._1x9diBHPBP-hL1JiwUwJ5J{font-size:14px;font-weight:500;line-height:18px;color:#ff585b;padding-left:3px;padding-right:24px}._2B0OHMLKb9TXNdd9g5Ere-,._1xKxnscCn2PjBiXhorZef4{height:16px;padding-right:4px;vertical-align:top}.icon._1LLqoNXrOsaIkMtOuTBmO5{height:20px;vertical-align:middle;padding-right:8px}.QB2Yrr8uihZVRhvwrKuMS{height:18px;padding-right:8px;vertical-align:top}._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0{font-size:14px;font-weight:500;line-height:18px;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-actionIcon)}._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0 ._1LLqoNXrOsaIkMtOuTBmO5,._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0 ._2B0OHMLKb9TXNdd9g5Ere-,._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0 ._1xKxnscCn2PjBiXhorZef4,._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0 .QB2Yrr8uihZVRhvwrKuMS{fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-actionIcon)} Building on von Redecker's point about the abstract . Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. 1 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. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? Curated. What kind of sage is not cultural appropriation? . /*# sourceMappingURL=https://www.redditstatic.com/desktop2x/chunkCSS/TopicLinksContainer.3b33fc17a17cec1345d4_.css.map*/Been looking into this quite a lot recently but havent found too many answers on other types of sage. Cultural appropriation, defined Culture refers to the traditions, customs, beliefs, and practices of any given ethnic, racial, or religious group. The practice of smudging, therefore, should not be taken lightly, according to Dr. Adrienne Keene, an assistant professor of American Studies and Ethnic Studies at Brown University, author of the blog Native Appropriations, and citizen of the Cherokee Nation. ._3-SW6hQX6gXK9G4FM74obr{display:inline-block;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:16px;height:16px;font-size:16px;line-height:16px} Helen A. Berger receives funding from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, Association for the Sociology of Religion, and West Chester University. It's true: Indigenous people have been calling for the end of the commodification of sage for years, and its non-Native proponents always have an argument ready as to why it's not. Geez. This is something known as a closed practice, something those who are not within specific cultures are not welcome to use under any circumstances. It was illegal for Natives to practice their religion until 1978 in the U.S., and many were jailed and killed just for keeping our ways alive, including my great-great grandfather, Ruth Hopkins, a Dakota/Lakota Sioux writer, tells Bustle. 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. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Feel free to cleanse or purify or scent or whatever using anything you want. Really interested in some others viewpoints but a lot of the responses here dont really go into it! ._3Z6MIaeww5ZxzFqWHAEUxa{margin-top:8px}._3Z6MIaeww5ZxzFqWHAEUxa ._3EpRuHW1VpLFcj-lugsvP_{color:inherit}._3Z6MIaeww5ZxzFqWHAEUxa svg._31U86fGhtxsxdGmOUf3KOM{color:inherit;fill:inherit;padding-right:8px}._3Z6MIaeww5ZxzFqWHAEUxa ._2mk9m3mkUAeEGtGQLNCVsJ{font-family:Noto Sans,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:400;line-height:18px;color:inherit} 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. It's something not usually taught to non-natives. They argue that by taking something that is sacred to them and using it for their own purposes, non-indigenous people are erasing their culture and traditions. The study also found that some tribal members feel disrespected by the use of blue sage by non-indigenous people, as they believe that it is taking away from the sacredness of the plant. I noticed while doing my research in 1986 that white sage was sold at stores catering to the occult. 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. Blue sage (Salvia clevelandii) is a perennial herb native to California, Arizona, and Baja California, Mexico. Note that the issue is specifically White Sage. When it comes to blue sage, there is an argument that non-indigenous people are appropriating the plant by taking it out of its traditional context and using it for their own purposes. What is blue sage for? "Salvia" is a name that means "healer," referring to this ancient name for a sage with medicinal properties. 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. It's important that in the process of any cleansing you're respecting Indigenous cultures and the ecosystem. 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 . Fears have also been raised that overharvesting could result in the plants becoming extinct, resulting in the extinction of the animals that are dependent on it as well. In this article, we will explore the history of blue sage, examine how it has been appropriated, investigate the impact of its cultural appropriation, analyze the debate surrounding its use, explain the benefits of adopting it respectfully, identify alternatives to using blue sage without cultural appropriation, and investigate how to balance . Soflyy03 10 mo. They then used salt and water to purify the circle. A study conducted by Indigenous Peoples Journal found that the appropriation of blue sage has led to an increase in the commercialization of the plant, which has resulted in higher prices and decreased access for indigenous people. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Proudly powered by WordPress That smudge stick represents the deep pain, sacrifice, resistance, and refusal of Native peoples. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. Cleansing is a way to provide a safe place to interact with the spirit world, which is always part of Pagan rituals. