Smudging Ceremonies...

[Guest Anonymous]

Oh, it's definitely a private thing, although occasionally I have done it in small groups of other like-minded individuals of various cultural backgrounds, but always with deep respect for the ceremony. I'm not imposing myself into any Aboriginal communities or anything like that, or claiming to be First Nations or even to share any specific beliefs or practices. I think that's why I was wondering whether it is actually okay to smudge even though I'm about as "biologically" non-Native as you can get (biologically in quotes because I believe we are one, and on a strictly biological level I know there is no difference, we are all Homo Sapiens after all), I guess I was just wondering if it would be terrible that a first generation British Canadian, all blonde and blue-eyed, who freckles even in the shade and has no Native background whatsoever, smudges herself and her house and teaches her kids why, and how, about the relationships that are being acknowledged, and where the ceremony comes from. I do have personal spiritual beliefs that align with much of what I have come to learn of Aboriginal spirituality(spiritualities)and I have profound respect for First Nations cultures and beliefs. I am heartsick when I hear/read/learn about the hardships faced by such a beautiful, wise people; I yearn for the day our nation wakes up and sees the incredible value of our First Nations citizens and that Native and non-Native communities can (should) work together for mutual benefit.All this to say, I would never dream of intentionally disrespecting their traditions or culture in any way, let alone blatantly exploiting it. Smudging feels right, I feel a connection through that, and I guess I feel like that's the right reason to do it, I just don't want to be doing it if I shouldn't be.

Also, experiencedd: "I'd prefer to honor all the gods and worship none." TRUTH! I love that.

This sounds dangerously close to that bad kind of cultural appropriation, e.g. the non-First Nations setting, the 'it aligns with my spirituality' thing.

Also, with regards to the bolded part: Really? That?

[Sinister Rouge]

Okay. Sorry. Didn't want to offend anybody. I see that I did word that strangely and it sounds inappropriate.

If my intention is a spritual cleansing, protection, and honouring, without any specific affiliation to any First Nations group, is it still appropriation?

[Guest Anonymous]

I know that I am not the arbiter of what is and what is not appropriation but...yeah, it really does sound like cultural appropriation. You are taking an element from one culture, cutting it out of that culture of origin, not believing in the bigger picture beliefs (as you say, you don't claim to "share any specific beliefs or practices"), and then using that thing for yourself.

[Sinister Rouge]

Though, reading more about it now, it is true that it's not a strictly Aboriginal practice, although that tends to be the main association. I did learn to do it from a First Nations acquaintance, but in my personal practice it's obviously much different, I.E. I don't do the chants or pray to the spirits she did. It's not like I've memorized some ceremony, it's a totally personal version of the basic concept. There was also that big long sentence where I did say I don't share any particular beliefs, just a basic premise. Maybe I wasn't clear enough, I'm not going around my house conducting Aboriginal ceremonies. Never have, never ever would.

[aelar]

Burning herbs to purify is a spiritual practice that has taken many forms in many different cultures, in many different eras. It's not appropriation to be inspired by this ritual's symbolism and decide to incorporate it into your own personal spiritual practices, even if your introduction to this practice came from some specific culture.

I do think that if you were inspired by a particular culture's version of this practice, that it might be helpful to you to examine how you perform the ritual, and decide if there are elements that you are using that are specific to that culture, that you can let go of, and replace with aspects that are more authentic and true to yourself and your unique spirituality.

For example, sage is a pretty common and popular herb to use for smudging, but you might consider burning your favorite incense instead, or making a ritual out of gathering herbs from your own garden to use. Or you say that you don't chant or pray, but maybe you, without thinking about it, include gestures to the four cardinal directions because that is something you saw, but that gesture doesn't have any meaning for you, and so it's just sort of 'costuming' for the ritual.

You might also do some research into other traditions that use smudging, and research other rituals for purification, just to get exposure to a wider set of symbolism, and then decide if your smudging ritual could be even more authentically yours. In my opinion, cultural appropriation is sort of a half-way point that people get stuck at, when they are not willing or able to fully participate in the culture whose rituals inspire them, but also not willing or able to do the work to create new rituals that are wholly their own.

If you have gone beyond 'this act resonates with me and I want to use it' all the way to 'this is my ritual that incorporates symbols and acts that I have invested with specific and personal meaning', then you shouldn't feel worried about being misinterpreted.

