Not directly, but I tend to be pretty sensitive to cultural appropriation in general given my work with totemism, (neo)shamanism, and other such things. I've written a few articles about cultural appropriation and pagans, and I'm also compiling an anthology on the topic. It's one of those things that pagans really don't want to talk about because then some of us might have to admit "We're doing it wrong!" So much easier to stick your head in the sand and pretend that your Native American spirit guide who speaks in Tonto-English justifies you calling yourself a practitioner of Native American spirituality. Granted, pagans overall tend to be better about this than New Agers, but it's still somewhat of an issue
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The message here.saint_of_meDecember 7 2007, 17:28:18 UTC
So there aren't real shamans offering training? Or there are and these "fakes" are muscling in on the "real" ones? Or only Native Americans should try to learn about Native Americans? No matter how spiritual you are you still have to eat. This is an interesting article but other than having people we can presume to be white charging to teach about Native American spiritual practices (or some interpretation of these) over a short period of time (and really, who is likely to do more than THINK he is a shaman after a weekend course?) where is the wrong here
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Re: The message here.glitteringlynxDecember 7 2007, 17:50:57 UTC
The "danger" as I see it is calling something "Native" or giving credit to something as being "Native" when it's not, or when it's being used out of context. A great example would be the Lakota pain medication which claims to help with the power of Native herbs, but the main ingredient is glucosamine sulphate which was NOT a Native herb by any stretch of the imagination.
I think the First Nations are concerned with the profiteering of using their name to fetch a higher price for a service that oculd be offered without their association, such as a sweat lodge, or to market a product such as Lakota pain medication. It also gives misinformation to people who GENUINELY want to experience part of First Nations culture.
To take Wicca as an example, I see it as the difference between Silver Ravenwolf and Fiona Horne (both write to make money, Fiona admittedly so), versus authors such as Gerald Gardner himself.
The problem is, with this particular "guardian" against plastic shamans and new age frauds, is that, he sells books from people that NAFPS calls "plastic shamans and new age frauds". It's kind of hard to take him seriously, when he's trying to make a buck selling his own spirituality.
I've been in his store. On the wall behind the door are printouts from NAFPS about different authors. On another wall was a few books. One of the books by an author on the other wall. I pretty much walked out of his store then, and have never been back there, because he's basically saying it's ok for him to sell his spirituality, but it's not ok for anybody else.
Unfortunately, there are tourists who buy his stuff and keep him in business.
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I think the First Nations are concerned with the profiteering of using their name to fetch a higher price for a service that oculd be offered without their association, such as a sweat lodge, or to market a product such as Lakota pain medication. It also gives misinformation to people who GENUINELY want to experience part of First Nations culture.
To take Wicca as an example, I see it as the difference between Silver Ravenwolf and Fiona Horne (both write to make money, Fiona admittedly so), versus authors such as Gerald Gardner himself.
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I've been in his store. On the wall behind the door are printouts from NAFPS about different authors. On another wall was a few books. One of the books by an author on the other wall. I pretty much walked out of his store then, and have never been back there, because he's basically saying it's ok for him to sell his spirituality, but it's not ok for anybody else.
Unfortunately, there are tourists who buy his stuff and keep him in business.
Reply
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