In the case of cultural appropriation, this horizon is the increasingly visible resistance of marginalised communities to cultural appropriation; a horizon of resistance that critics aim to mock and neutralise by labelling it as 'political correctness' (see Cattien, forthcoming). | But you may want to hold off on buying that, too. Its an important ceremonial purifying ritual or prayer created and practiced in many North American Indigenous cultures. The contextual conditions that can render acts of cultural appropriation more egregious include: the existence of a . ago Spoken like a true colonising brute. Why is burning sage cultural appropriation? Note that the issue is specifically White Sage. Sage, Salvia officinalis, is one of the most interesting, storied plants in human history. Smudging sage was part of those banned religious practices. Cultural appropriation takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way. It's something not usually taught to non-natives. Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. "Salvia" is a name that means "healer," referring to this ancient name for a sage with medicinal properties. it's cultural appropriation. Sage is not the only sacred medicine used for smudging. So that raises another factor, I guess. without permission. Cultural appropriation or cultural celebration? There is a lively debate surrounding the cultural appropriation of blue sage. This can include unauthorized use of another culture's. Smudging is distinctly Indigenous. As Emily McFarlan Miller reported in a recent Religion News Service article, this is resulting in overharvesting and shortages of the plant, making it harder for Native Americans to find enough for their sacred ceremonies. Studies have shown that burning blue sage can help to reduce anxiety and stress levels, improve sleep quality, and even boost immunity. That may include educating yourself and others about white sage, appropriation, and smoke cleansing; harvesting your own sage or other herbs sustainably; contacting brands to ask them to stop selling white sage without giving due to Native cultures; or using other plants entirely. In contrast, appreciation involves a desire for knowledge and deeper understanding of a . While it is not wrong to use elements of another culture, it is important to do so in a respectful way. Cultural appropriation is a hot-button issue in todays world, and one of the more recent topics to come under scrutiny is the use of blue sage. ._2FKpII1jz0h6xCAw1kQAvS{background-color:#fff;box-shadow:0 0 0 1px rgba(0,0,0,.1),0 2px 3px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.2);transition:left .15s linear;border-radius:57%;width:57%}._2FKpII1jz0h6xCAw1kQAvS:after{content:"";padding-top:100%;display:block}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2{-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-navIconFaded10);border:2px solid transparent;border-radius:100px;cursor:pointer;position:relative;width:35px;transition:border-color .15s linear,background-color .15s linear}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._3kUvbpMbR21zJBboDdBH7D{background-color:var(--newRedditTheme-navIconFaded10)}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._3kUvbpMbR21zJBboDdBH7D._1L5kUnhRYhUJ4TkMbOTKkI{background-color:var(--newRedditTheme-active)}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._3kUvbpMbR21zJBboDdBH7D._1L5kUnhRYhUJ4TkMbOTKkI._3clF3xRMqSWmoBQpXv8U5z{background-color:var(--newRedditTheme-buttonAlpha10)}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._1asGWL2_XadHoBuUlNArOq{border-width:2.25px;height:24px;width:37.5px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._1asGWL2_XadHoBuUlNArOq ._2FKpII1jz0h6xCAw1kQAvS{height:19.5px;width:19.5px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._1hku5xiXsbqzLmszstPyR3{border-width:3px;height:32px;width:50px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._1hku5xiXsbqzLmszstPyR3 ._2FKpII1jz0h6xCAw1kQAvS{height:26px;width:26px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._10hZCcuqkss2sf5UbBMCSD{border-width:3.75px;height:40px;width:62.5px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._10hZCcuqkss2sf5UbBMCSD ._2FKpII1jz0h6xCAw1kQAvS{height:32.5px;width:32.5px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._1fCdbQCDv6tiX242k80-LO{border-width:4.5px;height:48px;width:75px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._1fCdbQCDv6tiX242k80-LO ._2FKpII1jz0h6xCAw1kQAvS{height:39px;width:39px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._2Jp5Pv4tgpAsTcnUzTsXgO{border-width:5.25px;height:56px;width:87.5px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._2Jp5Pv4tgpAsTcnUzTsXgO ._2FKpII1jz0h6xCAw1kQAvS{height:45.5px;width:45.5px}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._1L5kUnhRYhUJ4TkMbOTKkI{-ms-flex-pack:end;justify-content:flex-end;background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-active)}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._3clF3xRMqSWmoBQpXv8U5z{cursor:default}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._3clF3xRMqSWmoBQpXv8U5z ._2FKpII1jz0h6xCAw1kQAvS{box-shadow:none}._2e2g485kpErHhJQUiyvvC2._1L5kUnhRYhUJ4TkMbOTKkI._3clF3xRMqSWmoBQpXv8U5z{background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-buttonAlpha10)} For Hopkins, the appropriation of white sage is made worse because the plant is often not being harvested correctly. If burning incense, herbs, or wood is part of your self-love practice and inner wellness work, there are safe-burning alternatives to burning sage for smoke cleansing, including lavender, pine, thyme, and cloves, each of which has its own unique properties and is not environmentally endangered. This entailed walking around the circle carrying a ritual knife known as an athame while chanting an incantation that marked the area as a safe place that only the spirits called would enter. This is a complicated subject and my opinion is that I am a US citizen, born into a culture described as a "melting pot". Purification can be done in several ways. In particular, the practice of burning blue sage, also known as smudging, has become increasingly popular among non-indigenous people. connecting the participants to the spirits, resulting in the extinction of the animals, LinkedIn has officially entered its cringe era, and its working. As Pagans pride themselves on being sensitive to practices of diverse cultures, most quickly gave up the use of sage; the use of other Native American artifacts in Pagan practices became less common as well. The market has become larger as aspects of Pagan or New Age practices have seeped into more general practice and the number of Pagans has increased. The participants were also purified, with salt, water, smoke from a candle, incense or rosemary and a crystal or rock, symbolizing Mother Earth. It is a way to keep danger at bay as well as provide a way to separate the sacred from the mundane. The market has become larger as aspects of Pagan or New Age practices have seeped into more general practice and the number of Pagans has increased. Possibly more importantly, rituals are meant to open up the individual to the spiritual or other world. . As contemporary Pagans often piece together different elements to create their spirituality, for many it seemed natural to include Native American practices. But the way in which the idea was first. As Pike notes, in the early 1990s Native Americans from several tribes began to express their rage at what they saw as cultural strip mining, the stealing and watering down of their culture and their spirituality, which they described as an extension of colonization that had stripped them of their original lands. It is a way to keep danger at bay as well as provide a way to separate the sacred from the mundane. ._3oeM4kc-2-4z-A0RTQLg0I{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between} The cleansing and purification of the place and the participants are meant to protect them by keeping out unsavory spirits. I noticed while doing my research in 1986 that white sage was sold at stores catering to the occult. Some people see it as disrespectful to the tribes that have historically used blue sage and argue that it should not be used by other cultures. Cultural appropriation is defined as the act of taking or using elements of one culture by members of another culture without permission or acknowledgement of the source (Oxford Dictionary). The celebration of nature takes several forms, the most common being a series of rituals that commemorate the changing seasons. Required fields are marked *. As Keene explains, overharvesting white sage in addition to the threat of increased wildfires and urban development endangers Indigenous peoples ability to access and use the wild plant in the ways they and their ancestors have done for thousands of years. Geez. Unlike cultural appropriation, strategic anti-essentialism can be practiced by both minority cultures and majority cultures. The demand has become so great that many Chumash people (of what is now Southern California) are concerned that the