is blue sage cultural appropriation

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. Purification can be done using a number of substances, including salt, rosemary and sometimes white sage. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way. In fact, before smudging was popularized, it was illegal at least, for Indigenous folks and often violently suppressed. Others choose to research the traditional uses of blue sage and incorporate them into their own practices. 'Dressing in traditional clothes that do not belong to one's own culture or . Christmas trees are German, The Statue of Liberty is French, Spaghetti is Italian, Corn is Native American it's only cultural appropriation if you're claiming to be from a culture you aren't and wrapping yourself in it. Although Black musicians paved the way for the launch of rock-n-roll, their contributions to the artform were largely ignored in the 1950s and beyond. 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. 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. But unless you are a descendant of Indigenous North American people, it likely wasn't white sage that they were burning, according to Keene. 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. But some brands and shops continue to sell white sage, despite Native communities speaking out against it. Different Native communities use different medicines for smudging depending on where they are from, and not every culture uses white sage or smudges. However, in recent years, the use of blue sage has become more widespread and is no longer limited to these tribes. 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. One way to do this is to purchase blue sage from indigenous vendors whenever possible. Unlike cultural appropriation, strategic anti-essentialism can be practiced by both minority cultures and majority cultures. Why are your so afraid of possibly offending? Geez. A Step-by-Step Guide for Musicians. 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. 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. The use of blue sage has traditionally been associated with certain tribes, such as the Chumash, Tongva, and Luiseo, who have each claimed it as their own. Those who had been using sage returned to using either salt and water or rosemary for purification. 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. 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. Empowering Lives with Nutritious and Delicious NDIS Meals! Is this the society we re living in? It was used because it was associated with Native American practice. Sometimes white sage was used for purification in a ritual. So that raises another factor, I guess. ._2Gt13AX94UlLxkluAMsZqP{background-position:50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:contain;position:relative;display:inline-block} identity. Google white sage, the primary ingredient in the mainstream smudging custom, and dozens of choices for sage sticks and bundles appear. 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. It is a way to keep danger at bay as well as provide a way to separate the sacred from the mundane. 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. As a note, if you're browsing your fave place to buy herbs and look at the options for smoke cleansing next to white sage, you might find Palo Santo ("holy wood in Spanish). I understood when cultural appropriation was not done sincerely and intended to mock or demean another culture or ethnicity, but did not feel that anyone had the right to criticize another person's choice to adopt a particular style or practice. Blue Sage is widely used for cleansing and . Because there is no dedicated sanctified place, cleansing and protection become particularly important within Paganism. One of the ways it can become more serious is through the presence of what we term 'amplifiers'. so is blue sage okay to buy and use ? When I began my research in 1986, it was most commonly done using salt and water. Pagan rituals take place outdoors, when possible, or sometimes in peoples homes or in occult bookstores. ._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)} It's something not usually taught to non-natives. . For many contemporary Pagans, Native American spirituality was a practice they wanted to emulate because of its connection to the land, to a spirit world, and because it predates Christianity and is native to the region. But the way in which the idea was first. Blue sage is a member of the Mint family (Lamiaceae). Sign up here. Its exploitative and amounts to silencing Native voices and erasing our cultural heritage, Hopkins says. Smudging, also known as saging, has become a trendy wellness practice that folks use to cleanse their spaces be it a bedroom, an entire home, or even a car. If you have used herbs to cleanse your space in the past and enjoy the ritual, you don't have to give it up in order to do so in a culturally conscious way. "Salvia" is a name that means "healer," referring to this ancient name for a sage with medicinal properties. The cleansing and purification of the place and the participants are meant to protect them by keeping out unsavory spirits. 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. 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. Why is Good UI/UX Design Imperative for Business Success? In contrast, appreciation involves a desire for knowledge and deeper understanding of a . 