X̱peyʼ (Cedar) Bundle

X̱peyʼ (pronounced “kh-pay”) is the Coast Salish word for Cedar, a sacred medicine traditionally honored for its cleansing, protective, and grounding properties. Its smoke carries a deep, woodsy aroma with a fresh, slightly peppery finish—used to clear energy and restore balance to a space. 

According to Coast Salish oral history, Red Cedar first emerged from the burial site of a deeply generous man—one who gave freely to his community in times of need. The Creator ensured his spirit would continue to care for the people through the tree that grew in his place.

That spirit of care lives on in the many ways Cedar supports wellness. Forest bathing—immersing oneself in wooded environments—has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve mental clarity. Tree compounds like phytoncides, naturally released by cedars and other conifers, support immune function and foster a sense of calm and well-being.

📦 BUNDLE SPECS

• Approximately 4 inches in length

• Hand-harvested on private land in the coastal Northwest

• Wrapped with natural unbleached cotton string

• Packaged with a tag noting your contribution to reparative justice

📜 HISTORY OF HARM

• Land Theft: The Oregon Treaty (1846) and Donation Land Claim Act (1850), passed by the U.S. government, allowed settlers to claim up to 640 acres of Coast Salish land, formalizing colonial rule without Indigenous consent. By 1853, the creation of Washington Territory and coercive treaties like Medicine Creek (1854) legalized mass land seizure, dispossessing tribes of forests, rivers, and cedar groves.
  
  
• War & Forced Displacement: When Coast Salish leaders rejected removal, the U.S. military declared war, leading to violent suppression and the execution of Chief Leschi. Lands were redistributed to settlers, railroads, and timber companies under federal authority—clearing the path for widespread privatization.
  
  
• Slavery & Indentured Servitude: Under the Donation Land Claim Act and territorial exclusion laws, Indigenous, Chinese, and Black workers were denied land rights and forced into labor on stolen land. Paid in scrip or substandard wages, they faced wage theft, debt peonage, and exclusion from unions and legal protections.
  
  
• Environmental Degradation: Cedar-rich forests were clear-cut by logging firms and leased for industrial use after settler takeover, with massive land grants given to railroad companies. These extractive practices destroyed old-growth ecosystems, polluted salmon-bearing streams, and severed cultural access to sacred medicine groves.

⚖️ REPARATIVE JUSTICE

• Apology & Acknowledgment: In 2004, Washington State vacated the wrongful conviction of Chief Leschi, acknowledging his execution as unjust. In 2024, the U.S. Navy formally apologized for the 1882 bombardment of the Tlingit village of Angoon, publicly recognizing the violence inflicted on Indigenous communities.
• Land Return: From 2021 to 2024, ancestral lands were returned to the Squaxin Island Tribe, Grand Ronde, and Quinault Nation through land transfers, purchases, and federal legislation—restoring stewardship over forests, tidelands, and sacred sites. These actions support cultural renewal and ceremonial use.
• Reparations: In 2023, Olympia, WA passed a resolution to study reparations for Black residents and examine the city’s role in historic exclusion and displacement. In 2024, Washington State launched a Truth and Reconciliation Advisory Committee to address state-led policies that harmed Indigenous communities.
• Environmental Lawsuits: Tribes including the Pacheedaht and Tla-o-qui-aht continue to resist old-growth cedar logging through legal action and blockades, asserting treaty rights and Indigenous law. Meanwhile, regional coalitions push for reform of the 1872 General Mining Law, which still permits extraction on federal land without tribal consent.