I have found in my own creation of rituals and religious artifacts that when I still have some discomfort when I think about a representative of any one inspiration source viewing my work, then I am probably still a little too close to my source material, too derivative.

[Anise]

In my personal opinion, cultural appropriation is inappropriate when paired with exoticizing that culture (it's so mystical/magical/exotic/different) and reinforcing stereotypes, hierarchical ideas, and commercialization of traditions or customs. However, I don't think there is anything wrong with borrowing certain values, traditions, etc. when there is a personal connection to that culture or community.

But really, cultural exchange has been occurring for thousands of years. By borrowing elements from other people groups, you are just continuing this human tradition.

[2xx1xy1JD]

Re: cultural appropriation. The word 'appropriation' implies taking something for yourself and is therefore different from standard multicultural interaction. I see it as the difference between going to your friend's Bar Mitzvah even though you are not Jewish and engaging in 'Torah observant', Lina-style, head-covering, DIY, faux Judaism.

There are differing opinions in the Jewish community about this, but in my view, the offensive thing about Lina and the "Messianic" crowd isn't that they have an interest in Torah observance - it's that they engage in deliberate misrepresentation of their beliefs in order to lure Jews to Christianity.

While I know some people who don't like it, I have no issue with non-Jewish groups who are genuinely inspired by the Exodus story and who adapt the Passover seder to other events (such as the end of slavery in the United States), as long as they make it clear what they are doing, and don't do it as a mockery of the original Seder.

I do have an issue with people who hold beliefs that are clearly evangelical Christian but who deliberately do not refer to themselves as Christian, who refer to themselves as Jews despite the fact that they are not recognized by any part of the Jewish community, who use Hebrew when it is neither their primary language nor that of the people that they target, and who are actively marketing their beliefs to actual Jews. If you take out a full-page ad in the newspaper of a large retirement village that is 90% Jewish, advertising Shabbat services at your congregation with a Hebrew name and offering free rides to seniors and food after services, and mention in small print that your congregation follows the "brit hadasha" and believes in "Yeshua" when you know full well that the target audience has absolutely no idea that these terms refer to the New Testament and Jesus, that's offensive.

My husband was invited to participate in a sweat lodge while he was working on a Cree reserve. Nothing offensive about that. He talked about his experiences there, which is also fine. Opening up a clinic offering "Native sweat lodge ceremonial healing" upon his return, though, would have been offensive IMO, if no Natives were involved and it was just an attempt to capitalize on Native culture based on a very brief encounter.

[velly]

Re: cultural appropriation. The word 'appropriation' implies taking something for yourself and is therefore different from standard multicultural interaction. I see it as the difference between going to your friend's Bar Mitzvah even though you are not Jewish and engaging in 'Torah observant', Lina-style, head-covering, DIY, faux Judaism.

This is really helpful for me to know!

I have a question though, what if you GENUINELY have an interest in knowing about a culture and say, go to a Hebrew community to learn more about their way of life, their believes and while there are required to wear the head-covering etc. You do so with respect and all but are not necessarily jewish? Is this still seen as wrong?

[clibbyjo]

I say whatever feels right to you is IS right for you. I am a smudger, I was just clearing my bedroom last night. :) I have done it for years, and like someone else said, many cultures smudge or have some kind of "clearing ceremonies" . I do it all privately,I don't feel its anyone's business but mine what I believe.

No one can tell you what to believe, you believe what is right for you. I personally believe if you feel pulled towards a culture/religion you are currently not a member of, its because you were that in another life. :clap:

[Bellatrix]

A little off topic here but 100% this or 1/4 that doesn't mean much. Just like saying you're 1/4 Italian or 1/4 Spanish. That's a country, not an ethnic group. And when you take into account evolution, there is no such thing as pure blooded this or that.

It is a typical American thing though. I don't know any people from Europe who "count" (or rather divide) their heritage. You're a bit of this a generation down the maternal side, a bit of that, a happy mix. Nobody does fractions or such around here.

[velly]

A little off topic here but 100% this or 1/4 that doesn't mean much. Just like saying you're 1/4 Italian or 1/4 Spanish. That's a country, not an ethnic group. And when you take into account evolution, there is no such thing as pure blooded this or that.

