Offering Smoke: The Sacred Pipe and Native American Religion

by Jordan Paper

In this brilliant exploration of the history, mythology, ritual, and symbolism of the sacred pipe, Jordan Paper breaks new ground in assessing the importance of the pipe in Native American religion. Paper presents an encyclopedic array of archaeological, as well as documentary, evidence in support of his conclusions. Western Historical Quarterly

161 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Sam Hermanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be a captivating piece of academic work that perfectly blends anecdotes, evidence, and analysis. Paper’s work is crafted with such great care and respect for pan-Indianism that I would have easily believed this book to be written less than ten years ago. Though 1988 certainly was not that long ago, the author proves that respectful and empathic academia transcends modern political correctness. The content which Paper addresses reach far and wide to every corner of the world; his various comparative analyses include those of European, East Asian, Australian aboriginal, and South American societies. This book is a great source of historical non-Native encounters with Indian ritualistic practices and spiritual beliefs and does include a great number of Indian voices.