Cultural appropriation is the adoption of certain elements from another culture without the consent of people who belong to that culture. I noticed while doing my research in 1986 that white sage was sold at stores catering to the occult. For Hopkins, the appropriation of white sage is made worse because the plant is often not being harvested correctly. Sage, Salvia officinalis, is one of the most interesting, storied plants in human history. While it is not wrong to use elements of another culture, it is important to do so in a respectful way. To fully understand its consequences, though, we need to make sure we have a working definition of culture itself. 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 respect for culture with enjoyment of blue sage. 1 ._3K2ydhts9_ES4s9UpcXqBi{display:block;padding:0 16px;width:100%} 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. No, blue sage, white sage and any other sage is not cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation, defined Culture refers to the traditions, customs, beliefs, and practices of any given ethnic, racial, or religious group. Traditional dress and eagles feathers were two other examples of commonly appropriated items. When I began my research in 1986, it was most commonly done using salt and water. It is a way to keep danger at bay as well as provide a way to separate the sacred from the mundane. Idk I may just not have a ton of experience in this subject, but all of the indigenous people in my life who have seen my incense collection haven't even mentioned anything about any of the scents. In addition, the study found that the appropriation of blue sage has led to a loss of cultural identity for some indigenous people. White Sage is one, but there's others out there too. 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. Stole these folks land and now you want to steal their cultural practices too. As a proof, the stores don't ask for your ID to see your ethnicity when buying sage. Poll: Support for abortion rights is strong, even among most religious groups . connecting the participants to the spirits, resulting in the extinction of the animals, LinkedIn has officially entered its cringe era, and its working. Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. Helen A. Berger, Affliated Scholar at the Women's Studies . 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. Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. A perennial evergreen shrub of the mint family with soft, gray-green leaves, produces blue and purple flowers. 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. :) 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. While it is not inherently wrong to adopt elements of another culture, it can be problematic when the source is not acknowledged or respected. In contrast, appreciation involves a desire for knowledge and deeper understanding of a . From a historical perspective, the term that is typically used to describe the adoption of certain . It's a controversial topic, one that activists and celebrities like Adrienne Keene and Jesse Williams have helped bring into the national spotlight. If you have any insights or knowledge you think would be valuable, feel free to share them with me. The smoke is then waved over the area you want to cleanse. Why are your so afraid of possibly offending? Today, Native people are still fighting to be able to perform these ceremonies in hospitals. That is where it crosses a line, but lose the claim and the rest of it is just honoring a tradition like a fan honors Star Wars by swinging a toy light saber. The plant sage, or Salvia, grows all around the world in different colors and variants. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. Within these religions nature is viewed as sacred, to be celebrated and protected. It is now being more widely marketed by stores such as Walmart and Anthropologie. As contemporary Pagans often piece together different elements to create their spirituality, for many it seemed natural to include Native American practices. In some of the rituals participants were already standing in the circle when this part of the ritual was done; in others they entered afterward. Blue sage (Salvia clevelandii) is a perennial herb native to California, Arizona, and Baja California, Mexico. Being intentional about how you implement this practice in your life and being mindful about its origins and significance is helpful for everyone. 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. Cultural appropriation takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way. ._2Gt13AX94UlLxkluAMsZqP{background-position:50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:contain;position:relative;display:inline-block} Sage, sacred to Native Americans, is being used in purification rituals, raising issues of cultural appropriation. 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. 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? ._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)} Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. It represents a continuing legacy of marginalizing and punishing Native spirituality. Curated. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.). 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. There is no set liturgy that everyone follows, and it is possible for people to create their own rituals. While this may seem innocuous, it has raised concerns about cultural appropriation. Its about power.. Although this account of cultural appropriation is normative, cultural appropriation is often wrong only in a trivial sense. Soflyy03 10 mo. Purification can be done in several ways. Those who had been using sage returned to using either salt and water or rosemary for purification. Smudging is distinctly Indigenous. so are these other kinds of sages ok for non-native smudging/burning? It is important to note, however, that they should still be used in a respectful way and not taken out of their traditional contexts. Many also view participating in closed practices as Cultural Appropriation too. Cleansing is a way to provide a safe place to interact with the spirit world, which is always part of Pagan rituals. Sage is not the only sacred medicine used for smudging. Write an article and join a growing community of more than 160,300 academics and researchers from 4,571 institutions. It only becomes cultural appropriation when an element of culture is adopted from a marginalized group without respect for its cultural meaning or significance or with the purpose of exploiting the culture However, in recent years, the use of blue sage has become more widespread and is no longer limited to these tribes. 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. And it doesnt specifically refer to the burning of white sage, either. Cultural appropriation has a long history in popular music. 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. Cultural appropriation leads to a narrow look at other cultures and often exploitation of those cultures. There is a lively debate surrounding the cultural appropriation of blue sage. Why is burning sage cultural appropriation? What is blue sage for? 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