plant is being overharvested. Traditional dress and eagles feathers were two other examples of commonly appropriated items. An imbalance of power between the appropriator and the appropriated is a critical condition of the concept. In her groundbreaking book Purity and Danger, anthropologist Mary Douglas illustrates how purity and its maintenance are central to religion. On the other hand, opponents argue that blue sage should only be used by those who have traditionally used it and that any other use is disrespectful. White Sage is one, but there's others out there too. Brandeis University provides funding as a member of The Conversation US. Its exploitative and amounts to silencing Native voices and erasing our cultural heritage, Hopkins says. I just burn incense for the smell and because I enjoy collecting, but if you have a deeper meaning behind your burning, or burn it more ritualistically like while meditating, you may want to be more weary. Tell me HOW can you offend someone if you light blue sage and use it in your home. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that white sage has important medical benefits it is used to cure colds and aid postpartum healing and its a crucial part of the surrounding ecosystem. Supporters of cultural appropriation argue that it is not inherently wrong to use elements of another culture, as long as it is done in a respectful way. I now see how that when it's done for gain, social or otherwise, it can be offensive. 1 Yall are so sickening and you cant even see why. Some of the Pagan practitioners had received training from a Native American teacher. It was illegal for Natives to practice their religion (including smudging) until 1978 in the U.S. It's something they've had to fight for. White sage, which is sacred to a number of Native American tribes in the southwest United States, has been adopted by both some contemporary Pagans and New Age practitioners for purification rites. Just use your sage and that's it. Exclude from home page BNG staff 'No Celebrities Except Jesus': How Asbury Protected the Revival. ._2ik4YxCeEmPotQkDrf9tT5{width:100%}._1DR1r7cWVoK2RVj_pKKyPF,._2ik4YxCeEmPotQkDrf9tT5{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center}._1DR1r7cWVoK2RVj_pKKyPF{-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;max-width:100%}._1CVe5UNoFFPNZQdcj1E7qb{-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:4px}._2UOVKq8AASb4UjcU1wrCil{height:28px;width:28px;margin-top:6px}.FB0XngPKpgt3Ui354TbYQ{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-align:start;align-items:flex-start;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;margin-left:8px;min-width:0}._3tIyrJzJQoNhuwDSYG5PGy{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;width:100%}.TIveY2GD5UQpMI7hBO69I{font-size:12px;font-weight:500;line-height:16px;color:var(--newRedditTheme-titleText);white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis}.e9ybGKB-qvCqbOOAHfFpF{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;width:100%;max-width:100%;margin-top:2px}.y3jF8D--GYQUXbjpSOL5.y3jF8D--GYQUXbjpSOL5{font-weight:400;box-sizing:border-box}._28u73JpPTG4y_Vu5Qute7n{margin-left:4px} It has also been used medicinally by some indigenous communities for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. Blue sage is a member of the Mint family (Lamiaceae). Different Native communities use different medicines for smudging depending on where they are from, and not every culture uses white sage or smudges. Once a saver, always a saver: Warren Buffett says generational wealth isnt what it used to be in his annual letter Its bigger than the housing crisis: An influential economist just blamed NIMBYs for American decline, and Elon Musk CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Palo Santo has been added to the International Union for Conservation of Natures (IUCN) list, because though the tree is not yet nearing extinction, its recent overharvesting can put it on that path. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? ._38lwnrIpIyqxDfAF1iwhcV{background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-widgetColors-lineColor);border:none;height:1px;margin:16px 0}._37coyt0h8ryIQubA7RHmUc{margin-top:12px;padding-top:12px}._2XJvPvYIEYtcS4ORsDXwa3,._2Vkdik1Q8k0lBEhhA_lRKE,.icon._2Vkdik1Q8k0lBEhhA_lRKE{border-radius:100%;box-sizing:border-box;-ms-flex:none;flex:none;margin-right:8px}._2Vkdik1Q8k0lBEhhA_lRKE,.icon._2Vkdik1Q8k0lBEhhA_lRKE{background-position:50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:100%;height:54px;width:54px;font-size:54px;line-height:54px}._2Vkdik1Q8k0lBEhhA_lRKE._1uo2TG25LvAJS3bl-u72J4,.icon._2Vkdik1Q8k0lBEhhA_lRKE._1uo2TG25LvAJS3bl-u72J4{filter:blur()}.eGjjbHtkgFc-SYka3LM3M,.icon.eGjjbHtkgFc-SYka3LM3M{border-radius:100%;box-sizing:border-box;-ms-flex:none;flex:none;margin-right:8px;background-position:50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:100%;height:36px;width:36px}.eGjjbHtkgFc-SYka3LM3M._1uo2TG25LvAJS3bl-u72J4,.icon.eGjjbHtkgFc-SYka3LM3M._1uo2TG25LvAJS3bl-u72J4{filter:blur()}._3nzVPnRRnrls4DOXO_I0fn{margin:auto 0 auto auto;padding-top:10px;vertical-align:middle}._3nzVPnRRnrls4DOXO_I0fn ._1LAmcxBaaqShJsi8RNT-Vp i{color:unset}._2bWoGvMqVhMWwhp4Pgt4LP{margin:16px 0;font-size:12px;font-weight:400;line-height:16px}.icon.tWeTbHFf02PguTEonwJD0{margin-right:4px;vertical-align:top}._2AbGMsrZJPHrLm9e-oyW1E{width:180px;text-align:center}.icon._1cB7-TWJtfCxXAqqeyVb2q{cursor:pointer;margin-left:6px;height:14px;fill:#dadada;font-size:12px;vertical-align:middle}.hpxKmfWP2ZiwdKaWpefMn{background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-active);background-size:cover;background-image:var(--newCommunityTheme-banner-backgroundImage);background-position-y:center;background-position-x:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;border-radius:3px 3px 0 0;height:34px;margin:-12px -12px 10px}._20Kb6TX_CdnePoT8iEsls6{-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;margin-bottom:8px}._20Kb6TX_CdnePoT8iEsls6>*{display:inline-block;vertical-align:middle}.t9oUK2WY0d28lhLAh3N5q{margin-top:-23px}._2KqgQ5WzoQRJqjjoznu22o{display:inline-block;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;position:relative}._2D7eYuDY6cYGtybECmsxvE{-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis}._2D7eYuDY6cYGtybECmsxvE:hover{text-decoration:underline}._19bCWnxeTjqzBElWZfIlJb{font-size:16px;font-weight:500;line-height:20px;display:inline-block}._2TC7AdkcuxFIFKRO_VWis8{margin-left:10px;margin-top:30px}._2TC7AdkcuxFIFKRO_VWis8._35WVFxUni5zeFkPk7O4iiB{margin-top:35px}._1LAmcxBaaqShJsi8RNT-Vp{padding:0 2px 0 4px;vertical-align:middle}._2BY2-wxSbNFYqAy98jWyTC{margin-top:10px}._3sGbDVmLJd_8OV8Kfl7dVv{font-family:Noto Sans,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:400;line-height:21px;margin-top:8px;word-wrap:break-word}._1qiHDKK74j6hUNxM0p9ZIp{margin-top:12px}.Jy6FIGP1NvWbVjQZN7FHA,._326PJFFRv8chYfOlaEYmGt,._1eMniuqQCoYf3kOpyx83Jj,._1cDoUuVvel5B1n5wa3K507{-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;margin-top:12px;width:100%}._1eMniuqQCoYf3kOpyx83Jj{margin-bottom:8px}._2_w8DCFR-DCxgxlP1SGNq5{margin-right:4px;vertical-align:middle}._1aS-wQ7rpbcxKT0d5kjrbh{border-radius:4px;display:inline-block;padding:4px}._2cn386lOe1A_DTmBUA-qSM{border-top:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-widgetColors-lineColor);margin-top:10px}._2Zdkj7cQEO3zSGHGK2XnZv{display:inline-block}.wzFxUZxKK8HkWiEhs0tyE{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;line-height:16px;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);cursor:pointer;text-align:left;margin-top:2px}._3R24jLERJTaoRbM_vYd9v0._3R24jLERJTaoRbM_vYd9v0._3R24jLERJTaoRbM_vYd9v0{display:none}.yobE-ux_T1smVDcFMMKFv{font-size:16px;font-weight:500;line-height:20px}._1vPW2g721nsu89X6ojahiX{margin-top:12px}._pTJqhLm_UAXS5SZtLPKd{text-transform:none} Getty. Copyright 20102023, Academic Journalism Society, connecting the participants to the spirits, Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images, resulting in the extinction of the animals. I mean, if you're of white European descent, you have no reason to wear a headdress, smoke a peace pipe and do smudging ceremonies while claiming to be a shaman of the Navajo. The phrase originated in the . Other types of sage are completely okay! But if you tend to poke around smoke cleansing social media circles, you've probably heard people ask (and might be wondering yourself): Is burning sage and smudging cultural appropriation? A Comprehensive Review. Still, what most people think of today as cultural appropriation is the opposite: a member of the dominant culture an insider taking from a culture that has historically been and is still . . So when our religious practices are mocked through these products, or folks are commodifying and making money off our ceremonies, its not about who has the right to buy or sell. participating in a closed practice thats not part of your culture (which is considered cultural appropriation) isnt helpful to the indigenous communities. No, blue sage, white sage and any other sage is not cultural appropriation. Why is Good