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. 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. Magic, the process of changing reality to your will through incantations, is done in this realm. The celebration of nature takes several forms, the most common being a series of rituals that commemorate the changing seasons. If someone is harvesting white sage and doesnt know how to properly do so, theyre preventing more plants from growing and thus endangering the plant species. ._2cHgYGbfV9EZMSThqLt2tx{margin-bottom:16px;border-radius:4px}._3Q7WCNdCi77r0_CKPoDSFY{width:75%;height:24px}._2wgLWvNKnhoJX3DUVT_3F-,._3Q7WCNdCi77r0_CKPoDSFY{background:var(--newCommunityTheme-field);background-size:200%;margin-bottom:16px;border-radius:4px}._2wgLWvNKnhoJX3DUVT_3F-{width:100%;height:46px} . In particular, the practice of burning blue sage, also known as smudging, has become increasingly popular among non-indigenous people. ._3bX7W3J0lU78fp7cayvNxx{max-width:208px;text-align:center} :) the only reason white sage is so sacred to us (besides being a ceremonial tool) is because it only grows within the southwest of north America and the top of Central America, its going endangered as well and the govt refuses to add it to the endangered plants. ._2Gt13AX94UlLxkluAMsZqP{background-position:50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:contain;position:relative;display:inline-block} This form of cleansing can look a bit like smudging, but its just the simple act of burning herbs, wood, incense, or other safe-to-burn materials that possess cleansing properties. Palo Santo sticks have been getting more popular as an alternative to sage, but buying this Central and South American tree bark used by Amazonian tribes can also be harmful, in similar ways to white sage. valter's osteria recipes; whiteland shirt andrew schulz; san bernardino superior court case search; private label pet products australia; sea palms . i like this take a lot, and i was asking just for general use purposes and nothing spiritual/ritualistic, because that does cross a line. The Chumash people, for instance, who are native to central and southern coastal regions of California, use white sage in healing sessions to purify the central nervous system. In other words, its important to leave the root, because thats how the plant grows back. Seriously??? The CO-OP adopts the Colorado Outdoor Principles and acknowledges that outdoor recreation and conservation should reflect, respect, and value the demographic and cultural diversity of our state. Key elements of culture include: language art,. 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. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. 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. 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 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. Because there is no dedicated sanctified place, cleansing and protection become particularly important within Paganism. Purification can be done in several ways. No, blue sage, white sage and any other sage is not cultural appropriation. You can also use white sage as long as if you bought it for a native, or a native gave it to you. ._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)} More mainstream religions have buildings, such as churches or synagogues, where they maintain sanctuaries for religious purposes only. .ehsOqYO6dxn_Pf9Dzwu37{margin-top:0;overflow:visible}._2pFdCpgBihIaYh9DSMWBIu{height:24px}._2pFdCpgBihIaYh9DSMWBIu.uMPgOFYlCc5uvpa2Lbteu{border-radius:2px}._2pFdCpgBihIaYh9DSMWBIu.uMPgOFYlCc5uvpa2Lbteu:focus,._2pFdCpgBihIaYh9DSMWBIu.uMPgOFYlCc5uvpa2Lbteu:hover{background-color:var(--newRedditTheme-navIconFaded10);outline:none}._38GxRFSqSC-Z2VLi5Xzkjy{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-actionIcon)}._2DO72U0b_6CUw3msKGrnnT{border-top:none;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaText);cursor:pointer;padding:8px 16px 8px 8px;text-transform:none}._2DO72U0b_6CUw3msKGrnnT:hover{background-color:#0079d3;border:none;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-body);fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-body)} Cultural appropriation includes using customs, attire, makeup, ideas, art, and language. "Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else's culture without permission. All Rights Reserved. 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 It is now being more widely marketed by stores such as Walmart and Anthropologie. This may just be the people I know, or the area, or any other number of factors, but I'm pretty sure generally speaking you're chill to burn what you want as long as you don't LARP and pretend to do some ceremony or ritual with significant cultural value. But you may want to hold off on buying that, too. Contemporary Paganism is a set of religions that base their practice on what is known about pre-Christian religions in Europe, mixed with literature, science fiction and personal inspiration. The cleansing and purification of the place and the participants are meant to protect them by keeping out unsavory spirits. It was illegal for Native . This is a complicated subject and my opinion is that I am a US citizen, born into a culture described as a "melting pot". found along the coast of Southern California, frankincense and myrrh were burned in ancient Egypt for prayer, rosemary was historically burned in hospitals in France, International Union for Conservation of Natures (IUCN) list. Historically, deciding exactly what culture is hasn't been easy. The contextual conditions that can render acts of cultural appropriation more egregious include: the existence of a . Cultural Appropriation Examples . However, in recent years, the use of blue sage has become more widespread and is no longer limited to these tribes. 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