GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Sweetgrass has been used in Indigenous ceremonies and healing practices for centuries. At Great Falls College-MSU, a new generation of students is learning what it means — and why it matters.
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The college's Native and Indigenous Culture Center hosted its annual sweetgrass harvest and braiding event Thursday, bringing students together to learn not just the technique of braiding, but the cultural and spiritual significance behind it.
Sweetgrass is considered sacred in many Indigenous cultures — used in smudging ceremonies to cleanse spaces, invite positive energy and connect people to their spiritual traditions.
Second-year student Jazmyn Ramos attended the event for the second year in a row — and says what she has learned goes far beyond the braid itself.
"I've learned a lot about why we smudge, what the sweetgrass does, how to look at the sweetgrass, and how to have a positive mindset while you're doing this — because these are used for ceremonies and you want that positive energy in it," Ramos said.
For Ramos, the practice has become part of how she moves through her daily life.
"I tend to smudge if I'm having a bad day, or I just feel some bad energy going on. I'll have some of my sage, and I'll smudge and get rid of that bad energy — and just good thoughts come with that to help brighten my day," Ramos said.
New Indigenous Culture Ambassador Julie Higgins says the event is as much about her own journey as it is about teaching others — a reminder that cultural knowledge is something that is always being passed down and always being learned.
"I love it. I'm blessed to be able to be here to help others learn this — as well as I am learning as I'm going," Higgins said.
The event is held at the beginning of every school year as soon as the sweetgrass is ready to harvest — keeping a centuries-old tradition alive one braid at a time.
Great Falls College-MSU hosts cultural events throughout the year through its Native and Indigenous Culture Center. For more information, click here.