UI/UX Design Imperative for Business Success? That smudge stick represents the deep pain, sacrifice, resistance, and refusal of Native peoples. .Rd5g7JmL4Fdk-aZi1-U_V{transition:all .1s linear 0s}._2TMXtA984ePtHXMkOpHNQm{font-size:16px;font-weight:500;line-height:20px;margin-bottom:4px}.CneW1mCG4WJXxJbZl5tzH{border-top:1px solid var(--newRedditTheme-line);margin-top:16px;padding-top:16px}._11ARF4IQO4h3HeKPpPg0xb{transition:all .1s linear 0s;display:none;fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);height:16px;width:16px;vertical-align:middle;margin-bottom:2px;margin-left:4px;cursor:pointer}._1I3N-uBrbZH-ywcmCnwv_B:hover ._11ARF4IQO4h3HeKPpPg0xb{display:inline-block}._2IvhQwkgv_7K0Q3R0695Cs{border-radius:4px;border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-line)}._2IvhQwkgv_7K0Q3R0695Cs:focus{outline:none}._1I3N-uBrbZH-ywcmCnwv_B{transition:all .1s linear 0s;border-radius:4px;border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-line)}._1I3N-uBrbZH-ywcmCnwv_B:focus{outline:none}._1I3N-uBrbZH-ywcmCnwv_B.IeceazVNz_gGZfKXub0ak,._1I3N-uBrbZH-ywcmCnwv_B:hover{border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-button)}._35hmSCjPO8OEezK36eUXpk._35hmSCjPO8OEezK36eUXpk._35hmSCjPO8OEezK36eUXpk{margin-top:25px;left:-9px}._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP,._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP:focus-within,._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP._3aEIeAgUy9VfJyRPljMNJP:hover{transition:all .1s linear 0s;border:none;padding:8px 8px 0}._25yWxLGH4C6j26OKFx8kD5{display:inline}._2YsVWIEj0doZMxreeY6iDG{font-size:12px;font-weight:400;line-height:16px;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaText);display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;padding:4px 6px}._1hFCAcL4_gkyWN0KM96zgg{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);margin-right:8px;margin-left:auto;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-errorText)}._1hFCAcL4_gkyWN0KM96zgg,._1dF0IdghIrnqkJiUxfswxd{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;line-height:16px;cursor:pointer;-ms-flex-item-align:end;align-self:flex-end;-webkit-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none}._1dF0IdghIrnqkJiUxfswxd{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button)}._3VGrhUu842I3acqBMCoSAq{font-weight:700;color:#ff4500;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:4px}._3VGrhUu842I3acqBMCoSAq,.edyFgPHILhf5OLH2vk-tk{font-size:12px;line-height:16px}.edyFgPHILhf5OLH2vk-tk{font-weight:400;-ms-flex-preferred-size:100%;flex-basis:100%;margin-bottom:4px;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaText)}._19lMIGqzfTPVY3ssqTiZSX._19lMIGqzfTPVY3ssqTiZSX._19lMIGqzfTPVY3ssqTiZSX{margin-top:6px}._19lMIGqzfTPVY3ssqTiZSX._19lMIGqzfTPVY3ssqTiZSX._19lMIGqzfTPVY3ssqTiZSX._3MAHaXXXXi9Xrmc_oMPTdP{margin-top:4px} Geez. Adopting blue sage in respectful ways can also bring spiritual and physical benefits. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. theres a difference between cultural exchange and appropriation. Within these religions nature is viewed as sacred, to be celebrated and protected. It would be both ironic and sad if in celebrating Mother Earth, Pagans helped to make a sacred herb extinct. For example, frankincense and myrrh were burned in ancient Egypt for prayer, and rosemary was historically burned in hospitals in France in order to clear the air of infection. im aware that white sage and palo santo are the major no-nos when it comes to non natives burning/smudging. Even from a non economical standpoint i just see it as the best part of multiculturism. Participants believed they were honoring the first people on the continent by incorporating elements of their spiritual practice. As I learned when I was doing my research, most Pagans believe entering this realm holds both great possibilities and dangers. Purification can be done using a number of substances, including salt, rosemary and sometimes white sage. As I learned when I was doing my research, most Pagans believe entering this realm holds both great possibilities and dangers. