Return to First Medicines
The Focus of our return to first medicines program is honor tobacco as a sacred plant by using it in a sacred manner, as we received on our Original Native Teachings.
For centuries before the arrival of Europeans, Ojibwe and Dakotas people used tobacco, in the form of kinnikinnik or chanshasha in ceremonies to carry prayers to the Creator. Using Native tobacco in a sacred manner is not a health risk. Today, commercial tobacco use in the Native American community is causing high rates of cancer. The Minnesota Native American Council on Tobacco (MNACT) is a comprehensive, multi-generational tobacco prevention and control initiative to improve the health and quality of life among Native Americans in Minnesota. IPTF tobacco program uses our cultural teachings to educate about the harms of commercial tobacco use, reaffirm traditional use.
“Tradition Not Addiction”
Waybinagay Program
Culturally specific commercial tobacco, alcohol and other drugs prevention and cessation program for native Americans youth and young adults ages 11-26
Participants of Waybinigay receive information, skills, cultural teachings, and ceremony through a 8-session curriculum. The program provides access to cultural activities through evening events, and social support for quitting. Upon finishing the eight-session curriculum, each participant receive incentives for completing the program & completing the 3 month follow-up questionnaire.
If you or someone you know is interested in participating in our next session contact Suzanne at (612) 205-5472
Current Waybinigay Activities:
- Monthly cultural activities, every first Wednesday
Youth perspectives: using Traditional tobacco and other Sacred Medicines to deal with anxiety and mental health.
Tobacco free Communities
The purpose of this program is to work with the city if Minneapolis and other community groups to train youth to be peer educators on tobacco policies within the city of minneapolis.
- Youth will be trained on city of minneapolis, Tobacco free communities curriculum
- Conduct presentations to other programs and events and agencys
- Visite stores, where tobacco venues sell commercial tobacco products to determine if they are following state and local guidlines
- Attend leadership training through the Youth in Congress Group
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Download: 2012 Brochure (278 KB)
Download: First Medicines Program Brochure (1.66 MB)
MNACT
Visit the MNACT Toolkit for more resources and information about tobacco, cessation and policy.
For more information on an effort to advocate and educate for traditional tobacco use and commercial abuse by IPTF and Minnesota Native American Council on Tobacco (MNACT).
Download: Tobacco Brochure (501 KB PDF)