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
