Indian Pipe

For those of you who are a regular to this blog, you may remember me saying that indian pipes are one of my favorite flowers in the park. There are only a few remaining patches on the mountain, that I have been able to find. I think they are such a unique flower and I love the indian tale that goes along with them.


According to legend, a long time ago, before selfishness came into the world, the Cherokee people were happy sharing the hunting and fishing places with their neighbors. All this changed when Selfishness came into the world and man began to quarrel. The Cherokee Indians quarreled with tribes on the east. Finally the chiefs of several tribes met in council to try to settle the dispute. They smoked the pipe and continued to quarrel for seven days and seven nights. This displeased the Great Spirit because people are not supposed to smoke the pipe until they make peace. As he looked upon the old men with heads bowed, he decided to do something to remind people to smoke the pipe only at the time they make peace.

The Great Spirit turned the old men into greyish flowers now called ~Indian Pipes~ and he made them grow where friends and relatives had quarreled. He made the smoke hang over these mountains until all the people all over the world learn to live together in peace.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and hike up to see us if you are in our neck of the woods.