It is a typical American thing though. I don't know any people from Europe who "count" (or rather divide) their heritage. You're a bit of this a generation down the maternal side, a bit of that, a happy mix. Nobody does fractions or such around here.

Oh I see I guess I count it because when I get my family together it's a bit nuts... I mean we have different cultures in our family like it's no one's business and no one turns a nose if we want to participate in some part of our other heritage. Like if I suddenly wanted to participate in some aboriginal ceremony I just go to that side of the family and because they are my family, they don't mind. Same goes for the religious bit... if I decide to go to church it's all good but if I want to dab into some santeria, well I go to that since my family is also black and has a few santeros in. I see more the cultural aspect... I doubt you can go into my genes and see these things though. Still, good to know for future reference!

Btw, if my use of the word 'black' offends anyone I will change it! I just don't personally like the term 'african american' and find it limiting.

[snarkbillie]

This is really helpful for me to know!

I have a question though, what if you GENUINELY have an interest in knowing about a culture and say, go to a Hebrew community to learn more about their way of life, their believes and while there are required to wear the head-covering etc. You do so with respect and all but are not necessarily jewish? Is this still seen as wrong?

I was told that cultural appropriation starts when you take something sacred from another culture. For example, walking around wearing war bonnets is not okay because war bonnets are sacred but wearing a beaded necklace is okay because beaded necklaces aren't. I didn't really understand until they said that I could, for example, wear cammo pants but it's not okay for me to go around claiming to be a General if I'm not. I understood that. You can learn about other cultures, fine. You can borrow some of their stuff. You should probably leave sacred things alone as much as possible.

*this is the general "you" not the "you" to which I'm replying.

[Phyllis Styne]

A little off topic here but 100% this or 1/4 that doesn't mean much. Just like saying you're 1/4 Italian or 1/4 Spanish. That's a country, not an ethnic group. And when you take into account evolution, there is no such thing as pure blooded this or that.

It is a typical American thing though. I don't know any people from Europe who "count" (or rather divide) their heritage. You're a bit of this a generation down the maternal side, a bit of that, a happy mix. Nobody does fractions or such around here.

That's probably on account of the US ogvernment and the way its treated native poeple here - they break people into fractions of tribal blood and non-tribal blood, pretty damned dehumanizing but it gets some of the people their government cheese. I don't want to start anything so I'll shut up now but the history of the policies toward native people here sucks, it sucks sucks sucks. I'm not going to say any more about it. it makes me too mad.

[velly]

That's probably on account of the US ogvernment and the way its treated native poeple here - they break people into fractions of tribal blood and non-tribal blood, pretty damned dehumanizing but it gets some of the people their government cheese. I don't want to start anything so I'll shut up now but the history of the policies toward native people here sucks, it sucks sucks sucks. I'm not going to say any more about it. it makes me too mad.

Well I'm not in the US =P but where I am people normally do those little 'lists' or 'fractions' because we find the term 'Hispanic' hilarious.

[2xx1xy1JD]

This is really helpful for me to know!

I have a question though, what if you GENUINELY have an interest in knowing about a culture and say, go to a Hebrew community to learn more about their way of life, their believes and while there are required to wear the head-covering etc. You do so with respect and all but are not necessarily jewish? Is this still seen as wrong?

No problem with learning!

It's common for non-Jews to wear head-coverings out of respect during Jewish services. The only issue would be with active participation in certain religious rituals meant for Jews. Most synagogues have discreet ways to inquire or signal if someone is not Jewish, to avoid awkward moments (for example, asking a non-Jew to read from the Torah), because not everyone knows if a Bar Mitzvah boy has non-Jewish relatives or if someone is in the process of conversion.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I didn't really understand until they said that I could, for example, wear cammo pants but it's not okay for me to go around claiming to be a General if I'm not. I understood that. You can learn about other cultures, fine. You can borrow some of their stuff. You should probably leave sacred things alone as much as possible.

I've often used the military medals analogy myself. You can admire medals, you can be inspired by medals, you can even make up your OWN medals, but if you just put on medals (medals unique to some group that are known) that you didn't earn, it's disrespectful to the people who have earned them, and you're being a fraud. If you don't CARE about disrespecting people, party on, but otherwise? Not so good. (Of course far too often people are happy to appropriate from people who they are Othering and feel don't have the power to fight back or "surely will never notice.")

