What sacred plant did Julietta Sorensen Kass grow and share?

Julietta Sorensen Kass grew and shared sacred tobacco, which is considered a gratitude plant used in prayers and ceremonies by Métis and First Nations communities.

How did people respond to the offer of free homegrown tobacco?

People responded with wonderful interest and offered their own gifts in return, such as bundles of cedar and sage, fostering reciprocal exchanges.

What is the trend in demand for ceremonial tobacco?

Demand for ceremonial tobacco has doubled annually since 2020, driven by rising taxes, interest in gardening, and the difficulty of locally sourcing pure tobacco for Indigenous purposes.

Home / Lifestyle / Métis Gardener Gifts Sacred Tobacco, Sparks Joyful Exchanges

Métis Gardener Gifts Sacred Tobacco, Sparks Joyful Exchanges

15 Apr

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Summary

Métis gardener freely shares homegrown sacred tobacco seeds.
Recipients offered gifts like cedar and sage in return.
Demand for ceremonial tobacco doubles annually nationwide.

Julietta Sorensen Kass, a Métis citizen, cultivated more sacred tobacco than she needed on her northwest Calgary lawn. Realizing its cultural significance, she chose to share her bounty freely by posting on social media. This initiative fostered deeply rooted exchanges, with community members offering gifts like cedar and sage in return.

Sorensen Kass considers tobacco a sacred plant used for prayer and ceremony, referring to it as the "gratitude plant." Her efforts reconnect individuals with Indigenous culture and ancestral backgrounds. Meanwhile, Tobacco Seeds Canada reports a doubling in demand annually, attributing this to increased tobacco taxes and a surge in organic gardening interest.

Legally, Canadians can grow up to 15 kilograms of raw leaf tobacco per adult for personal use without a license. Sorensen Kass plans to continue growing and gifting tobacco, acknowledging the challenges many face in sourcing this culturally vital plant.

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