare [so rare it has yet to be deployed]) Chippewa / Ojibwa War Calumet serves as both a deterrent and as an alert system, sharing the same purpose as {facial} : an extremely serious indication that the community is living in the (imminent) worst possible time. This is why it is fantastically abhorrent to wear War Paint for festive exhibitions, and (dance) contests. displays anatomical symbols of anger and defense such as a Woodpecker’s raised crest / crown or (other raised feather arrangement) to represent the impossibility of reconstruction.

Resistance Of The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet

The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet (Elders) must rekindle resistance to corruption due to the social harm caused by allowing pluralistic stereotypes (funded by erosion and shame) to fill the voids that have formed. The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet must resist being assigned human roles because this would create unrealistic expectations and limit contemporary representation and contributions to modern society. No part of The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet is assigned a gender or sexualized in any way because this is completely unnecessary, and would only serve to uncover an extremely unhealthy and vulgar (inner) attitude.

Should a Calumet Elder be paid?

Although Intercessory Prayer is considered an unselfish act, must not be oppressed nor give freely to the rich. The Elder must not exploit it’s own community and should expect to be judged according to conduct. The Calumet Elder is sent to promote integrity and authenticate situations in a traditional way through special prayer. There is no traditional mandate for being paid, however in modern society, material support enables the Calumet Elder to focus more on their role of preserving Native Identity. Contextually, a Calumet Elder in an Intertribal, Urban, and Metro Indian Community shares the same economic struggles and loss of traditional support as the rest of the displaced community.

Conceivable examples of a contemporary Calumet Elder’s itinerations include special or intercessory prayer for:

*Calumet Elders must not participate in oaths or swearing whereas “Situational Integrity” is considered the opposite of real, consistent integrity and is thus hypocritical, oxymoronic and evil.

Display

Should Calumet use be recorded? Absolutely and for many reasons. It is highly recommended to record and publish everything as a reactionary ethic to the fantastically absurd pandemonium caused by later relying on , pluralism or genocidal anthropologists’, missionaries’ and sub rosa (colonial) state’s intelligence agencies [Smithsonian, others] misrepresentations, for one’s own customs. The Chippewa / Ojibwa Calumet may be publicly displayed intact as demonstrated and proven by numerous photographs of Calumet Elders publicly displaying intact Calumets. More importantly, Secret Knowledge is always a Red Flag and the hallmark of Spiritual Abuse.

Notes:

Calumet noun cal·u·met ˈkal-yə-ˌmet -mət : a highly ornamented ceremonial pipe of the American Indians
Etymology: American French, from French dialect, pipe stem, from Late Latin calamellus, diminutive of Latin — more at calamus
First Known Use: 1698, in the meaning defined above
Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “calumet,” accessed October 20, 2025, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calumet.

Pipe: .
Pipe-Stem: , , .
Flat Broad Pipe-Stem: . (Oskitjïy).

Midewiwin Translation: Due to the Anishinaabe word de' meaning 'heart,' the term Midewiwin (the Grand Medicine Society, a traditional Spiritual Path) is sometimes translated as "The Way of the Heart".

Bimaadiziwin is an word that generally translates to "A Way Of Life". The more comprehensive concept of , or "The Good Life", is a core philosophical and moral principle in Anishinaabe.

Monday, November 3, 2025