Boye Ladd talks about the sacred medicines

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We acknowledge through the use of tobacco, incense-cedar, sage-many of these things we use to appease the spirits. It isn't the object itself. It's what they bring.

Spirits are very much attracted to smell, very much attracted to smell. Each has a different form of spirit ... We use, especially when we talk about our warriors, we use tobacco. That's the most sacred of all our herbs and medicines. We use it to appease the spirits and, in all ceremonies when we talk about the spirit world, we'll always foremost use tobacco in our strong way.

There are different forms of tobacco, of course. There is Indian tobacco and there is white man's tobacco. White man's tobacco is commercialized today. It has additives. It has chemicals. It has addiction... And when you use Indian tobacco, it doesn't have all these kinds of chemical properties. So in the spirit world, when we acknowledge them, at least in the warrior sense, we bring the spirit the good feelings...

One of the things I'd like to clarify on tobacco and the use of cedar, sage...each has a particular chemical property.... Sage, it is common knowledge to all the traditionalists across the country, is to protect the individual. It protects the body. We put it in, maybe, our moccasins, in part of our regalia someplace. Cedar is used to protect anything that is sacred, an object, a pipe, something very respected, an object of some shape or form. We use cedar to appease; we always bless that.

Tobacco is the ultimate. It is the highest of the high and it's very hard to find the true Indian tobacco. Every spring of the year people are always looking for me, calling me. They come and find tobacco. The Ho-Chunk people were gifted with tobacco. They possessed the original seeds from the Creator and so only certain medicine men, certain people, can grow that tobacco, and we use it in a certain way.

And there is no money involved in it. Any time you use money in the form of something that is sacred, you destroy the essence of what the purpose is, so when we exchange tobacco, we share, we give it. We give it to the people. We give it to other people and let them use it in their ceremonies, in their sundances, rain dances...Everyone wants to use the most sacred, the most powerful tobacco.

You should be very clear of mind [when you use it]. Be very careful when you use it, because the times when we use real Indian tobacco we often say be careful of what you are praying for because most time you are going to get it and accept the consequences.

That's the balance in life.

We try to look at balance in everything that we do in our teaching, even in dance. We balance our footwork. We balance the smoothness, the beauty. We accept everything around us.

When we look at footwork, you look at the steps that they have. Anything they do on the left, you must do on the right. They never used to have a backwards step, but being 2004, well we go forward and we go backwards now. There never was a backwards step. Everything was going forward, but you balanced your left and right.

We look at life that way. We look at life in a sense that one can't work without the other. We look at balance. They call it the red road, the Indian road. You walk that middle road. . . We look at what white man call antonyms, opposites. We look at black, white. We look at life, death. Good, bad. It doesn't matter which side of the spectrum they are on. One can't work without the other.

You know, in our Indian way, our teachings, well, I teach moderation. Don't go too far, because no matter if I preach, that child is still going to go over there and test. He is still going over here and find out what it is about. So what I say is teach moderation.... Always keep that [red] road within grasp that I can come back and try to walk that middle road.

When you walk that middle road, then you come in harmony with everything. But there are certain things that you have to sacrifice. If thins are going good for you, why do you want to change it? Society today, I tend to find, people think that they can go out and buy happiness, when happiness can be found in one word. The Indian people have always had it. That one word being acceptance. Acceptance for everything that is in front of us. Try not to change the things that are of the unknown. Always respect what is Wakan (holy). Leave it alone. But no, education, white man's teaching, will always try to dissect that clock, take that thing apart. What makes it tick? In Indian country there are a lot of things that we don't [do]. It's Wakan; it's sacred.

Give is another very important word in our way of life...A true Indian can never become a millionaire because he's always sharing, always giving, helping the other people less fortunate. If you have a gift, share it. If you have a weakness, don't be afraid to ask for help. . . There are people that will come and help you.

You give tobacco to the right[person], he speaks from the heart. He doesn't lie. He speaks from the heart. Because the only person he lies to is the Creator. . . and it's going to come back on [him]. . .