It is now being more widely marketed by stores such as Walmart and Anthropologie. 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. 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. 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. Sometimes white sage was used for purification in a ritual. From a historical perspective, the term that is typically used to describe the adoption of certain . S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. 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. | Though not the only sage native to North America, white sage is by far the one most frequently used and sold by the wellness industry. What is blue sage for? 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. 1 It is important to consider the impact that the appropriation of blue sage has had on indigenous communities. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? 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. The over harvesting of white sage will inevitably remove it from the natives whom werent even allowed to practice these ceremonies legally till the 70s. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Proudly powered by WordPress .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)} if youre indigenous or have knowledge on this please lmk!! Participants believed they were honoring the first people on the continent by incorporating elements of their spiritual practice. Cultural appropriation takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. ._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} 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. Sometimes white sage was used for purification in a ritual. I noticed while doing my research in 1986 that white sage was sold at stores catering to the occult. Terms & Conditions. ._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} The use of sage was not the only cultural artifact that these Native American spokespeople objected to being used by nonnatives. "Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else's culture without permission. A Step-by-Step Guide for Musicians. It was used because it was associated with Native American practice. theres a difference between cultural exchange and appropriation. Helen A. Berger is Affiliated Scholar at the Womens Studies Research Center, Brandeis University. 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. Being intentional about how you implement this practice in your life and being mindful about its origins and significance is helpful for everyone. Exclude from home page BNG staff 'No Celebrities Except Jesus': How Asbury Protected the Revival. 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. As I learned when I was doing my research, most Pagans believe entering this realm holds both great possibilities and dangers. 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. 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. White Sage is one, but there's others out there too. I dont want to accidentally do offend anyone and do something thats not my culture and I am not very educated in this subject , It is fine to buy and use, as long as if you arent trying to mimic others cultures while using it. As religious studies scholar Sarah Pike found among contemporary Pagans, cultural borrowing from Native Americans was seen as connecting the participants to the spirits that lived in the land around them. The cleansing and purification of the place and the participants are meant to protect them by keeping out unsavory spirits. Just don't pretend to do a sacred smudge ritual of something. The purpose of smudging, however, is ill-defined for most consumers. Although this account of cultural appropriation is normative, cultural appropriation is often wrong only in a trivial sense. Culinary sage (the kind you use in butternut squash and roasted chicken dishes), also known as garden sage, originally comes from the shores of the northern Mediterranean region. Exclude from home page BNG staff. 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. This is as much a part of smudging (or saging) as burning the plant is, Hopkins says. Purification can be done in several ways. Helen A. Berger, Affliated Scholar at the Women's Studies . At the same time, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of blue sage without disrespecting its cultural roots. 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. .LalRrQILNjt65y-p-QlWH{fill:var(--newRedditTheme-actionIcon);height:18px;width:18px}.LalRrQILNjt65y-p-QlWH rect{stroke:var(--newRedditTheme-metaText)}._3J2-xIxxxP9ISzeLWCOUVc{height:18px}.FyLpt0kIWG1bTDWZ8HIL1{margin-top:4px}._2ntJEAiwKXBGvxrJiqxx_2,._1SqBC7PQ5dMOdF0MhPIkA8{vertical-align:middle}._1SqBC7PQ5dMOdF0MhPIkA8{-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center} ive heard that mugwort and other flowers/herbs are fine, but what about other kinds of sage? In the 21st century, cultural appropriationlike globalizationisn't just inevitable; it's potentially positive. Its exploitative and amounts to silencing Native voices and erasing our cultural heritage, Hopkins says. 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. Yall are so sickening and you cant even see why. It's all about what Halloween costume you wear, or who's cooking biryani. ._3-SW6hQX6gXK9G4FM74obr{display:inline-block;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:16px;height:16px;font-size:16px;line-height:16px} Curated. Studies have shown that burning blue sage can help to reduce anxiety and stress levels, improve sleep quality, and even boost immunity. The demand has become so great that many Chumash people (of what is now Southern California) are concerned that the plant is being overharvested. 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. Smudging is distinctly Indigenous. Sage, sacred to Native Americans, is being used in purification rituals, raising issues of cultural appropriation. The role of this group is to advise CPW and the Department of Natural Resources in developing and advancing strategies to achieve the CO-OP's vision. ._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} :) 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. 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