Blackfoot Fire

When conducting a Blackfoot Fire, open Sacred Space first.

Then the wood is placed in the form of a tipi, with an opening facing to the east. This opening represents the door of the tipi facing the rising sun. The fire is the releasing of the sun that has been held by the wood. The sun is the gift to the tree that helped it to grow and flourish, and through the fire, the tree passes on the gift to those present.

Once the fire is laid and is ready to light, the elder approaches the waiting wood from the east and rattles four times over the wood. The elder then moves to the south and again rattles four times over the wood, then the west and finally the north. Once the elder has rattled from all four directions, he/she lights the fire through the opening and begin the Fire Song.