May 26, 2017

The Tobacco Tales

Stories, some true some not, shape who are as individuals and who are as a culture. Think about the bedtime stories you heard as a child. You loved the story and its moral molded your character. We at Tabanero love a good story too. So we thought we would share some tall tales involving tobacco.

Ancient Myths of Tobacco

The first is an ancient native myth that tells the take tale of how tobacco became a part of people's lives. It begins in a time long ago when there was only one tribe in all the Americas. They lived together following the buffalo wherever they roamed (‘Oh give me a home…’). To a couple was born a girl who grew up to be beautiful, just beautiful, she was the most beautiful. The original language says the she was ‘powerful beautiful.’ We can only speculate what they meant, but one doesn't have to imagine too deeply to understand the power that beauty can wield.

This child in time had children of her, twin boys to be precise. One boy had a light complexion with a head full gold hair. The other boy had a ruddy hue and dark brown hair. Everything was perfect, well except no one knew the identity of the father, including our powerfully beauty lady. Right now you're thinking…- but, no. The legend seems to dismiss that whole train of thought. Instead it tells us that two fathers stepped forward - and again you're thinking…but, no. One pronounced himself to himself to be the father of ruddy boy and the other to be the father of the fair boy.

You are probably thinking that the story is going to become one of those paternity fights, but once again, no. The twin boys legitimately had two different fathers. Umm, just roll with it. The father of the dark haired boy was Earth and he named his son Earth Boy. The father of the golden haired boy was the Night and he named his son Star Boy (you have The Weekend to think about that one).

Over time the boys grew up, of course they did. When they became older they began behaving differently than the others. Earth-Boy stopped going out with the buffalo parties and instead stayed among the reeds and flowers. Star-Boy also stopped following the buffalo. He would sleep during the day and go wandering at night. One night he discovered a mountain no one had ever found before. He climbed it and kept climbing until he almost reached the sky. Then he grew faint and fell down. A silver man appeared to him. It was his Star-Father.

He said, “Son why did you climb up this mountain?”

Star-boy said, “I was trying to reach you.”

The father replied, “My life is spent walking far beyond here and I will not return to this mountain in your lifetime. As sign of my love I’m giving you a great gift that contains the strength and colors of the sunset. Keep this plant with you wherever you go and in the springtime plant it wherever you are. Give great care to this sacred plant and when the stalks are tall harvest them.”

He then plunged his hand into his silver body. White light burst from his chest and he pulled out a tobacco plant.

“Son this plant is sacred. It will make your people strong and free, but in order to partake they must take them in as family.” He handed the tobacco plant to Star-Boy and then he was gone.

Star-Boy returned home where he found Earth-Boy. He told him the story and offered to take him in as family (yeah, we wondered that too – aren’t they already twin brothers?)

Earth-Boy said, “I didn't need to go to the top of a mountain. While you were gone my father came to me also. He taught the secrets ways of the earth and told me to tend all plants save the special star plant. My people will rise with sun and farm the land. Your people will be wanders after the sunset, but we are brothers.”

To seal their bond Earth-Boy made a pipe from rock and wood and Star-Boy prepared the tobacco plant. They smoked the medicine pipe together and pledged their love and declared the peace between them.

We are All Family

Here at Tabanero Cigars we affirm the moral of that story: we may have differences but we are family and there should be love and peace between us. Come on down to Ybor and let’s celebrate what we have in common.