Cops called on Sioux woman who was burning sage

Wednesday, October 31, 2007  

A member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota hopes to educate non-Natives after police officers responded to a call of someone smoking marijuana.

Rose Paz was burning sage in her apartment in Sioux Falls. Someone in her building apparently thought she was smoking pot and showed up at her door.

Luckily, one of the officers was Native and recognized the sage, Paz said. But she's worried that other tribal members may face the same situation and wants to do something about it.

"There are so many times that I have heard Native people talk about, 'Oh, I was burning sage in my apartment, and the neighbors thought I was smoking pot,'" Paz told The Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

Lt. Greg VandeKamp of the Sioux Falls Police Department said narcotics officers are trained to tell the difference between sage and marijuana.

Get the Story:
Mistaken identity clouds native rite (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 10/31)