1 The participants were also purified, with salt, water, smoke from a candle, incense or rosemary and a crystal or rock, symbolizing Mother Earth. Read the original article. (iStock by Getty Images) White Sage And Cultural Appropriation. Brandeis University provides funding as a member of The Conversation US. Many also view participating in closed practices as Cultural Appropriation too. These tribes have historically used blue sage for ceremonial and medicinal purposes. In the 21st century, cultural appropriationlike globalizationisn't just inevitable; it's potentially positive. Magic, the process of changing reality to your will through incantations, is done in this realm. It's a controversial topic, one that activists and celebrities like Adrienne Keene and Jesse Williams have helped bring into the national spotlight. without permission. An imbalance of power between the appropriator and the appropriated is a critical condition of the concept. Today, Native people are still fighting to be able to perform these ceremonies in hospitals. At Pagan ceremonies that I attended as a researcher, those leading the ritual would cut a sacred circle. 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. 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. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. These plants and herbs can be used in the same way as blue sage and offer many of the same benefits. 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. ._1EPynDYoibfs7nDggdH7Gq{margin-bottom:8px;position:relative}._1EPynDYoibfs7nDggdH7Gq._3-0c12FCnHoLz34dQVveax{max-height:63px;overflow:hidden}._1zPvgKHteTOub9dKkvrOl4{font-family:Noto Sans,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:21px;font-weight:400;word-wrap:break-word}._1dp4_svQVkkuV143AIEKsf{-ms-flex-align:baseline;align-items:baseline;background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-body);bottom:-2px;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-flow:row nowrap;flex-flow:row nowrap;padding-left:2px;position:absolute;right:-8px}._5VBcBVybCfosCzMJlXzC3{font-family:Noto Sans,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:400;line-height:21px;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-bodyText)}._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI{position:relative;background-color:0;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaText);fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaText);border:0;padding:0 8px}._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI:before{content:"";position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border-radius:9999px;background:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaText);opacity:0}._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI:hover:before{opacity:.08}._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI:focus{outline:none}._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI:focus:before{opacity:.16}._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI._2Z_0gYdq8Wr3FulRLZXC3e:before,._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI:active:before{opacity:.24}._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI:disabled,._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI[data-disabled],._3YNtuKT-Is6XUBvdluRTyI[disabled]{cursor:not-allowed;filter:grayscale(1);background:none;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaTextAlpha50);fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-metaTextAlpha50)}._2ZTVnRPqdyKo1dA7Q7i4EL{transition:all .1s linear 0s}.k51Bu_pyEfHQF6AAhaKfS{transition:none}._2qi_L6gKnhyJ0ZxPmwbDFK{transition:all .1s linear 0s;display:block;background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-field);border-radius:4px;padding:8px;margin-bottom:12px;margin-top:8px;border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-canvas);cursor:pointer}._2qi_L6gKnhyJ0ZxPmwbDFK:focus{outline:none}._2qi_L6gKnhyJ0ZxPmwbDFK:hover{border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-button)}._2qi_L6gKnhyJ0ZxPmwbDFK._3GG6tRGPPJiejLqt2AZfh4{transition:none;border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-button)}.IzSmZckfdQu5YP9qCsdWO{cursor:pointer;transition:all .1s linear 0s}.IzSmZckfdQu5YP9qCsdWO ._1EPynDYoibfs7nDggdH7Gq{border:1px solid transparent;border-radius:4px;transition:all .1s linear 0s}.IzSmZckfdQu5YP9qCsdWO:hover ._1EPynDYoibfs7nDggdH7Gq{border:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-button);padding:4px}._1YvJWALkJ8iKZxUU53TeNO{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;line-height:16px;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button)}._3adDzm8E3q64yWtEcs5XU7{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex}._3adDzm8E3q64yWtEcs5XU7 ._3jyKpErOrdUDMh0RFq5V6f{-ms-flex:100%;flex:100%}._3adDzm8E3q64yWtEcs5XU7 .dqhlvajEe-qyxij0jNsi0{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button)}._3adDzm8E3q64yWtEcs5XU7 ._12nHw-MGuz_r1dQx5YPM2v,._3adDzm8E3q64yWtEcs5XU7 .dqhlvajEe-qyxij0jNsi0{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}._3adDzm8E3q64yWtEcs5XU7 ._12nHw-MGuz_r1dQx5YPM2v{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);margin-right:8px;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-errorText)}._3zTJ9t4vNwm1NrIaZ35NS6{font-family:Noto Sans,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:21px;font-weight:400;word-wrap:break-word;width:100%;padding:0;border:none;background-color:transparent;resize:none;outline:none;cursor:pointer;color:var(--newRedditTheme-bodyText)}._2JIiUcAdp9rIhjEbIjcuQ-{resize:none;cursor:auto}._2I2LpaEhGCzQ9inJMwliNO,._42Nh7O6pFcqnA6OZd3bOK{display:inline-block;margin-left:4px;vertical-align:middle}._42Nh7O6pFcqnA6OZd3bOK{fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);height:16px;width:16px;margin-bottom:2px} U.S. and other countries heritage, Hopkins says this is to purchase blue sage okay to and. 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