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice| Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information| Ad Choices Why does it matter what YOU'RE fine with? Pagans, to the contrary, have ritual areas that must be transformed from mundane to sacred use. It represents a continuing legacy of marginalizing and punishing Native spirituality. Being intentional about how you implement this practice in your life and being mindful about its origins and significance is helpful for everyone. Sometimes white sage was used for purification in a ritual. One way to do this is to purchase blue sage from indigenous vendors whenever possible. In her groundbreaking book Purity and Danger, anthropologist Mary Douglas illustrates how purity and its maintenance are central to religion. if youre indigenous or have knowledge on this please lmk!! Press J to jump to the feed. The use of sage by non-Native Americans is again becoming more prevalent. A close up image of a bushy white sage plant used to make smudge sticks. Although this account of cultural appropriation is normative, cultural appropriation is often wrong only in a trivial sense. Seriously??? It was used because it was associated with Native American practice. You can also use white sage as long as if you bought it for a native, or a native gave it to you. Thanks to the recent trendiness of smudging, white sage is in high demand. Terms & Conditions. Meanwhile smudging with palo santo and white sage is a sacred ritual for many native North American tribes, who only pass down the practice to members of their community. Dr. Adrienne Keene, assistant professor of American Studies and Ethnic Studies at Brown University, author of the blog Native Appropriations, and citizen of the Cherokee Nation, This article was originally published on July 19, 2019, Shadow Work Is All About Stepping Into Your Power Here's How To Do It, TikTok's "Soft Life" Trend Isn't Just About Enjoying Nice Things, Meet The Running Coach Advocating For POC Representation On The Trails, How Many Squats Should You Do? The participants were also purified, with salt, water, smoke from a candle, incense or rosemary and a crystal or rock, symbolizing Mother Earth. Another is to research the traditional uses of blue sage and incorporate them into your own practices. At the same time, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of blue sage without disrespecting its cultural roots. so are these other kinds of sages ok for non-native smudging/burning? ._3K2ydhts9_ES4s9UpcXqBi{display:block;padding:0 16px;width:100%} The sage plant is native to the Mediterranean region but has grown across the Americas for ages. Wondering whether burning sage is cultural appropriation is a fair question long story short, burning sage is problematic for a few reasons, the biggest being cultural insensitivity and environmental unsustainability. Is this the society we re living in? I appreciate the sensitivity but there are bigger fish to fry in a society that puts kids in cages because their parents are brown. It is important to note, however, that they should still be used in a respectful way and not taken out of their traditional contexts. cultural appropriation, adoption of certain language, behaviour, clothing, or tradition belonging to a minority culture or social group by a dominant culture or group in a way that is exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical. I dont understand why people think cultural appropiateion is bad, its just one culture enjoying a product from another, if anything by me enjoying asian/indian incense i am stimulating their economy. The use of sage was not the only cultural artifact that these Native American spokespeople objected to being used by nonnatives. .s5ap8yh1b4ZfwxvHizW3f{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaText);padding-top:5px}.s5ap8yh1b4ZfwxvHizW3f._19JhaP1slDQqu2XgT3vVS0{color:#ea0027} Reed condemned cultural appropriation and claimed sports teams take from different cultures for mere entertainment. ._2a172ppKObqWfRHr8eWBKV{-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:8px}._39-woRduNuowN7G4JTW4I8{margin-top:12px}._136QdRzXkGKNtSQ-h1fUru{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;margin:8px 0;width:100%}.r51dfG6q3N-4exmkjHQg_{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.5px;line-height:12px;text-transform:uppercase;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center}.r51dfG6q3N-4exmkjHQg_,._2BnLYNBALzjH6p_ollJ-RF{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex}._2BnLYNBALzjH6p_ollJ-RF{margin-left:auto}._1-25VxiIsZFVU88qFh-T8p{padding:0}._2nxyf8XcTi2UZsUInEAcPs._2nxyf8XcTi2UZsUInEAcPs{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-widgetColors-sidebarWidgetTextColor)} As a sociologist of religion who has studied contemporary Paganism for more than 30 years, I am aware of how important both contact with the spirit world and purification are in this religion. 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