The Elder's prayer followed a smudge. In the stillness of the positive energy that our sacred medicines create, he began his teaching, ‘my good people, thank you for coming to this gathering. I want to thank you for being open to listening to what I have to say. I will begin by telling you what bought me here today; it was to answer questions like, ‘how much do I owe you?’ or ‘how much does it cost?’ or even ‘who do I pay?’ These are types of questions that I have been asked more and more frequently in relation to how much I charge for ceremony. I requested that I be allowed to address these kinds of questions in forums such as this so that we can help to stop the commercialization and consumerism of our ceremonial traditions.

I would like to offer these teachings from my heart to yours. I need you to hear this loud and clear, ‘we do not charge for ceremony!’ If you are being asked to pay to attend a ceremony, you are not attending a real ceremony. You are in the company of frauds. We are not like televangelists. We do not have tithing. No true spiritual leader, spiritual advisor or Elder would charge you, ever! Yes, there are protocols to observe. Such as passing tobacco to the Elder as a sign of respect for the teachings and ceremonies that are being given; and even in this, if a person came to ceremony without tobacco, no true Elder would turn them away. They too have gone through the true experience of being poor, our people were poor; we were put on reserves and given rations, we understand that sometimes people have more month at the end of their money. We understand that when you can, you will show up with protocol. We understand that you come to enrich your spirit, not our pockets. It is within this same regard, we also know the people who can afford to help with wood, gas, and feast food may donate money, if not the actual items itself. We know you will volunteer your time so that others will benefit with your compassionate gift of service. We know that Creator is good and that will we be taken care of in terms of providing ceremony. True Elders do not use ceremony as an income. To be clear, we do not charge money. Yes, we sometimes receive honorarium from an organization, but every Elder I know uses them to help provide more ceremonies, even if it is for gas money or even airplane flare to help us get to the next ceremony. Elders that demand honorariums are simply providing teachings for profit; and, if you pay, you will get a store bought teaching. It is akin to buying a smudging kit at 'new age' shop or at trendy urban shop. Our sacred medicines grow in the wild, they do not have a sales sticker or price tag on them. We observe protocol with them because they are our honoured relatives, we lay tobacco at their feet. Please my listen my dear ones, if you are being asked to pay to attend ceremony, please do not go. If you do, I guarantee, you will get what you paid for; you will receive fraudulent guidance, you will receive phoney teachings and you will be led further away from Creator's intention. Again, we do not use our ceremonies or sell our sacred medicines for profit.

We, the traditionalists are spreading this teaching so that we can help to ensure our true traditional teachings remain purely spiritual and not for monetary gain. I hope you take this news in a good way, as it is my intention to share it with you in a good way. For those who do seek to profit from our ceremonies, my prayers are with you. I believe that one day, Creator will bring you a lesson that will take the form of tough love. I pray that you stop so that you or your family, do not have to heal from that lesson. While spirituality and ceremonies are gentle, loving and kind, they are also strong, powerful and are meant to promote healing. Disrespecting our sacred medicines and ceremonies by charging money for them or charging people to attend ceremonies is ridiculing our culture, as well as demonstrating scorn for our Ancestors and shows a true disrespect of the spirits. Believe me our ceremonies are nothing to fool with. For those who put a price on spirituality, I truly pray for you.

For you, here in the audience, I thank you for your kind attention. I ask the Good Grandmothers, Good Grandfather and Creator of All Good Things to richly bless your path.

All my Relations,
Emily Jane Henry
Kihci Têpakohp Iskotêw Iskwêw