Fans made from feathers are often depicted in Native art and seen during Powwows. But why did did natives make them and what were they used for?
From the earliest of times, people viewed the bird as a mystical creature. Because birds spent most of their time in the sky, they were seen as closely connected to the spirit world above. It then followed that tools created from the feathers of these beautiful creatures would retain some of that spirit when the tool was used.
Smudging is a ceremony using the smoke of herbs and resins, such as sage and copal, to cleanse, heal, and/or promote positivity. Each tribe has its own, very specific practices for smudging; however, most tribes use a feather fan to assist in directing the smoke. This is done by gently fanning the feathers though the smoke in the desired direction.