When it comes to "ethnic wear" (for lack of a better term) it seems it's "okay" to wear it if you're from the culture that wears it, even when elsewhere (so you can say hey, I'm representing my own interesting foreign culture), or if you're anyone in the world at all who is living in the place where that is the normal clothing (so it's hey, I'm just blending in, these are normal everyday clothes).

Where most people run afoul (IMHO) is by (1) exoticising, (2) getting the details wrong, and (3) pretending to be an expert in something they're clearly not. Particularly if you combine (2) and (3) that's when things really get cringeworthy. And Lina does that, in addition to trying to trick people into Messianism.

I've been to Bar Mitzvahs and my husband was given a kippa to wear. He's got a full beard and wore a suit so even kinda blended in with the crowd (if we ignore just how crazily satin that hat was!!) but he was ASKED to wear it and far more importantly, neither of us was remotely claiming to be Jewish.

[2xx1xy1JD]

Speaking of faux Jews, I found this article interesting:

http://blog.newvoices.org/2011/10/05/co ... d-country/

[Alecto]

This is a bit of a personal rant, but bear with me please. I personally believe cultural appropriation can be a huge issue, especially within the modern pagan community. One of my dearest friends described a lot of "eclectic" modern neo-paganism as Chinese Buffet Religion - you take a god for column A, a goddess from column B and some egg rolls and call it Wicca or Eclectic Wicca - but truthfully, many people who do that have zero ideas about the cultural context of these deities. They take what some pop author (like Silver Ravenwolf) says as gospel. They adapt sacred rites without learning what they actually mean to the people who do them.

A good, concrete example of this is runes. I have a friend who is just starting to take up the runes (we are both Asatru) and I was looking on Amazon to get him a copy of Diana Paxons' book(a well known Asatru author) to help get him started. I was absolutely flabbergasted at what was offered. There were so many mishmash of cultures into runes. Runes are a specific, sacred thing to us Germanic pagans, and yet people seem to think they can just apply them to damn near anything. Truthfully, almost every culture has some sort of "throwing bones" so why don't people look to that culture's diviniation system instead of doing things like "Egyptian Runes!" or my favorite "Chinese Runes!"

And don't even get me started on the pagan group who thought it was a good idea to have a "Norse Drinking Game" aka a Sumbel, a sacred Asatru community building rite.

Yet, if you question these things, you are mean and interfering with these special snowflake's beliefs. You are persecuting them for calling out their appropriation of other cultures beliefs and practices. I've seen people here do it, and I find it hypocritical that we can call out Faux Jews but not them. Then again, most people hate facing their own hypocritical behavior, myself included.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

TThey adapt sacred rites without learning what they actually mean to the people who do them.

I suppose my main question to people doing that is then - WHY do you do the ritual? Surely there's gotta be some reason? At which point I'd expect to hear one of (1) "I read about this interesting ritual that some interesting foreign people do, and some idea at the core of it made me think that I could adapt some aspects of it to something I already do, and make my own new thing that is not theirs and so no, I don't claim it's the same ritual at all," or (2) "what? This is the sacred ritual of [some foreign people], and yeah, I'm one of them now (or I heard it's magic), why are you questioning me?" Of course, I suspect mainly those people just don't want anyone asking them! :)

Obviously I have a problem with (2) particularly when they are getting things wrong all over the place (including things that *I* as another complete outsider but just possibly better read recognizes are completely bogus) but (1) is more just borrowing to me, doesn't bother me because the person isn't claiming anything.

Take burning herbs or incense - people all over the world do it, for various reasons. You can't (IMHO) lay claim to "you can't burn this incense because it means a certain thing to my culture" if the person burning it isn't doing it for remotely the same reason or making any reference to your culture at all. If the person says "I'm doing the XXX ceremony" without being a member of XXX (and most likely doing it wrong) then it's a problem.

Separate from that is the concept of being polite to people by not either making them transgress their own religious rules or doing things that they find to be harmful to them by their own religious rules. Plenty of people have sacred objects that I don't believe in so I obviously don't think that handling them "wrongly" (by that person's religious rules) is going to harm anything at all, but out of respect for that person I won't do it, for the same reason that I won't destroy something that might be objectively worthless (money-wise) but that is sentimental to someone else - it hurts them, and I respect THEM. A lot of that falls back to the military medals thing, also.