Why a cigar store Indian? Seems a strange concept to me. I know they were used for advertising outside the store, but why? Was it just something to do with peace pipes or was there something more to it out of American history?
I don't know the answer, but thanks for asking it. I'd wondered about that same thing when I was young--and had wondered, too, about the peace pipe connection.
Were there mind-altering drugs, by the way, in what was smoked in those peace pipes? I've wondered about that, too, since we're talking about smoke here.
I found a bunch of sites about cigar store Indians. They apparently began in the 1800s.
We got tobacco from the Indians, but they never made cigars. Cigars require a special
kind of leaf to wrap around the leaves that had the desired flavor. Bel;ieve it or not
there ised to be quite a few tobacco leaf farms in New England. It was shade grown, which
improved its ability to hold the center together. And cigars became popular as a alternative
to a pipe. The stores used the wooden Indian the same way barber shops used the red and
white spiral cylinder as an eye catcher effective at a distance greater than a sign could be.
There was one lousy thing about cigars. They were hand made, and the wrapper leaf was
well moistened by the maker's saliva, which often contained tubercle bacilli. So in the twenties
there was a cigar ad "Spit is a horrid word, But it's worse on your cigar....."
Tobacco is what was smoked, and still is, in those sacred pipes. I think it had to do with sharing and giving thanks, as Native American tradition requires for many important efforts. To hold one's tongue and contemplate the issue at hand, to let quiet and time reveal meaning....
Thanks for the information everyone. It led me to a site that has some delightful pictures of typical figures of Indian Chiefs and other figures used for advertising:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA01/Index/cigar/figures.html
Tobacco is what was smoked, and still is, in those sacred pipes.
Unless you're a Yaqui Indian, then it's a mixture with a *certain amount of dried peyote... and it still is.
Perhaps, musick, but I do not believe the Yaquis were the models for the cigar store Indians. I think this idea of smoking mind altering substances is a touchy area for many native peoples...
Anyway, at the bookstore yesterday I did some follow-up.
Tobacco was used in many native american ceremonies, and had medicinal properties as well. It was offered as a blessing at the time of 'planting', and given as thanks to medicine men for their services. When it was smoked in the pipe, the actual smoke itself is believed to rise up and convey the people's thoughts to the spirits. I'm not saying that well, the concept is far more compelling....
Here's a site with a small background and viewer submitted photos of various Cigar Store Indians from around the US:
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=39292CSI photo:
http://img.groundspeak.com/cache/39292_200.jpgAll these pics are great folks, don't miss 'em! And be sure to click on the "more photo logs" link at the bottom of the page.
Jackie!!! Here's a photo of a Cigar Store Indian insaide a tobacco shop at the corner of Preston and Jefferson in downtown Louisville, Kentucky!
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cachelog_details.asp?ID=143213&L=823374And there's one there inside a diner in my town, Wildwood NJ, too...I remember seeing that all the time, I just can't place it offhand...gotta find it now.
from Carlisle, U.K
They moved the Canary Islands to the north-west of England?
Rhuby! When did this happen?
Turns out my dad (step-father, technically, but the only dad I've ever known) is the chief of his clan. I'm the only one among four brothers who doesn't get into the indian stuff. Nevertheless when I went home during the xmas holiday, I stood/sat in a rough circle with everyone else and passed the pipe. It's a kind of communion with the earth and your buds.
As I'm not a smoker, it didn't do all that much for me, but my dad was pretty emotional that he was sharing the pipe for the first time with his oldest son. (Like I said - I'm just not into it.)
BTW, they don't call it a "peace pipe" amongst themselves as "them's white men's words," but just "the pipe." It's tobacco, but I guess I thought they added something to it - some kinda herbs or something. They have a regular pipe they use among the family, but a special one they use for the clan occasions. My brother makes really good ones - along with all kinds of native jewelry. He made a necklace for my wife with about $200 worth (I'm guessing) of topaz he'd collected over the years. I was quite shocked at such a gift (so was she).
It's possible - even likely - that different tribes and even different clans within the same tribe would have different customs, but if I remember, next time I talk to my dad, I'll ask him if they use pure tobacco.
k
Well, the canaries used to be in the coal mines...but it looks too hot and sunny to be that.
>they moved the Canary Islands?<
yeah, so the
lady was from Carlisle and the
photo was taken in the Canaries...sheesh! you try to do something nice for the board before you have to leave for awhile and all you get is abuse!
nit'n'tuck...nit'n'tuck...nit'n'tuck...nit'n'tuck...nit'n'tuck...[rolleyes-e]
nit'n'tuck
Well, you made it sound like the Indian was in Britain. I din't want nobody to go away with no mistaken notion.
Well, you made it sound like the Indian was in Britain. I din't want nobody to go away with no mistaken notion.
Gee, that was thoughtful of you...thanks for the help. [take-it-any-way-you-want-it e]
Thank you, Sweet WO'N. I don't think the store's there any more, but the Indian is probably somewhere around. Those things are too valuable to just toss away.
Check out this Sponge Man in Key West, Florida! I think I have a picture of the other one but no scanner
http://www.thom.org/gallery/unnat/FLKWspongeman2/
>Sponge Man<
Be afraid. Be
very afraid.
>Sponge Man<
Be afraid. Be very afraid. 
Looks like a typical sycophant (suck-up) to me.
Looks like one of my less popular primary school teachers to me!
- Pfranz
Looks like one of my less popular primary school teachers to me! You had somebody that looked like that?? No wonder you...uh, never mind!
