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This article aspires to raise consciousness of the spiritual power of tobacco in a modern context and the responsibility of using tobacco ties as a research methodology. An ambitious project to outline traditional ways of doing research became a humbling teaching in the necessity of honouring tobacco and the spirit connections when tobacco is involved. We recount our journey in the project and what we learned about the meaning of tobacco to various First Nations (primarily those in northeastern Turtle Island), about doing research with Indigenous Elders, and about Indigenous research methodology. We reflect on the relationships activated when tobacco is part of a research methodology and share some of the teachings Elders shared with us about research, with a focus on their thoughts about tobacco offerings. It is not this work's intention to prescribe a proper set of steps or a how-to manual for using tobacco in social research. Rather, this article is an attempt to reflect on what it really means to honour the spirit in Aboriginal research, particularly as it is embodied in tobacco.
You also have to be yourself if you follow your traditions; tobacco is given before you give tobacco to the Elders. Find out what you are there to do, then do your work. (Jean Aauash)1
Introduction
In this paper we describe and depart from our research project titled Traditional Anishinaabek Teachings for Ethical Research. What began as an ambitious project to outline traditional ways of doing research became a humbling teaching in the necessity of honouring tobacco and the spirit connections realized when tobacco is involved.
We recount our journey in the project and what we learned about the meaning of tobacco to various First Nations (primarily those in northeastern Turtle Island) and the process of doing research with Indigenous Elders using Indigenous research methodology.
Many relationships are activated when tobacco is part of a research methodology. We will outline some of the teachings Elders shared with us about research and about tobacco offerings in particular.
We begin by introducing ourselves and provide a brief overview of our original research project. We then discuss how the involvement of Elders changed the nature of our research and moved us in unanticipated directions. We attempt to honour those...